Besides being a leading cause of cancer and heart disease, smoking has a dangerous effect on the health of your spine.

 

Studies have shown that smoking leads to early onset of arthritis and inflamatory joint disease. Smokers also show more lost time from work due to back related illness than non-smokers. 

 

Additionally, smokers heal slower from joint and back injuries than non-smokers due to reduced blood circulation due to blocked capillary arteries. 

 

The hard truth is that if you continue to smoke you will most likely continue to have back pain.