FAQ: Smoking and Spine Health

In a recent publication of SpineLine, Dr. Paul Slozar, Dr. Richard Perkins, and Dr. Derek Snook presented data studies that link smoking to osteoporosis and compression fractures, back pain, disc disease and wound healing problems. Tobacco use has been shown to cause increased non-union rates and failures in spinal fusion surgery.

While smoking is highly publicized as a cancer causing agent little has been said linking smoking to spine health.

It is generally understood cigarette smoking can increase the incidence of arteriosclerosis and thrombosis. In plain language, cigarette smoking can cause increase heart rate, increase blood pressure, and poor circulation (decrease elasticity). For your health and specifically for your spine health the overall effect of cigarette smoking decreases the ability of the blood to carry oxygen. You know what happens when the brain doesn’t get oxygen as in a stroke or heart attack? A portion of the heart or brain tissue ‘dies’. Cigarette smoking produces a similar effect in the spine. This is called chronic spinal hypoxia, (lack of oxygen to the spine). You don’t hear much about this side effect of smoking.

Under the microscope, so to speak, the micro vascular system becomes damaged, verterbral and long bone blood flow, especially through nutrient vessels, is reduced. Again, in plain language, cigarette smoking decreases the ability of the blood vessels to carry nutrients to living tissue (bone and disc). Long term, this damage has devastating effects on bone physiology, wound healing and disc nutrition.