A hookah is a device into which tobacco is poured; it can be with additives or contain aromatic impurities. There is an opinion that it supposedly filters smoke, and the penetration of nicotine and tar into the human body is much lower. Bright commercials are full of beautiful pictures, which assure that it is safe. But is it worth trusting those who make money from this or is it still worth listening to doctors?
Any tobacco smoking is harmful to the body. Everyone knows this. Then why do people smoke hookah who do not smoke cigarettes out of concern for their health? What are its consequences, why is hookah dangerous and why are doctors sounding the alarm?
Inhaling hookah smoke is especially dangerous for people who also smoke cigarettes. This category of citizens is at particular risk of developing a large number of diseases. This is due to the fact that in addition to all the harm from smoking a hookah, a person also receives it from cigarettes.
Hookah poisoning
People who first experienced severe poisoning from hookah smoking did not previously understand how hookah can be harmful to health. When you inhale smoke frequently and strongly through a hookah, oxygen oxide is released and this substance settles very deeply in the lungs. When there is an excess of oxide, they fill up so much that a person becomes ill. Dizziness occurs, the lungs compress (trying to free themselves from heavy, harmful oxide) and breathing stops; if the system cannot cope, fainting occurs. In such cases, emergency ambulance assistance is required.
If people cause such enormous harm to the body by inhaling tobacco smoke, then why smoke hookah? Relax, perhaps. Many people are trying to quit smoking regular cigarettes, some are just trying to follow fashion. But when you imagine that a person’s lungs suffer 150 times more than from regular smoking, many people lose the desire to even try it.
When you inhale hookah smoke, a large amount of carbon monoxide enters your lungs and settles deep in the lower respiratory tract. It is almost impossible to remove it only if you quit smoking the device forever. Because of this, a huge concentration occurs in the respiratory system:
- nicotine;
- chromium;
- resins;
- lead;
- carbon monoxide;
- oxygen oxides;
- arsenic.
Quite an impressive list to understand that smoking hookah is life-threatening. You should not convince yourself that there is a medicinal hookah; not a single aromatherapy is based on flavored tobacco smoke. Tobacco in a hookah first burns, literally for a second, and then smolders, emitting a smell and smoke.
What to do if you feel bad from hookah?
To avoid unpleasant sensations or a hookah hangover, you need to smoke in moderation, follow the technology of its preparation, and use high-quality mixtures. But what if you already feel sick from hookah? The tips below will help you cope with unpleasant symptoms:
- Have a quick snack, even if you don't have an appetite. Food will reduce the harmful effects of tobacco smoke.
- To normalize blood circulation, drink a cup of coffee, but in moderation.
- Walking outside or getting some fresh air will help get rid of headaches. Oxygen entering the body neutralizes and removes toxins, improves the functioning of blood vessels.
- To relieve a severe attack, you can take a painkiller that relieves spasms.
If home treatment does not lead to the desired effect, seek help from a doctor. Watch your health. Remember that hookah is not only a pleasant pastime and aromatic, tasty smoke, but also a very dangerous process, which, if used excessively, can cause undesirable consequences.
Dangerous consequences
Passive hookah smoking will also not benefit the body. A person who does not smoke in a hookah room is also at risk. He inhales carbon monoxide and all possible waste that rises to the top of the room and then settles below in the form of harmful substances.
Hookah affects the cardiovascular system, putting a strong strain on the heart and venous system, and vein blockages occur. The risks of heart attacks and strokes cannot be excluded.
Few people perceive salivation when smoking a hookah as a problem or do not think about it at all. But when a group gathers, the device is used by everyone. Saliva enters the mouthpiece, then settles deep in the device and, when inhaling smoke, is transmitted to each other. Increased salivation occurs with frequent inhalation of smoke, and threatens that a person can become infected with serious illnesses:
- hepatitis B;
- infectious diseases;
- ODS, acute respiratory infections, etc.
However, people prefer to inhale smoke, most likely due to the fact that on a subconscious level they receive some kind of calm, a substitute for alcohol or regular cigarettes, without realizing the impact that hookah has on health.
Choosing a hookah
Prices in restaurants for hookah are extremely high.
Let's calculate: the cost of the mixture for one time is $ 2-5. The cost of one hookah charge, at best, is $8. Even if it’s a “tone” with cognac or champagne, they don’t pour a bottle into it, but only 50-100 grams. So why do they manage to rip off $15-20 from a client in an establishment? For an expensive hood that works in a restaurant? Sometimes they even charge for adding coal or an additional mouthpiece - it’s like paying extra for toothpicks and napkins.
