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Symptoms of Smoking



Symptoms of Smoking

The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources for Smoking includes the 5 symptoms listed below:

Research symptoms & diagnosis of Smoking:

Smoking: Complications

Review medical complications possibly associated with Smoking:

Research More About Smoking

Do I have Smoking?

Smoking: Medical Mistakes

Home Diagnostic Testing

Home medical tests related to Smoking:

Wrongly Diagnosed with Smoking?

The list of other diseases or medical conditions that may be on the differential diagnosis list of alternative diagnoses for Smoking includes:

See the full list of 1 alternative diagnoses for Smoking

More about symptoms of Smoking:

More information about symptoms of Smoking and related conditions:

Other Possible Causes of these Symptoms

Click on any of the symptoms below to see a full list of other causes including diseases, medical conditions, toxins, drug interactions, or drug side effect causes of that symptom.

Medical Books Online about Smoking

Medical Books Excerpts Excerpts of published medical book chapters related to Smoking are available from published medical books for more detailed information about Smoking.

Medical Books Excerpts
  • "Handbook of Diseases" (2003)

Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

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Drug abuse and dependence: Signs and symptoms
(Handbook of Diseases)

Indications of acute intoxication vary, depending on the drug.

Clinical tip  The drug user seldom seeks treatment specifically for his drug problem. Instead, he may seek emergency treatment for drug-related injuries or complications.

Friends, family members, or law enforcement officials may bring the patient to the hospital because of respiratory depression, unconsciousness, acute injury, or a psychiatric crisis.

Physical examination

Examine the patient for signs and symptoms of drug use or drug-related complications as well as for clues to the type of drug ingested. For example, fever can result from stimulant or hallucinogen intoxication, from withdrawal, or from infection from I.V. drug use.

Inspect the eyes for lacrimation from opioid withdrawal, nystagmus from central nervous system (CNS) depressants or phencyclidine intoxication, and drooping eyelids from opioid or CNS depressant use. Constricted pupils occur with opioid use or withdrawal; dilated pupils, with the use of hallucinogens or amphetamines.

Examine the nose for rhinorrhea from opioid withdrawal and the oral and nasal mucosa for signs of drug-induced irritation. Drug sniffing can result in inflammation, atrophy, or perforation of the nasal mucosa. Dental conditions commonly result from the poor oral hygiene associated with chronic drug use. Also inspect under the tongue for evidence of I.V. drug injection.

Inspect the skin. Sweating, a common sign of intoxication with opioids or CNS stimulants, also accompanies most drug withdrawal syndromes. Drug use sometimes induces a sensation of bugs crawling on the skin, known as formication; as a result, the patient’s skin may be excoriated from scratching.

Needle marks or tracks are an obvious sign of I.V. drug abuse. Keep in mind that the patient may attempt to conceal or disguise injection sites with tattoos or by selecting an inconspicuous site, such as under the nails.

In addition, self-injection can sometimes cause cellulitis or abscesses, especially in patients who also are chronic alcoholics. Puffy hands can be a late sign of thrombophlebitis or of fascial infection from self-injection on the hands or arms.

Auscultation may disclose bilateral crackles and rhonchi caused by smoking and inhaling drugs or by opioid overdose. Other cardiopulmonary signs of overdose include pulmonary edema, respiratory depression, aspiration pneumonia, and hypotension.

CNS stimulants and some hallucinogens may precipitate refractory acute-onset hypertension or cardiac arrhythmias. Withdrawal from opioids or CNS depressants can also provoke arrhythmias and, occasionally, hypotension.

During opioid withdrawal, the patient may report abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting. Opioid abusers also commonly complain of hemorrhoids, a consequence of the constipating effects of these drugs. Palpation of an enlarged liver, with or without tenderness, may indicate hepatitis.

Neurologic symptoms of drug abuse include tremors, hyperreflexia, hyporeflexia, and seizures. Abrupt withdrawal may precipitate signs of CNS depression (ranging from lethargy to coma), hallucinations, or signs of overstimulation, including euphoria and violent behavior.

Medical history

Carefully review the patient’s medical history. Suspect drug abuse if he reports a painful injury or chronic illness but refuses a diagnostic workup. In his attempt to obtain drugs, the dependent patient may feign illnesses, such as migraine headaches, myocardial infarction, and renal colic; claim an allergy to over-the-counter analgesics; or even request a specific medication.

Also, be alert for a previous history of overdose or a high tolerance for potentially addictive drugs. I.V. drug users may have a history of hepatitis or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection from sharing dirty needles. Female drug users may report a history of amenorrhea.

A patient who abuses drugs may give you a fictitious name and address, be reluctant to discuss previous hospitalizations, or seek treatment at a medical facility across town rather than in his own neighborhood. If possible, interview family members to verify his responses.

If the patient admits to drug use, try to determine the extent to which this behavior interferes with his normal functioning. Note whether he expresses a desire to overcome his dependence on drugs.

If possible, obtain a drug history consisting of substances ingested, amount, frequency, and last dose. Expect incomplete or inaccurate responses. Drug-induced amnesia, a depressed level of consciousness, or ignorance may distort the patient’s recollection of the facts; he also may deliberately fabricate answers to avoid arrest or to conceal a suicide attempt.

The hospitalized drug abuser is likely to be uncooperative, disruptive, or even violent. He may experience mood swings, anxiety, impaired memory, sleep disturbances, flashbacks, slurred speech, depression, and thought disorders.

Some patients resort to plays on sympathy, bribery, or threats to obtain drugs. They may also try to manipulate caregivers by pitting one against another.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003

Smoking as a Cause of Symptoms or Medical Conditions

When considering symptoms of Smoking, it is also important to consider Smoking as a possible cause of other medical conditions. The Disease Database lists the following medical conditions that Smoking may cause:

- (Source - Diseases Database)

Medical articles and books on symptoms:

These general reference articles may be of interest in relation to medical signs and symptoms of disease in general:

Full list of premium articles on symptoms and diagnosis

About signs and symptoms of Smoking:

The symptom information on this page attempts to provide a list of some possible signs and symptoms of Smoking. This signs and symptoms information for Smoking has been gathered from various sources, may not be fully accurate, and may not be the full list of Smoking signs or Smoking symptoms. Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Smoking may vary on an individual basis for each patient. Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they are indeed Smoking symptoms.


 » Next page: Diagnostic Tests for Smoking

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