Can Cigarettes Cause Acid Reflux?

At some point in their lives, many adults around the world have turned to cigarette smoking as a way to somehow alleviate themselves from feeling stressed, anxious, and many more. One reason behind this is that cigarettes produce nicotine, which is a chemical known for causing temporary feelings of relaxation whenever it enters one’s bloodstream. However, it’s crucial to acknowledge that alongside the temporary relief smoking provides, it also poses significant health risks. Research has shown that cigarette smoking is linked to a wide array of health problems, including lung cancer, heart disease, and respiratory issues. Therefore, while it may offer temporary relief from stress and anxiety, the long-term consequences of smoking and health risks far outweigh any short-term benefits. It’s important for individuals to seek healthier and safer coping mechanisms for managing their stress and anxiety.

A percentage of adult smokers, however, feel different things when they are smoking. Even though they feel soothed every time they puff a cigarette, they also have a troublesome burning feeling in their chest. This sensation may be attributed to what is currently known as acid reflux. 

But can cigarettes really cause acid reflux? Is there a way to stop this phenomenon from happening? Through this blog, we’ll uncover the correlation between smoking and acid reflux as well as the risks and effects of acid reflux symptoms on one’s body.

Can Smoking Cigarettes Really Cause Acid Reflux?

Understanding acid reflux can help us understand its connection to smoking cigarettes.

Acid reflux is the troublesome burning feeling in your chest (known as heartburn) whenever the gastric or stomach acid travels up towards the throat. Now, if your stomach content regularly and persistently flows up into your esophagus, then you may have already developed diseases like gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD.

Once you develop GERD, it can become a chief risk factor for a type of cancer called esophageal adenocarcinoma. The only way to avoid GERD from occurring is to quit smoking.

Smoking, after all, is known for increasing the occurrence of acid reflux events. While there are only a few medical explanations behind this, doctors have proposed numerous reasons as to why people who smoke cigarettes can increase the rate at which acid reflux events occurred. 

1. Smoking cigarettes reduces the pressure of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), which acts as a protective barrier between the stomach and the esophagus. When LES pressure decreases, stomach acid can easily flow up into the esophagus, leading to acid reflux.
2. Cigarette smoking reduces the bicarbonate content of the saliva. Bicarbonate is a compound that helps neutralize and buffer different types of acids.
3. Smoking significantly increases inflammation in the body, making cigarette smokers susceptible to developing GERD and Barrett’s esophagus. Barrett’s esophagus, in turn, poses a risk of esophageal cancer.

In a comparative study done regarding the connection between cigarette smoking and acid reflux, most of the reasons mentioned above have been determined to be true. Smoking cigarettes most likely exacerbates reflux disease by directly provoking acid reflux as well as reducing one’s LES pressure.

Will Quitting Smoking Help Acid Reflux?

Since smoking can most likely cause acid reflux, does quitting help you alleviate and prevent acid reflux events? In a way, yes.

Acid reflux is a common gastrointestinal disorder that can lead to symptoms like heartburn, indigestion, and regurgitation. When these symptoms manifest, they can significantly disrupt your daily routines, sleep patterns, and overall well-being. You may then end up taking over-the-counter medications or prescription drugs just to manage the acid reflux symptoms.

These interventions, unfortunately, can only give you temporary relief. 

A more permanent and long-term solution you can do to minimize and alleviate acid reflux symptoms is to quit smoking. Smoking relaxes your LES, causing gastric acid to backflow into your esophagus. When you quit smoking, the LES retains its proper function, preventing the said from flowing up. It then helps reduce acid reflux symptoms, which include abdominal or epigastric discomfort. 

When you reduce or stop smoking, you will also save yourself from developing lung cancer, which is related to the formation of GERD. As long as you complement smoking cessation with lifestyle modifications like dietary changes and stress management, you’ll be able to reduce acid reflux symptoms until you’re no longer affected by them.

How Long Does Acid Reflux Last After Quitting Smoking?

The symptoms of acid reflux can be life-changing since they often ruin your flow. If you suddenly feel a burning sensation in your chest in the middle of your work, it will be difficult to carry out the tasks you’re assigned to do. 

Quitting smoking, therefore, is a good step towards improving the quality of your life since it minimizes your chances of getting acid reflux and developing symptoms associated with it. Additionally, it helps prevent you from attaining other diseases related to tobacco smoke inhalation.

But how long does acid reflux last after quitting smoking?

Medical research has shown that acid reflux, a common health issue for cigarette smokers, typically lasts only up to 2 weeks after quitting smoking. After that, the frequency of symptoms related to acid reflux gradually decreases and eventually disappears. Within 12 weeks, most former smokers have reported being completely free from acid reflux and even GERD symptoms.

Just remember that if symptoms of GERD or acid reflux occurred way before you started smoking, it might mean that there’s a different underlying cause behind them. If this is the case, you must consult your doctor.

Can Quitting Smoking Cause Acid Reflux?

Over time, different studies were conducted to assess the lower esophageal sphincter function in chronic smokers compared to non-smokers. Additionally, they have also investigated the acute effects of smoking on the sphincter and the likelihood of acid reflux.

Through these studies, they have found that when you smoke cigarettes, these tobacco products tend to relax your lower esophageal sphincter. This allows the stomach acid to flow from the stomach back into the esophagus. 

As time passes, your weakened LES can make your acid reflux symptoms get worse.

Given these facts, it’s safe to assume that quitting smoking can help alleviate the symptoms associated with acid reflux and GERD. Likewise, smoking cessation has a lower chance of triggering acid reflux or GERD symptoms than continuing smoking cigarettes. 

When trying to quit smoking, there are a few things you can do. 

You may want to subject yourself to counselling, behavioural interventions, and medications to help start your quit-smoking journey. You can also join support groups, implement dietary changes, or take nicotine replacement therapy tools like nicotine gum and nicotine patches.

Nicotine pouches, which are available at NativeSmokes4Less, are also available to help you get started in quitting smoking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does smoking increase gastric acid?

Smoking cigarettes can increase gastric acid production as nicotine, a component released by tobacco smoke, activates receptors in the stomach lining when it reaches the brain. This activation triggers an increase in gastric acid release. 

Is smoke from cigarettes acidic?

The smoke from cigarettes contain acidic compounds such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and hydrogen cyanide, making it acidic. As it enters the respiratory tract, the smoke’s acidic compounds can contribute to acid reflux since they weaken the lower esophageal sphincter. 

Does smoke go down your esophagus?

No. Smoke only travels down the trachea, which is connected to the lungs. The esophagus is only meant to transfer food and drink from the mouth to your stomach.

Summary

With the help of numerous studies, smoking cigarettes has been found to potentially trigger acid reflux symptoms and cause the development of GERD. Smoking, after all, reduces LES pressure, decreases saliva bicarbonate, and increases inflammation. 

When you quit smoking, you can alleviate acid reflux symptoms and reduce the risk of developing GERD and esophageal cancer. In just 2 weeks of quitting smoking cigarettes, you may feel the frequency of acid reflux occurrences decreases gradually, which in turn improves the overall quality of your life.

By now, you may be aware that cigarettes can indeed cause acid reflux. So, aside from acid reflux, another question arises: Do you get high from cigarettes? Find out here today!