If you’ve recently quit smoking, you’ve taken an important first step toward taking control of your health. If you’re considering quitting, you may be wondering what the benefits are. Whatever group you fall into, there’s a common concern:
Can you clean your lungs after you quit smoking?
Once you’ve quit smoking, you may have the urge to “clean” your lungs to get rid of the toxins that have built up. Fortunately, your lungs are self-cleaning. They begin that process after you smoke your last cigarette.
Your lungs are remarkable organ systems that, in some instances, have the ability to repair themselves over time. After quitting smoking, your lungs begin to slowly heal and regenerate.
The speed at which they heal all depends on how long you smoked and how much damage is present. Smoking causes two different kinds of permanent damage to your lungs:
• Emphysema: In emphysema, the small air sacs in the lungs, called alveoli, are destroyed, which decreases the lungs’ surface area. The lungs then aren’t able to exchange oxygen that your body needs.
• Chronic bronchitis: With chronic bronchitis, the smaller airways leading to alveoli become inflamed, which prevents oxygen from reaching the alveoli.
Courtesy: Health Line
