[mrsD]

Here is an article that came in my email today:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/...3&src=confwrap

In the current study, the authors aimed to determine the percentage of community subjects with chronic neuropathic pain who smoke. Subjects were recruited from a large population-based study to assess the prevalence of chronic pain.

These adults had self-reported neuropathic pain, were identified from patient charts as having neuropathic pain, or had a positive score on the self-administered Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (S-LANSS), a tool designed to identify patients with neuropathic pain. They also self-reported current smoking status.

The percentage of participants confirmed as having neuropathic pain by clinical assessment who also smoked was 21%, compared with 13% in the overall sample (P = .009). Smoking was twice as common (62% vs 33%) in subjects who were diagnosed by clinical assessment as having neuropathic pain as nociceptive pain.

[glenntaj]

--is how the numbers would stack up for people who didn't put cigarettes in their mouths, but were exposed to tobacco smoke on a constant basis.

I've never touched a cigarette, a cigar, a joint--anything. Mostly that's because both of my parents had two-pack-a-day habits, and I remember my early years being a haze of smoke. I was asthmatic early in life--interestingly, I have had no attacks/symptoms since late high school (I was away for college).

My dad finally quit at age 62 after the second heart attack and bypass. Mom still puffs (at age 72).

[Aussie99]

Everyone knows that ciggies have thousands of toxic chemicals, that flood your bloodstream with every puff. It would be intresting if there was some reasearch on how many people with toxic PN smoked. And improved after they stopped smoking.

[shiney sue]

Interesting cigarette's even on smeone's clothes makes me so sick..
Like Glen my parents smoked 2 packs a day ,as I was throwing
up in the car,they said it was a weak tummie and hush..Dad had
a massive heart attack at 48 and quit,so mom hid some but she quit.
as well..My Dad passed away at 54 of a massive heart attack..Mom lived
to her 80's and passed away of Brest Cancer.

My brother and I never smoked,he's never been in a hospital
and then there's me. Aussie cigarette's were not promoted as
bad in those days..I was born in 46 Mom always had one in
her mouth...All the the family smoked and there was a lot
of them. All I know was It made me very sick. We would go
from MI. to MO. all the widows open in the car and me with a
bucket throwing up.

They were cheap back then ,and I belive they were used as
Tranq back then..I married a man who didn't smoke out of my
3 children the one who had cancer at 12 smoked, I'm happy
to say he has been smoke free 1 yr. ago yesterday. He
did it on a web site to show,what he when through...Now
he gets up without gagging,he can taste the food he eats
and he doesn't have to bundle up to go out in the MN. cold
to smoke..He looks great and to hug him without that smell
on him is wonderful.

I for one have suffered from secon hand smoke,but like Glen
I would like to see the no's..Sue PS My sson also loves he's
no smoking away his hard earned money..

[mrsD]

think the monoxide alone is a huge culprit.

Monoxide alone seriously affects the skin of smokers...they age far faster
than nonsmokers. I have seen women 20 yrs younger than I who look older
than I do! (I have to take date of birth on new patients).

And smokers have restrictions about bone fusions, and also stimulate liver enzymes. Some drugs are cleared much faster in smokers and need higher doses to work..theophylline and birth control pills are examples.

[cyclelops]

I don't think they diagnose toxic PN based on cigarette smoking, and people with toxic PN have exposure to some toxic substance that is known to cause PN. You could not say that those people with toxic PN due to other causes that happen to smoke got it from smoking.

The logistics of such a study would be substantial. It would be very difficult to statistically prove that cigarettes and cigarettes alone cause PN. It would almost have to be a longitudinal study, controlled for a great many variables.

I would not doubt that smoking causes or exacerbates PN, it causes a great deal of disease and suffering. To get a study controlled for variables to prove that it causes PN would be an undertaking!!

I was exposed to heavy smoking as a kid and was sick with respiratory illness my entire childhood. It is best not to smoke.

Oh MRSD, I had my yearly physical and without asking, they decided to run a Vitamin D level....so this will be interesting.