Cigarette Smoking Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of tobacco use depend on the specific illnesses they cause.

• Shortness of breath may be a sign of emphysema or heart disease.



• Chest pain may signal angina pectoris caused by insufficient blood flow to the heart or a heart attack.



• Difficulty swallowing, or persistent hoarseness, may signal a cancer in the mouth or larynx.



• Painless bloody urination may mean bladder cancer.



• The presence of any of the following common symptoms associated with tobacco use should prompt a visit to the doctor or hospital’s emergency department:

• Chest pain



• Shortness of breath



• Persistent cough



• Coughing up blood



• Frequent colds and upper respiratory illness



• Persistent hoarseness



• Difficulty or pain on swallowing



• Change in exercise capacity



• Sudden weakness on one side of the face or body, or difficulty speaking



• Leg pain while walking that goes away when you rest



• Unexplained weight loss



• Persistent abdominal pain



• Bloody urine