Stopping smoking is the most important thing a smoker can do for their lungs, heart and family. Quitting is hard because nicotine is addictive, but with a plan, counselling and medical support the chances of success are much higher. Dr A. Ashok Kumar in Chittoor helps people quit cigarettes and beedi, and checks lung health with a lung function test.
Common symptoms of quit smoking
- Morning cough or phlegm
- Breathless on stairs
- Frequent chest infections
- Wanting to quit but failing
Get urgent care if you have
- Blood in cough
- Unexplained weight loss
- A cough that has changed in a long-term smoker
Emergency? Call 093448 53689 or 108, or go to the nearest hospital.
Causes and risk factors
Cigarettes, beedi, hookah and second-hand smoke all damage the lungs and raise the risk of COPD, lung cancer, TB, heart attack and stroke.
Tests that help
Pulmonary function test (PFT) / spirometry
You blow hard into a tube while a machine measures how much air your lungs hold and how fast you can push it out. It confirms asthma or COPD, shows how severe it is and tracks whether treatment is working. Where needed, lung volumes and DLCO (how well oxygen passes into the blood) are also measured.
Oxygen level (SpO₂) and blood gas checks
A small clip on the finger reads oxygen level at rest and while walking. In the ICU an arterial blood gas test measures oxygen and carbon dioxide directly to guide oxygen and ventilator support.
Chest X-ray and HRCT chest
Pictures of the lungs. A high-resolution CT (HRCT) shows fine detail and is important for ILD, bronchiectasis, unexplained cough and lung spots. Dr Ashok arranges the right scan and explains the report with you.
How Dr Ashok manages it
- A personal quit plan with a quit date
- Counselling on triggers and cravings
- Nicotine replacement or other medical support when suitable
- Lung function test to check for early COPD
- Follow-up to prevent relapse
Living well
- Tell family and friends your quit date
- Remove cigarettes and lighters from home
- Avoid alcohol early on
- Delay, drink water, and distract when cravings come
- Every attempt counts: keep trying
Questions patients ask
Is it too late to quit after many years?
No. Breathing, cough and heart risk start improving within weeks to months of quitting, at any age.
Is beedi safer than cigarettes?
No. Beedi is at least as harmful as cigarettes for the lungs and heart.