Photo: Depositphotos
But there is a solution: if you love and respect hookah, buy it. A normal device costs $40−50. For $60-70 you can buy yourself such a toy - it’ll look like a Porsche hookah bar! Basically, the price of a hookah depends on its decor, and the main thing when purchasing is to carry out a thorough “technical inspection” without being distracted by details.
Pay attention to the tightness of the device; visually there should be no gaps in it. When disassembled, check for the presence of seals in the places where the shaft is inserted into the flask, where the hose is inserted into the shaft and, finally, where the bowl fits onto the shaft.
If in the chosen sample the flask is screwed onto the shaft, the connection must also be tight. Once assembled, you can conduct a test: remove the cup, close the hole in the shaft and try to inhale through the mouthpiece. If there is no traction, everything is fine. It would be best to smoke a hookah with a height of 70-120 cm. A hookah with a height of up to 50 cm is good if you decide to take it on a picnic, but according to the new tradition, for some reason it is logical to enjoy hookah indoors.
Photo: Anestiev, pixabay.com
Why does my head hurt after hookah?
The main question: why does my head hurt after hookah? The duration of smoking a hookah is many times longer than a cigarette break. The smog of chilima is softened after purification by a liquid filter, and the “lightened” smoke can be inhaled in large quantities. Large portions of smog contain a high concentration of toxic chemical compounds that lead to intoxication. Poor health is often accompanied by a headache.
You can read in more detail about all the harm caused by hookah here.
In search of maximum pleasure, brave experimenters add alcoholic beverages to the narghile flask. Alcohol fumes enter the blood through the respiratory tract, and when accumulated in large quantities, cause severe intoxication. In case of poisoning, a painful migraine develops, accompanied by vomiting. Increased pressure leads to disturbances in motor activity and even complete loss of consciousness. Unprepared extreme sports fans risk more than others, since an impressive dose of alcohol can lead to a hangover.
To smoke a hookah, you usually choose not simple crushed tobacco, but an aromatic mixture with different flavors. Few people are interested in the composition on the package, but it is necessary to pay attention to the contents of the pack. It is likely that some components will cause an allergic reaction.
Inhaled narghile smoke has a complex negative effect. Vascular spasms upon contact with fragrant smog are the cause of headaches. When the smoking mixture is heated, carbon monoxide is released, which, when it enters the circulatory system, causes a feeling of oxygen starvation.
Headaches from hookah are also observed in smokers due to mistakes made:
- Smoking on an empty stomach.
- Incorrect plugging of the device.
- Puffs too deep.
- Poor quality hookah coals.
If the device is not cleaned well enough after smoking, plaque will form on its walls. With subsequent clogging, the remains of harmful substances will certainly end up in the smoker’s lungs and lead to a throbbing headache.
During the exhalation phase of hookah smoke, part of the liquid leaves the body along with carbon dioxide, which can cause dehydration over a long session. The condition is accompanied by dizziness and severe pain.
Headache and dizziness after smoking hookah
Poor quality or too strong tobacco
Tobacco mixtures differ in their strength and product quality. A vigorous mix leads to an uncomfortable state of the body faster than its soft counterpart. Cheap varieties of maasel also contribute to poor health. Therefore, choose weak tobacco in the middle price segment. And if you usually have a headache after hookah, then avoid “hard” mixes.
Low-quality tobacco in a hookah can cause headaches
Hunger
A common mistake made by beginners is smoking chilim on an empty stomach. Remember: you can use a hookah only after a hearty lunch. If more than 2 hours have passed since the last meal, the negative effect of harmful substances will increase several times, and intoxication will occur much earlier than usual.
Hunger often causes headaches from hookah
Dehydration
During the exhalation of hookah steam, fluids are removed from the smoker’s body along with toxins. After smoking for a long time, dehydration often occurs. A cup of strong tea or sweet coffee, as well as mineral water, will help restore your water balance.
Dehydration can cause dizziness
Intoxication
Beginner smokers are more susceptible to intoxication than others. After several hours of smoking large portions of smoke containing carcinogens, unprepared beginners note a deterioration in their health. The condition is accompanied by constant vomiting.
In case of poisoning, the victim must be taken out into fresh air and given herbal tea. In case of severe intoxication, gastric lavage is performed using activated charcoal and an ambulance is called for the patient.
