Archive · 4 Aug 2025
Doctors Warn: Smoking Doubles Slipped Disc Risk
Doctors are saying that smoking can make you more likely to get a slipped disc, where a disc in your back pushes out.
Smoking hurts your spinal discs by cutting down blood flow and damaging their structure.
This can cause pain and other problems.
If you have a slipped disc, you might need surgery, like a microdiscectomy.
The good news is that quitting smoking can help your back heal and feel better.
Doctors warn that smoking significantly increases the risk of slipped discs.
Smoking damages spinal discs by reducing blood flow and damaging collagen fibers.
Symptoms of a slipped disc include lower back pain, numbness, and muscle weakness.
Quitting smoking can improve blood flow and slow down disc deterioration.
A tubular microdiscectomy is a minimally invasive surgery to treat slipped discs.
- Who
- Doctors at NEIGRIHMS and Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals.
- What
- Smoking increases the risk of slipped discs.
- When
- The warning was issued recently.
- Where
- NEIGRIHMS in Shillong.
- Why
- Smoking damages spinal discs by reducing blood flow and damaging collagen fibers.
- Medical Institution
- NEIGRIHMS, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals
- Location
- Shillong, India
- Procedure
- Tubular microdiscectomy
- Risk Factor
- Smoking
- Symptoms
- Lower back pain, numbness, muscle weakness
