Though most people know how smoking is bad for our lungs and can cause lung cancer, not many people know that tobacco is very harmful for our spine also. Now there is enough research which shows the bad effects of smoking on vertebral discs of our spine.
The intervertebral discs are the gelly like tissue which act like a cushion between our bones (vertebra) of the spine and thus avoiding its wear and tear. These discs are 31 in number and are extremely important in maintaining the shape and strength of our spine. Due to the elastic cushion which they provide, there is smooth movements of spine like bending forward or sideways.
These intervertebral discs are dependent upon the small blood vessels from the spine bones for their nutrition since they don't have any blood supply of their own. If they don't get proper nutrition, then they undergo wear and tear and can cause damage to spine causing diseases like Disc herniation or Sciatica.
As we know that smoking causes narrowing of blood vessels so it can cause severe damage to the discs of spine causing back pain. This weakening or wear and tear of discs can especially affect people in their 50s and 60s. This can not only cause back pain but can also cause osteoporosis where spine becomes porous and is very weak. This can lead to fractures of the spine especially in old people.
So any patient having back pain must quit smoking at the earliest. Any delay may cause not only damage to spine but will also slow down recovery.