The Sh0cking Side Effects of Smoking: Chronic Cough and Endotracheal Hair Growth

A startling medical case study has revealed the severe and unexpected side effects of long-term smoking. A 52-year-old man, who had been smoking for over 30 years, was diagnosed with a rare condition: endotracheal hair growth. This finding was made during a medical study conducted in Austria, where doctors were stunned to discover coarse black hairs growing in his throat.

The patient’s primary symptoms were noted as respiratory distress attacks at night, snoring, hoarseness, and a persistent chronic cough. While this might seem typical for smokers, the discovery of hairs growing in his throat was shocking. After coughing up a hair, a team of Austrian doctors decided to investigate further using a small camera inserted into his airways.

What they found was disturbing: numerous dark, bacteria-coated hairs sprouting from his throat. The hairs were then extracted, but they kept reappearing every year for the next 14 years. This condition was eventually diagnosed as endotracheal hair growth, a rare and unusual side effect of smoking.

How Smoking Affects Your Health

Smoking has long been associated with various health risks, from lung cancer to heart disease. However, this case highlights the sometimes unforeseen and grotesque consequences of long-term smoking. The doctors concluded that smoking caused inflammation in the throat, which, over time, led to the transformation of cells into hair follicles.

Interestingly, this condition was compounded by a childhood injury. The patient had almost drowned at age 10 and had surgery to repair his trachea, with a skin and cartilage graft used to close it up. The endotracheal hair growth occurred near this transplanted area, indicating a potential complication from the surgery. However, the doctors believed that smoking exacerbated the problem by stimulating the hair follicles, leading to the growth of hair in the throat.
A smoker had hair growing in his throat (Halfpoint Images/Getty)
Treatment and Prevention

The patient’s treatment involved the removal of the hairs via a procedure known as "endoscopic argon plasma coagulation," which burns the hair roots. After two treatments, the patient reported that the hair growth had ceased. This case emphasizes the importance of quitting smoking to prevent further health complications. The research concluded that the cessation of smoking was key to preventing the return of this condition.

Smoking's Broader Impact on Health

This case also underscores the broader health impacts of smoking. According to Dr. Sarah Jackson from University College London, smoking can reduce a person’s life expectancy by up to a decade. UCL researchers found that smoking a single cigarette can reduce a person’s life by approximately 20 minutes, meaning a full pack of 20 cigarettes could shorten your life by nearly seven hours.
Smoking can reduce your life expectancy by 10 years (SimpleImages/Getty)
Conclusion

Smoking doesn’t only cause respiratory issues, but it can also lead to rare and severe complications like endotracheal hair growth, as seen in this case. The patient's long-term smoking habit aggravated the situation, but after quitting smoking, the condition improved. The story serves as a reminder of the importance of quitting smoking for overall health and longevity.

Sources:

• The New England Journal of Medicine: On the health effects of smoking and long-term complications.

• University College London: Research on smoking and its impact on life expectancy.