Headache from hookah - what to do? The best tobacco for hookah

Unfortunately, spending time in hookah bars brings more than just pleasure. It also happens that a smoker becomes ill after using a hookah. Why is this happening? There are several main reasons that cause a negative reaction in the body. For example, if you tried hookah for the first time, feeling unwell may be a natural reaction to smoking. Nausea can also be caused by improper preparation for the process or individual intolerance to certain components.

Side effects from smoking hookah

The most typical symptoms and side effects:

• nausea, in some cases vomiting;
• headache;
• decreased emotional tone;
• deterioration in general health;
• weakness;
• depressed mood;
• increased sensitivity to sound and light.

The reason may be an internal predisposition and intolerance to the components, but in most cases this is caused by a violation of the hookah preparation technology and the lack of experience of the hookah operator.

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Many hookah lovers face the problem of headaches following a long smoking session. It is often accompanied by symptoms such as nausea and dizziness. All these signs together indicate the so-called “hookah hangover”. Most often, inexperienced smokers, unfamiliar with all the rules and subtleties of preparing and smoking hookah, suffer from it, but also experienced hookah smoking fans. What is hookah disease, what causes it, how to deal with it and how to avoid it, is described in detail in this article.

Benefits of hookah

Many people prefer this type of tobacco smoking due to some differences from cigarettes. The benefits are as follows.

1. Using tobacco through a hookah is considered non-addictive (if the mixtures do not contain narcotic substances).
2. Cigarettes are smoked much more often, hookah is more bulky, you can’t take it with you or put it in your pocket.
3. When smoking cigarettes, smoke, the harmful tars and other carcinogenic substances it contains, enter directly into the lungs. In a hookah, it passes through the liquid and many substances settle there without entering the human respiratory system.
4. As the employees of establishments offering such entertainment assure, changing the mouthpiece will protect your health from diseases transmitted through saliva (hepatitis, herpes, acute infectious diseases).

Not a bad alternative to cigarettes, isn't it? But is everything so simple? Is smoking hookah really harmful? These are minor benefits compared to the health risks that this type of smoking can cause.

Traditional methods

Many people believe that the most powerful folk remedy for treating migraines is tincture of Eleutherococcus. It can be bought at any pharmacy. In addition, plants such as mint and propolis eliminate unpleasant pain symptoms. Doctors recommend drinking mint tea. Because he:

Propolis has exactly the same effect. In addition, this plant also helps fight colds. Many experts recommend adding a few drops of propolis tincture to the inhaler before using it. Inhalation of this substance has a positive effect on the functioning of the respiratory system.

Is it possible to get poisoned by hookah?

Most often, such entertainment is offered among friends, while relaxing in a restaurant or in a club. This means that in rare cases the device undergoes perfect processing. Representatives of the organization offer a replaceable nozzle (mouthpiece) in the hope that this is quite enough to prevent diseases. But not only it can be harmful to health, each part of the hookah contains many life-threatening microorganisms:

• a hookah shaft, on the walls of which impurities condense;
• bowl for liquid;
• the smoking pipe itself.

Any of these parts, regardless of the material from which it was made, must be treated daily with special solutions, undergo sterilization, and the rubber tube through which the smoke is inhaled must be rinsed after each use. But no organization cares enough about its customers to meet all of these conditions all the time. A hookah can make you feel bad after the first use, because on the walls, in addition to resins and condensation, microorganisms can be found.

1. Staphylococcus, in large quantities causing purulent inflammation of the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract.
2. The Aspergillus fungus attacks the lungs almost instantly.
3. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a microorganism resistant to many antibiotics, leading to irreparable consequences, including the kidneys.

For the disease to develop very quickly in a matter of hours, several important conditions are necessary:

• the amount of pathogen must be maximum for the disease to appear;
• a sharp decrease in human immunity;
• It is necessary that a person smokes a hookah for a long enough time; two or three breaths will not allow the microbes to penetrate the body.