Intoxication of the body is possible with long-term hookah smoking
No ventilation
In enclosed spaces without ventilation, hookah smoke will quickly fill all available space. Lack of oxygen can cause suffocation. If the slightest hint of hypoxia appears, you should ventilate the smoking room and go out into the fresh air so that your health returns to normal.
Ventilation is necessary to avoid headaches from hookah
Alcohol
Alcohol and hookah are two incompatible products that, when mixed, cause a negative effect on a person’s internal systems. To avoid suffering from headaches and nausea, you should not drink alcoholic beverages while smoking.
Note from the author: If you still want to mix hookah and alcohol, then you need to do it correctly. We previously wrote an article devoted to this topic.
Mixing alcohol and hookah leads to dizziness
Sudden movements
The ritual of relaxation with chilim encourages a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere. In such conditions, smokers relax on soft sofas and armchairs. The body will respond to a spontaneous sudden action after tightening with severe pain. Therefore, any sudden movements should be excluded from the rest program.
Sudden movements can lead to hookah headaches
With light smoke
Nargile, bori, jajir, hugga, hookah, hubbubble, chilim, shisha, huka, gouza - all these words indicate the same object. They “drink” smoke from it. Turkish sultans used a special mixture of opium, flavorings and crushed pearls to smoke hookah. They also argued that what matters is not what you fill the hookah with, but who you are with while smoking.
A purely “Russian” way to smoke a hookah is to pass the mouthpiece around in a circle in a group. And what exactly I like most about a hookah: if friends have quarreled and go to “sort things out” in a hookah bar - one hundred percent, from there they will come out again “unspillable”, the “peace pipe” effect is triggered.
Photo: Depositphotos
To smoke or not?
As for the effect on the body, it has long been believed that smoking tobacco with regular cigarettes causes more harm to health than hookah. They thought so, since it was believed that the main part of the harmful substances settles on the walls of the vessel and dissolves in water, moreover, before entering the lungs, the smoke cools. However, until recently, no detailed studies have been conducted on this matter. Egyptian scientists decided to check how true this information is.
The results of a study on the harms of smoking shocked experts. Despite confirmation that water does “absorb” a significant part of harmful substances, it was found that
Smoking 25 g of tobacco using a hookah is equivalent to smoking 3 packs of cigarettes!
This is explained by the fact that a person makes more effort to draw smoke through a hookah.
So it turns out that in an hour of smoking a hookah, 100 or even 200 times more smoke is inhaled than when smoking a cigarette, and it will penetrate into all parts of the lungs.
Agree, convincing!
Photo: rabedirkwennigsen, pixabay.com
Of course, whether to smoke a hookah or not is everyone’s personal choice! However, you need to think carefully : is it worth exposing yourself to another harmful factor for the sake of pleasure?
Day after day, more and more people are finding hookah smoking as a way to spend their free time. This eastern tradition appeared in our country relatively recently, but many are already captivated by its exoticism and are happy to buy a smoking device for their home. What is the reason for such an increase in the popularity of hookah, and why do they smoke hookah in general? This is what we will try to figure out.
How to smoke hookah correctly
Even an experienced smoker cannot always clearly answer how to smoke a hookah correctly? What can we say about newcomers? Before plunging into a magical, foggy world filled with wonderful smells, you will have to comprehend all the secrets, nuances, secrets of “setting up” a smoking device, as well as the unspoken etiquette of communities that spend their free time in this way
Hookah smoking: Features
Without a good smoke, it is impossible to fully enjoy such leisure time. You need to start by choosing a liquid foundation. This is determined by individual preferences. Of no small importance is the mixture of tobacco, which also depends on the taste of the smoker. There are several ways to bring the device into working condition:
- natural _ In this case, the lungs act as a “tool”;
- artificial . The coals flare up under the influence of a special pump. This method brings the device into working condition much faster.
Lighting a hookah yourself is not a problem if you have experience and good health. However, the pump will help not only speed up the process, but also significantly save energy. There are mechanical and electrical variations of cigarette lighters. Professional hookah smokers prefer the electric option; it is mobile, compact and “powered” from the network. Mechanical devices are a budget, affordable product that is not tied to a power source.
How to smoke a hookah correctly
For craftsmen with the necessary dexterity, activating the smoking device is quite simple.
Beginners who do not know the secrets and features will have to be patient. When there is absolutely no experience in this matter, the following rules will help.
- Heat a container of tobacco over hot coals in a container. In just a few minutes the composition will be ready.
