Expert: Michael Dean - 8/14/2009

Question
QUESTION: im a 29 year old man , i had been smoking on average 15 cigarettes a day for the last 12 years , i had my last smoke 5 minutes before my daughter was born 4 months ago ,, now i am experiencing pain in my lungs , i have also gained a few pounds since i stopped smoking , could the pain be because of weight gain or my lungs healing , im 5,7 - 187 llbs , thankyou

ANSWER: Dear Steve,

That is great that you quit, and it is a good thing if your daughter has no exposure to second hand smoke.

Lung pain is unlikely to be due to weight gain.

Do you have any problems breathing? How long has this been going on? On a scale of 1-10 how bad is the pain? Does Tylenol/acetominophen or ibuprofen help?

I would see your doctor about the pain, as well as a plan to get more exercise, a healthier diet, and lose some of that weight. I doubt it is serious but a doctor should be consulted for any unexplained pain.

I hope this helps,

Michael Dean, Ph.D.
Author "Empty Cribs-The Impact of Smoking on Child Health"
http//www.artsciencepub.com


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: a little background on myself Doctor , i was born 3 month premature and was born with chronic asthma , i was in and out of hospital all the time until i reached my teen years , i cannot recall what made start smoking but wierdly i have never had a asthma attack as a adult whilst smoking, so i have experience in breathing problems , but in the last four month i have found myself weezing again and the lung pains occur on movement , for example if i twist the top half of my body from left to right i can really feel the pain then , thankyou for your prompt response Doctor

Answer
Steve,

Thanks for the additional information.

With asthma you should definitely not smoke. And if you are wheezing that is more reason to see an MD. What you describe sounds more like muscular pair. Asthma can be tricky to manage as it may be triggered by allergies or other factors. So if you have problems keep looking for the best docs.

Michael