What symptoms will appear with such infectious hookah poisoning?

Infection with the fungus Aspergillus will cause:

• shortness of breath;
• pain in the chest area;
• increased body temperature;
• severe weakness and nausea.

Staphylococcus causes diseases of the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract: sore throat, bronchitis, tracheitis.

The very next day after smoking a hookah, a person may feel:

• severe headaches;
• weakness;
• feeling of aching in the joints.

How to smoke a hookah without a headache afterwards?

To enjoy smoking hookah without causing headaches, you should adhere to the common rules. They will help you spend quality time with loved ones and relax with minimal damage to your body.

1. Under no circumstances should you do this: smoke a hookah and drink alcohol at the same time. The strength of the alcoholic drink does not matter, since any amount of alcohol (even a glass of champagne) enhances the negative effects of nicotine.
2. Entrust the making and smoking of hookah to a professional. Sequence of proper preparation:
   pull the foil over the bowl as evenly as possible;
3. light the coal until red;
4. first place the coal on the edge of the bowl and leave for 5 minutes to warm up;
5. remove the coal and remove the resulting ash;
6. put the coal in the center and light the hookah.

1. Non-alcoholic non-carbonated drinks (water, tea, juice, herbal decoction, fruit juice) neutralize harmful substances. Therefore, you should drink as much fluid as possible while smoking to reduce the risk of side effects.
2. You need to smoke slowly, taking long enough intervals between puffs. The main point of smoking is to enjoy communication with the company and environment, rather than harm your health.
3. It is advisable to smoke on a full stomach, periodically snacking on light food (sandwiches, salads, fruits, vegetables, etc.). This will allow you to constantly maintain optimal glucose levels and make the process less harmful to the body.

If headaches occur, you should give preference to hookahs with non-alcoholic liquids (water, milk) to prevent intoxication of the body. In addition, after drinking a hookah with alcohol, it is strictly forbidden to take analgesics and other medications. It is also important to choose trusted establishments with an experienced worker or prepare it yourself, observing the above requirements.

Many of you have probably encountered situations where, after smoking a delicious hookah in good company, you suddenly developed a sharp headache.

The phenomenon known as a hookah hangover, hookah sickness or simply a headache is primarily the cause of a bad mood.

But the good news is that it's pretty easy to get rid of, and even easier to avoid.

Physiological causes of the phenomenon

The main list of “diseases” caused by smoking boils down to dizziness, nausea, headache, sore throat and cough. All of the above are caused by a natural physiological reaction to smoking. Why does hookah make you sick? Why does hookah give me a headache? These questions and symptoms are especially common for beginners, but over time, addiction develops.

Also, the user often feels sick after using a hookah if the preparation technology is broken. In this connection, many are interested: “Why do hookahs make you dizzy and sick?” Less commonly, the reasons may be individual intolerance to individual components of the formulation, even an allergic reaction to flavorings. However, regardless of etymology, alarming symptoms cannot be ignored.

Does your throat hurt after hookah? This often happens with low-quality or strong tobacco. Many unsuccessful products hit the throat hard and are extremely uncomfortable to smoke. If the tobacco is declared as strong and smoking it is problematic, dilute it with traditional tobacco or switch to lighter versions. If the tobacco is of normal strength, but you have a sore throat, give up the brand you are currently smoking. Read reviews, consult with sellers and choose well-proven tobacco blends.

• Nausea, vomiting and headaches can be caused by hunger and dehydration. Smoking on an empty stomach is strictly contraindicated, because reduces the body's adaptive capabilities. Hydration is very important - drinking enough water in general increases the body's endurance and helps eliminate toxins.
• Alcohol should never be combined with smoking. It is not advisable to add it to the flask and drink it during a hookah ceremony. The synergistic effect of alcohol and tobacco mixture is simply destructive.
• Hookah tobacco, although in a small dose, contains nicotine. Yes, it is partially filtered, but it does not evaporate - therefore, it is harmful. If a person has not smoked cigarettes before, then he has a greater chance of swimming after smoking a hookah. Moreover, there is such a thing as hypertrophied sensitivity to nicotine, which manifests itself in the above-mentioned uncomfortable symptoms.
• Allergens. Many components of the smoking mixture, as well as the liquid in the flask, can cause an allergic reaction, symptoms of which include difficulty breathing, nausea, and redness of the skin.