- The puffs should be smooth and shallow. Once the mixture is well heated, 5 inhalations will be enough.
To make smoking a narghile not so boring, you can learn various interesting tricks - releasing smoke in rings or something similar.
If time is extremely short, accelerating “secret chips” will come to the rescue. You can build a small cap of foil so that all components of the composition are heated properly, or add coals. The most important thing is to catch the golden mean; the tobacco should not burn out.
The prepared and configured attribute emits an alluring aromatic smoke.
When narghile does not light up, the reasons are as follows:
- insufficient hookah experience;
- low-quality tobacco mixture.
Coal - how important is it?
High-quality coal will make the process a real pleasure and allow you to experience a storm of positive impressions from smoking. A low-quality product, on the contrary, will negate all efforts. An indicator of quality is the price; you should not buy a cheap product from unknown brands; it is better to pay more, but be guaranteed to get what you need. Expensive coals are sometimes much more economical than the budget option; lighting requires only a small amount of material. Cheap ones will have to be changed several times throughout the smoking cycle.
It will take no more than 10 minutes to ignite high-quality fuel. In this case, portable burners or a gas stove will come to the rescue.
Which liquid foundation to choose
A flask filled with liquid serves as a kind of filter. Almost half of all harmful impurities settle in the liquid.
Most often, ordinary water is poured into the flask. However, some gourmets use milk, juices and even alcoholic drinks - these liquids must be diluted with water so that the odors do not interrupt the aroma of tobacco. Sometimes a couple of cubes of water are added to the flask with the liquid base - this cools the composition.
Involved or not?
This question often worries newbies. You shouldn't pass. This decision is purely personal and depends on your own preferences. If you use the tightening method, you need to follow simple techniques:
- air is drawn into the lungs deeply and slowly, to its full volume. Afterwards, he exhales just as smoothly. If you are not used to it, you may feel dizzy. Therefore, it is preferable to choose only high-quality devices;
- micro-inhalations are contraindicated, as they contribute to the accumulation of harmful substances in the lungs;
- the whole process should be as comfortable as possible. Therefore, a comfortable posture plays an important role;
- You can approach everything creatively - this will add a unique charm and individual style (for example, holding the phone in an original way or doing different tricks).
Hookah smoking rules
In the East, nargile is an invariable attribute of communication. The tradition of smoking has been formed over centuries and is strictly observed to this day. It is believed that it has a beneficial effect on human health, so both men and women smoke it with pleasure, gathering in close groups right on the street or in a cafe.
In the modern world, the etiquette of behavior in a company behind a narghile has not lost its relevance. Knowing how to smoke a hookah through a pipe shows a respectful attitude towards your interlocutors, especially if you use it for a large company
How to smoke a hookah with one pipe
servicing the device falls on the shoulders of one person - either a hookah master or the most experienced member of the company in this matter;
- the phone is passed around in a circle one by one, if the turn does not come soon, you should patiently wait for your time;
- no more than 3 puffs are taken at one time;
- if someone is sick, it is better for him to refrain from smoking so as not to spread the infection;
- the transfer of the tube in a circle occurs smoothly, without jerking or straining the hose;
One set lasts from half an hour to 2 hours. Everything is determined by the amount of fragrant smoldering mixture and the number of participants. You should not do more than a couple of sets per day, so as not to create health problems.
Following fairly simple rules and techniques in the company of lovers of this hobby will make the evening truly unforgettable. Few people will remain indifferent to such leisure activities. What could be more interesting than a pleasant friendly conversation in an atmosphere of mysterious and fragrant smoke.
What is a hookah?
First, let's understand what this device is. A hookah is a smoking device that purifies tobacco smoke through liquid in a flask and passes it through a hose with a mouthpiece and delivers it into the human body. Everything is quite simple, and it is thanks to this purification of tobacco smoke that many assume that hookah smoking is absolutely harmless to the human body.
Too much has already been written about the harm from hookah smoking, but so that smokers do not actually cause any damage to themselves through their favorite pastime, it is necessary to mention this again. Hookah cannot be harmless. It is customary to smoke regular tobacco through it; the only difference is the method of preparation.
Is hookah immediately addictive?
Hookah addiction can be viewed from two points of view. On the one hand, this is a nicotine, physiological addiction, the same as from cigarettes. On the other hand, dependence is psychological.
