Everyone that does or does not smoke will know that it can have a major impact on your health. Each year millions of people die prematurely due to smoking related illnesses. In this blog we will highlight smoking relating urological conditions.

  1. Bladder cancer – every year around 10,000 people are diagnosed with bladder cancer. Smoking causes harmful chemicals to collect in your urine. These chemicals can have a big effect on the lining of the bladder and increase the risk of developing bladder cancer.
  2. Erectile disfunction – around 1 in 5 men experience erectile dysfunction in the UK. Smoking can harm blood vessels, therefore affecting the flow of blood to the penis. Erectile dysfunction can have a serious effect on sexual intercourse and a man’s self esteem.
  3. Kidney cancer – kidney cancer is the 9th most common cancer in the UK for both men and women. The harmful toxins in a cigarette enter the blood stream which is then filtered through by the kidneys. These toxins and chemicals can increase your risk of getting kidney cancer.
  4. Kidney stones – research has shown that the risk of getting kidney stones is increased if you smoke.
  5. Painful bladder syndrome – this condition is more common in women than men. As smoking irritates the lining of the bladder, it can worsen the symptoms of painful bladder syndrome.
  6. Incontinence – urinary incontinence is an extremely common condition, especially for those that smoke. Coughing fits caused by smoking can worsen the frequency of incontinence and lead to stress incontinence.
  7. Infertility – this affects both men and women. Smoking can chance the genetic makeup of in both eggs and sperm. Did you know that the infertility rate in smokers is twice the rate of those who do not smoke?

If you need help with quitting smoking then you should speak to your GP about getting the right help. Sometimes a simple change can improve your health significantly!