We talked about physiology, but no less obvious, and often more probable reasons are a violation of the preparation technology and low-quality raw materials. Thus, low-quality coal releases vapors of toxins and harmful impurities that it contains. Fast-heating coal, which contains saltpeter, will be no less harmful.

Contamination of the mouthpiece greatly contributes to the negative consequences of smoking. If the mouthpiece is not cleaned in a timely manner, the accumulated resin with a high concentration of carcinogens penetrates the body and aggravates the toxicity.

Quality of tobacco and components. Strong mixtures with chemical flavorings can cause severe rejection and a bunch of unpleasant symptoms. If you are a beginner, choose light blends with quality aromatics. In general, give preference to proven and well-established brands. If a brand hurts your wallet, reconsider your attitude towards your hobby. Try not to skimp on quality raw materials, because... It's hard to save money on your health.

How to smoke correctly to avoid unpleasant consequences

If a hookah gives you a headache, it means that the preparation procedure was carried out incorrectly. To avoid any mistakes, it is recommended to follow the step-by-step instructions:

• Cover the bowl evenly with a layer of foil;
• correctly (as already explained above) light the coal;
• place the evenly heated flammable substance along the edges of the bowl;
• wait a little time until the vessel heats up (5-7 minutes is enough);
• remove the coals, remove the ashes, arrange the coals again;
• start smoking.

Knowing the correct way to use a hookah, anyone can easily ensure a pleasant pastime without sad consequences.

Treatment of hookah poisoning

Despite the process of purifying tobacco smoke through water, carcinogens and harmful tars still remain in it. Is it possible to get poisoned by hookah? Yes, deterioration in well-being can occur not only from microorganisms located inside the system, but also from the smoke that a person inhales. Only about 20–30% of harmful substances are deposited on the walls of the device, the rest dissolve in water and, with small particles of liquid, enter the deeper layers of the respiratory system.

Hookah smoke contains the following substances that are pathogenic to the body.

1. Carbon monoxide or CO, its concentration after smoking a hookah, compared to one smoked cigarette, is 10 or more times higher. Carbon monoxide intoxication from hookah smoking is one of the most common causes of acute hookah poisoning.
2. Poisonous tars that appear from the action of burning air on a tobacco mixture, which, in addition to tobacco, contains preservatives and flavorings.
3. Benzopropylene is a hydrocarbon poison.
4. Unknown substances contained in tobacco. In our country, since this type of smoking was still considered harmless, no one studied the components of the mixtures; in addition to aromatic additives, they may contain other components that, when exposed to high temperatures, turn into poisons.

What should you do if a person has smoked a hookah, what should you do in this case? First aid is to take the person out into the fresh air. Then you need to immediately call an ambulance and try to get the person to the hospital as quickly as possible. Shortly before this, you can take a little tobacco mixture for further research.

What is the treatment for hookah poisoning? This is symptomatic therapy:

• introduction of "Unithiol" (CO antidote);
• stopping seizures, connecting the glucose system, vitamin injections;
• providing oxygen inhalation;
• the use of hyperbaric oxygenation - oxygen saturation.

Is smoking hookah safe? No, even rare trips to a bar or to friends who have such a device can end in failure. For poisoning, it is not necessary to smoke all evening without stopping or consume prohibited mixtures. Harmful substances from tobacco dissolved in liquid are absorbed by the lungs much faster, penetrate deeper and cause more damage. Poisoning is not only possible, it happens often, and the consequences of such entertainment can last a very long time.