Dependence on nicotine does not appear immediately, but gradually. Addiction can arise completely unnoticeably, gradually and not intrusively. A person is even more in danger if he is sure that hookah addiction does not exist in nature. But you need to understand that regardless of the taste and smell of tobacco smoke, it contains nicotine, and sooner or later the body will require more hookah, then it will demand it again, and this is a direct dependence ! Through a hookah with the gradual entry of toxic smoke into the lungs, as well as through the mucous membranes of the nose and mouth, the body is subjected to terrible irritation and destruction of nerve cells.
These cells send impulses to the internal organs of the human body, through which they influence the functioning of these organs. With the periodic intake of nicotine into the body, the number of cells irritated during smoking begins to increase accordingly, and their sensitivity increases. As a result, the body, through nerve cells that are already irritated and “sharpened” by nicotine, gets used to the process of smoking as a source of nicotine.
Psychological dependence lies in the smoker’s subconscious attempt to assert himself through a ritual for “accomplished people ,” and this is exactly how hookah smoking is positioned by the entire hookah industry. Hookah bars and hookah lounges are positioned as places for elite pastime. In cinema, while not yet as common as cigarettes, hookahs have still begun to appear. Moreover, as a rule, successful and rich people of the East smoke hookah in movies. Of course, they won’t tell you a word about the dangers of hookah All this creates a certain halo of success and freedom around the hookah smoker, in his own eyes.
Through hookahs, young people are much more likely to take up smoking cigarettes, through them - to light drugs, and even more likely to ruin their lives.…
This, first of all, applies to all teenagers, and everyone who tries this diabolical invention is also at risk!
So why?
Well, one question remains, why do they smoke hookah? It is clear that everyone has their own answer to this and their own reason for this activity, but there are a number of basic explanations that suit almost everyone.
First of all, when asked why you smoke a hookah, you will hear: “To relax,” and this will be true. The effect of smoking a hookah really has an amazing relaxing effect, and especially after a hard week of work, a great way to relax and not think about anything unnecessary is to simply smoke a tasty and aromatic hookah.
And now we have come to the second option, why do people use hookah, because of the taste. Many people really like this very thing about hookah, enjoying aromatic mixtures, trying new flavors and simply immersing themselves in the culture of hookah smoking.
Another option is to just have a nice time with friends. Smoking a hookah can bring a large group together. Give the opportunity to have a good chat, relax and just enjoy the time spent with friends. And this is probably the main reason for smoking hookah in our society, a way to get closer to friends and be as relaxed and open with them as possible. Interestingly, in the homeland of this amazing device, the owner offered to smoke a hookah with him only to his closest friends and most respected guests, because this meant the highest degree of trust and respect for the person, to share a bowl of tobacco with him.
Causes of poor traction
To cope with any problem, you first need to understand the reasons for its occurrence. There are several explanations why a hookah may not last well. Almost every hookah lover makes mistakes that contribute to the appearance of such a problem, especially at first. But with experience, all these small details begin to improve and the process of smoking a hookah becomes more and more enjoyable.
1. Packed tobacco. To guarantee yourself a good draw while smoking a hookah, you need to pack the tobacco correctly. In no case should it be compacted, but on the contrary, first loosen it well and even make several holes to the very bottom. 2. There are few holes in the foil. For good traction, there should be enough holes in the foil. They must be evenly distributed over the surface and in no case should they be covered with coals; 1/3 of the holes in the foil must remain open. 3. Poor sealing. If the hookah does not stretch, you need to check it for leaks. To do this, it is enough to draw air and see if smoke comes out of the pipes. If the wrong hole is found, the damaged part must be replaced. 4. Be sure to check the hose, it may be clogged. Soot, dust or resin may accumulate in it; this can be corrected by rinsing the hose under the tap or replacing it if the hose cannot be placed under water. 5. Check the liquid level in the flask. The liquid in the hookah plays one of the key roles. It directly depends on the tenderness and aroma of smoke, and the same liquid can cause bad cravings. Never add too much water. The hookah shaft should be immersed in water by 2 cm, no more. A large layer of water will interfere with the passage of smoke.
More and more people are replacing cigarettes with other smoking devices. One of these devices was the hookah. Not everyone is able to comply with the norm in receiving pleasure. “I smoked a hookah. What to do?" - This is a common question from smokers who do not know when to stop and are not aware of the dangers of consuming hookah smoke. This question is asked very often and interests many people. Those who chose this alternative to cigarettes and others who did it just to be in trend. Both are interested in what to do in case of a smoke overdose, how to cope with deterioration in well-being.
