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Uncle Li is a retired teacher, usually like to walk in the community, play chess, he has been smoking for more than 50 years, at least a pack of cigarettes a day, some time ago Uncle Li felt difficult to breathe, walking is easy to panting, so accompanied by his family to the hospital.
The doctor conducted a series of examinations for Uncle Li, including pulmonary function tests, chest CT, etc., and the results showed that Uncle Li suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and his lung function had been seriously impaired. ＂
Uncle Li was a little surprised, and he asked the doctor: "I have been smoking all my life, is it still useful to quit now?" Will it backfire? "Quitting smoking is beneficial for people of any age, and although there is no cure for COPD, quitting smoking can slow down the rate of progression and improve your quality of life, while continuing to smoke will only make it worse and accelerate the decline in lung function," the doctor explained. ＂
Uncle Li's daughter interjected on the side: "But I heard that it is life-threatening for the elderly to quit smoking, is it better to let my father continue to smoke?" The doctor shook his head and said: "This is a common misconception, in fact, no matter how old you are, quitting smoking will bring health benefits, smoking is harmful to the body is all-round, not only affecting the respiratory system, but also increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke and other diseases, in contrast to the withdrawal reaction produced by quitting smoking is short-lived and controllable, and will not pose a threat to life." ＂
The doctor went on to explain: "Smoking will accelerate the decline of the physical function of the elderly, reduce immunity, and make them more susceptible to various diseases, while the elderly often already suffer from some chronic diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes, etc., smoking will aggravate the symptoms of these diseases, increase the risk of complications, although quitting smoking will have certain withdrawal reactions, such as irritability, insomnia, etc., but these can be alleviated by medical means, we can develop a personalized smoking cessation plan for you, including nicotine replacement therapy, Psychological counselling to help you complete the smoking cessation process more smoothly. ＂
After listening to the doctor's words, Uncle Li fell into deep thought, he realized that his smoking habit for many years has brought a serious burden to his health, although the process of quitting smoking may be a little uncomfortable, but in order to be able to continue to enjoy life and spend time with his family, it is worth it, Uncle Li made up his mind to say goodbye to tobacco.
Uncle Li's daughter also expressed her full support for her father to quit smoking, she said: "Dad, your health is the biggest concern of our family, we will always be by your side to help you get through the difficulties of quitting smoking, I believe that with the guidance of doctors and our encouragement, you will be able to successfully quit smoking and regain your health." ＂
Uncle Li nodded and thanked his daughter and the doctor, he knew it would be an uphill battle, but he was confident that he could overcome his addiction to cigarettes and meet a healthier life.
We often hear a view that the elderly have become addicted to smoking, and forcibly quitting smoking will be counterproductive, which is actually a misunderstanding, in fact, smoking is more harmful to the elderly, the physical function of the elderly gradually declines, the resistance is reduced, and they are more susceptible to tobacco damage, and the elderly often suffer from a variety of chronic diseases, and smoking will aggravate the symptoms of these diseases and increase the risk of complications.
In contrast, the benefits of quitting smoking to the elderly are significant, after quitting smoking, various body functions will gradually recover, respiratory system, cardiovascular system, etc. will be improved, even in elderly COPD patients, quitting smoking can also slow down the decline of lung function, delay the progression of the disease, in addition to quitting smoking can also reduce the risk of other diseases in the elderly, such as lung cancer, coronary heart disease, etc.
Of course, the elderly also face some special challenges in quitting smoking, the elderly often have a long smoking history, a higher degree of nicotine dependence, and the withdrawal reaction in the process of quitting smoking may be more obvious, but these problems can be dealt with by the right method, doctors can formulate personalized smoking cessation programs according to the specific situation of the elderly, including nicotine replacement therapy, psychological counseling, etc., and the support and encouragement of family members are also very important, which can help the elderly enhance their confidence and determination to quit smoking.
In addition to medical intervention, the elderly also need lifestyle adjustment and psychological preparation to quit smoking, finding suitable alternative activities, such as walking, tai chi, etc., can help relieve anxiety and irritability in the process of quitting smoking, maintain a positive and optimistic attitude, communicate more with family and friends, and also enhance the motivation to quit smoking.
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[Disclaimer: The content of the article is a fictional story, please read it rationally, and do not sit in the right seat]