Main signs and symptoms

When poisoning of the body occurs, the following symptoms are observed:

• may feel dizzy;
• an “electronic” sound will appear in the ears;
• nausea;
• blurred vision;
• temples pulsate;
• diarrhea;
• drowsiness;
• fatigue.

It's time to quit using cigarettes and smoking hookah.

Sharp throbbing headache

It occurs when the blood vessels narrow and sharp spasms begin, which become more frequent. Light and sound are perceived as louder and brighter than they really are.

High blood pressure is properly treated with medications. You should not self-medicate. Throbbing pain is the first sign of cancer.

Sluggish speech

When exposed to the brain, nicotine dulls the sense of perception of information. Due to oxygen deprivation, the brain takes longer to process information, and a state of lethargy prevents you from completing assigned tasks. Carbohydrate oxide destroys muscle tissue in the brain, which leads to headaches.

Nausea

When the gastric mucosa is damaged, when smoke enters, the body produces a lot of saliva and vomiting is present. The muscles of the gastrointestinal tract contract, the body tries to get rid of the poison, and this causes nausea.

Photophobia

This disease occurs when the organs responsible for vision, hearing and other parts of the human body are damaged. If you do not quit smoking in time, the disease leads to complete blindness. Due to intoxication of the body, cell death occurs.

Dizziness

Appears during oxygen deprivation. After dizziness, headache begins. To eliminate these ailments, it is necessary to remove toxic substances from your lifestyle.

Vascular spasms that occur from lack of oxygen lead to stroke. You need to do an examination of your body and find out why your head hurts.

Tachycardia

This is a rapid heartbeat that occurs due to poisoning of the body. A person feels his own heartbeat, dizziness, pulsation of blood vessels, and possible fainting. These signs lead to myocardial infarction, stroke, and cardiac arrest.

What to do if you smoked a hookah

If you are poisoned from smoking a hookah, the following signs of poisoning will appear:

• nausea;
• dizziness;
• rapid heartbeat or tachycardia;
• severe weakness;
• in severe cases of convulsions, the person may faint.

First aid after hookah poisoning is to ensure access to oxygen for the injured person. To do this, it is necessary, if possible, to open all windows and doors or take the person outside. Then you need to lay the victim down, unbutton tight clothes: remove the tie, belt, unbutton the top buttons of the blouse or shirt. You cannot hit a person on the cheeks and bring him to his senses yourself. Specialized medical assistance should be sought immediately.

How to avoid discomfort while resting?

After explaining why smoking a hookah can cause a headache, you need to understand what can help when you feel a sharp headache that interferes with your life?

• The best and proven way is caffeine. A cup of strong coffee significantly improves the condition. You can take a tablet of citramone or another medicine for headaches, but this is not the most useful option.
• A quick and easy way to “treat” is a walk in the fresh air. This will help you come to your senses and bring your feelings back in a fairly short time.
• Food will also help. If you didn't eat while smoking, now is the time to have a snack.

These are the easiest ways to get rid of obsessive headaches.

During the process, you need to inhale not only smoke. Alternate inhaling steam with 5 breaths of air. Then your health will be stable, and your rest will be 100% successful.

If there is a burning sensation when smoking, stop the process immediately.

Otherwise, the body will be poisoned, and you can forget about feeling good.

Violations in the preparation of the trial

Main list of violations:

• Heating coals in the smoking area - do this remotely to reduce the concentration of carcinogens in the air during heating.
• Laying of tobacco - the lower the tobacco is laid, the higher the concentration of carbon dioxide in the prepared hookah.
• Too frequent puffs - the smoking process should not be too fast. Frequent inhalation of smoke provokes headaches and other symptoms.
• Low-quality tobacco - do not use nameless and little-known mixtures. Pay close attention to craft producers. Some people do not hesitate to use essential oils as flavoring agents. This is strictly prohibited! The ether settles in the lungs and is practically not excreted. This is unacceptable. Consider this advice if you suddenly want to make hookah tobacco yourself and are puzzled by the choice of flavoring. Only high-quality food flavor. Preferably natural.

