Cigarettes And Allergies

 Alongside with the opinion that substances from cigarettes can cause various complications to those who suffer from asthma or can provoke allergies there appeared a new research that suggests quite the opposite. In particular it suggests that cigarette smoke can help people who suffer from allergies.

The leader of the study, Neil Thomson, a member of Faculty of 1000 Biology, a leading expert in the field of respiratory medicine, takes as a basis the experiments held on mice mast cells. The conclusion is really surprising: the experiment shows that cigarette smoke stops the development of mast cells which respond for the appearance of various types of allergies.

Moreover the study demonstrates that cigarette smoke helps to prevent the release of proteins which cause inflammation in response to allergens without influencing other mast cell functions. The conclusion was made by the researchers at Utrecht University in the Netherlands.

The study was based on the mast cells of mice. However the researches are almost sure that the same reaction will take place with humans. Now the new results have been thoroughly analyzed to make more clear conclusions concerning the new discovery. The science does not stand on the same place. If earlier cigarette smoke was associated only with harmful effects on health nowadays it is incorrect to state that smoking is a harmful habit. Not everything is so categorically. However the time will show if the new discovery of cigarette smoke is true.


Cigarette smoke allergy: Cigarette smoke allergy refers to an adverse reaction by the body to cigarette smoke. Cigarette smoke allergy is not considered a true allergy but a sensitivity as the smoke is an irritant rather than an allergen. People with other allergies tend to be more sensitive to cigarette smoke. More detailed information about the symptoms, causes, and treatments of Cigarette smoke allergy is available below.

Cigarettes contain 4,000 chemicals, of which 69 are cancer-causing agents that irritate the throat, airways and lungs. These chemicals and noxious particles cause inflammation of the airways leading to the lungs, as well as an influx of immune cells to the airways. Neutrophils, mast cells, CD8+ T cells and macrophages are immune cells that migrate to the walls and space within the airways, as well as the lungs, during an allergic reaction to cigarette smoke. These immune cells initiate and perpetuate the immune response by causing the release of histamine and other immune mediators into the airways. The release of histamine results in the signs and symptoms associated with an allergic reaction to cigarette smoke.

Vocal hoarseness, wheezing and breathing difficulties are common symptoms of an allergic reaction to cigarette smoke. Cigarettes contains thousands of compounds, tar and reactive oxygen species that irritate the throat and airway passages. Coughing and hoarseness of the vocal chords are allergic symptoms caused by cigarette smoke, notes the National Institute of Environmental Health. The release of histamine into the upper respiratory tract causes the throat and upper respiratory tract to swell and close up in severe cases. Swelling of the upper respiratory tract increases the resistance to airflow and impairs the movement of oxygen into the lungs and carbon dioxide out the body. This results in wheezing, tightening of the chest and breathing difficulties.

Smoking cigarettes causes inflammation, irritation and swelling of the nasal passages. Histamine is released into the nasal passage, resulting in symptoms such as sneezing, itching of the eyes, post-nasal drip and a runny and stuffy nose due to the congestion and blockage. These symptoms are a common immunologic response to the chemicals present in cigarettes. There is no specific cure for nasal irritation or congestion; thus, the best treatment option is to avoid smoking cigarettes or secondhand smoke.

The children and spouses of smokers have an increased risk of developing asthma and respiratory infections. Cigarette smoke also increases the risk of an allergic reaction in individuals with asthma, bronchitis and allergic rhinitis. The National Institute of Environmental Health Science advises nonsmokers to avoid being in closed spaces, such as an elevator or a car, with a smoker. Secondhand smoke is just as dangerous as firsthand smoke, and, thus, nonsmokers in close quarters with smokers are at an increased risk of developing respiratory allergic reactions.