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Can Prolonged Snuff Chewing Cause Pneumonia?
Question: Can the prolonged use of snuff ( 50 years +) by holding it btw the gum and lip followed by spitting it out give a person pneumonia?
Reason for question : My mother who is healthy has one flaw.She uses snuff in this manner since she was 10 years old. Southerners did not see the harm back then.
My mother almost died with pneumonia and is baffling the physcians.
She has not told her primary physician that she uses snuff in this manner because the question that is asked by the medical team is do you smoke . Her reply..no. Snuff is seen differently than smoking even though both are tobacco products. It is also kept like a secret from those outside the family.
My mother is now in subacute rehabilitation but now calling me for this product. This is why I am petition ing you for helo so I can have medical backup for my no response.
Reason for question : My mother who is healthy has one flaw.She uses snuff in this manner since she was 10 years old. Southerners did not see the harm back then.
My mother almost died with pneumonia and is baffling the physcians.
She has not told her primary physician that she uses snuff in this manner because the question that is asked by the medical team is do you smoke . Her reply..no. Snuff is seen differently than smoking even though both are tobacco products. It is also kept like a secret from those outside the family.
My mother is now in subacute rehabilitation but now calling me for this product. This is why I am petition ing you for helo so I can have medical backup for my no response.
Brief Answer:
hi and welcome to hcm
Detailed Answer:
There is no doubt that prolonged snuff chewing increases risk of various lung diseases including pneumonia,this effect is bit less than smoking but still significant. Nicotine concentration is higher in blood after chewing than smoking so it will affect cardoovascular system as well. Also it increases risk of pancreas and bladder cancer.
Of course, we have to understand patients wishes. Snuff chewing also causes nicotine addiction,it is hard to stop it just like this. Many people with lung cancers smoke since it may persent only XXXXXXX in life.
But in this particular case where we had severe pneumonia with lung resection, any kind of tobacco chewing or smoking is definitely contraindicated during recovery because of heart and lung effects of it. Her doctor should have told her that. Nicotine addiction can be handled with low dose nicotine patches. So from medical point of view,this should not be used,but it is sometimes hard to explain it to someone who is not motivated for its health. So you 2 should decide about further steps, i dont think that something dramatic would happen if she does it,but the risk of complication will be increased,thats the fact...
hi and welcome to hcm
Detailed Answer:
There is no doubt that prolonged snuff chewing increases risk of various lung diseases including pneumonia,this effect is bit less than smoking but still significant. Nicotine concentration is higher in blood after chewing than smoking so it will affect cardoovascular system as well. Also it increases risk of pancreas and bladder cancer.
Of course, we have to understand patients wishes. Snuff chewing also causes nicotine addiction,it is hard to stop it just like this. Many people with lung cancers smoke since it may persent only XXXXXXX in life.
But in this particular case where we had severe pneumonia with lung resection, any kind of tobacco chewing or smoking is definitely contraindicated during recovery because of heart and lung effects of it. Her doctor should have told her that. Nicotine addiction can be handled with low dose nicotine patches. So from medical point of view,this should not be used,but it is sometimes hard to explain it to someone who is not motivated for its health. So you 2 should decide about further steps, i dont think that something dramatic would happen if she does it,but the risk of complication will be increased,thats the fact...
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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