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Healthy Lungs & Smoke Damaged Lungs

The lungs are the site of oxygen exchange in the body, and smoking damages them. Oxygen exchange is necessary to support life. While a healthy lung functions efficiently, a smoker's lung has significan difficulty performing these life-sustaining tasks. Smoking can also cause life-threatening disease that obstructs lung function. Talk to your doctor if you are worried about smoking's effect on your lung function.
    • Smoking damages the lungs

    Lung Function

    • Lungs are responsible for oxygen exchange. According to the American Lung Foundation, the lungs bring the blood in contact with oxygen rich air. The lungs also rid the body of carbon dioxide. Every day, a typical human breathes in 8,000 to 9,000 liters of air to oxygenate the bloodstream.

    Healthy Lungs

    • Barring disease, a healthy lung efficiently completes this oxygen exchange. The air is directed down the windpipe into bronchi, which guide the air into the lungs. According to MedicineNet.com, a healthy lung resembles a sponge, with millions of alveoli, or air sacs. These minuscule air sacs are ground zero for oxygen exchange in the lungs.

    Smoking and the Lungs

    • According to the Canadian Lung Foundation, smoking damages your lungs in a number of serious ways. There are tiny hairs in your lungs called cilia that protect against disease. Smoking damages these and puts you at risk for chest infections. Smoking also damages the lungs' air sacs (alveoli), making it harder to breathe and decreasing the efficiency of oxygen exchange. Smoking also introduces a number of cancer-causing agents into the lungs. While a normal lung appears fleshy and pink to brown, a chronic smoker's lung tissue can be black and mottled.

    Smoking and Lung Disease

    • According to the American Lung Association, smoking is directly responsible for 87 percent of lung cancer cases in the United States. The damage that smoking does to the lungs also causes chronic conditions like emphysema and bronchitis. The American Lung foundation estimates that smoking-related illnesses are responsible for 430,700 lives each year.

    Discuss with a Medical Professional

    • Young woman smoking

      If you are concerned with smoking's detrimental effects on your lungs, or would like to know more about smoking and lung disease, be sure to discuss it at your next visit to the doctor. Your doctor will be able to detail the health consequences of smoking cigarettes, and will recommend treatments and strategies to quit smoking.

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