Optimal conditions for relaxation

• In order to get maximum pleasure, you need to drink plenty of fluids while smoking.
• At the same time, you should avoid sugary water and alcohol.
• You need to enjoy the process itself, and not try to inhale as much as possible - then you can get maximum pleasure and a complete absence of headaches.
• A water-based hookah, rather than an alcohol-based one, can also minimize unpleasant symptoms.
• Eating before and after smoking will significantly relieve unpleasant symptoms.
• If you relax at home, you need to clearly know how to properly refill a hookah.
• Move the coals as often as possible to avoid carbon deposits.

It is best for people with health problems to avoid this type of holiday.

By adhering to a set of rules, you can have a great rest in the company of friends. If someone experiences the above symptoms, you should use tips to combat them.

Remember that all good things should be in moderation. Then you can relax without serious consequences for the body.

Characteristic symptoms

nausea and headache are accompanied by stuffy ears; sore throat; rapid heartbeat and shortness of breath; pain in the chest and lungs.

In some cases, loss of consciousness is possible. The cause of hookah disease and such severe consequences is a predisposition (at risk are hypertensive patients), the presence of concomitant diseases and severe intoxication as a result of excessive and constant hookah smoking.

How much nicotine is in a hookah? There are hookahs that contain tobacco. Its harm to the body depends on the strength of the mixture. They are weak, medium and strong. The latter include: Al Ajami, Nakhlu.

Hookah is smoked for an hour. During this time, indoors, nicotine, toxins and carbon monoxide enter the body. Carbon monoxide is dangerous to the body, and in one session you get the same amount as using one pack of cigarettes.

The main substance content is:

1. Chadnogaza – 143 mg.
2. Nicotine in hookah tobacco – 2.96 mg.
3. Resins – 802 mg.

The information was published by the Singapore edition of Menshealth magazine.

To prevent the consequences of smoking, you need to carry out proper preparation or contact special institutions where professionals work.

If a hangover has already set in, the following steps will help get rid of it:

• Need to eat. At least a little, through force. In this way you protect the mucous membrane, which is severely damaged, and reduce the toxic effect of tobacco smoke.
• Ventilate the room, or better yet, go outside. The more oxygen the body receives, the easier it will be to fight toxins.
• To drink coffee. In small doses, the drink improves blood circulation, provides oxygen to the brain and reduces headaches. But if you take too much, the symptoms will become even worse.
• Take analgin or citramon. Analgesics will help relieve symptoms faster.

If after following the recommendations, the hangover does not go away, seek help from a specialist. The doctor will conduct an examination, make a diagnosis and tell you what to do next.

When inhaling hookah smoke, unpleasant symptoms and manifestations may occur:

• the appearance of painful sensations during the procedure itself, which are pulsating in nature;
• feeling of pre-illness, nausea (occur quite rarely);
• discomfort, intolerance to bright light, loud sounds;
• general weakness;
• attacks of dizziness;
• increased heart rate;
• violation of spatial orientation.

If such clinical signs occur regularly after hookah smoking, it makes sense to consult a doctor to identify possible causes.

• My head is spinning;
• Pain in temples;
• Darkening in the eyes;
• Noise in ears;
• Rapid pulse;
• Muffled perception of sounds;
• Weakness in the body;
• Nausea (in severe cases - vomiting);
• Convulsions;
• Disorientation in space;
• Impaired motor coordination;
• Fainting.

When a person spends a long time in a smoky room, a person develops headaches and muscle weakness, shortness of breath, excessive drowsiness and “blackout” of consciousness.

• Increase in body temperature to 38˚C;
• Muscle weakness;
• Breaking bones;
• Sudden fatigue;
• Attack of nausea;
• Feeling of tightness or sharp pain in the chest.

If carbon monoxide enters the human body for a long time, deep coma or rapid death may occur due to paralysis of the respiratory center. If a person takes a smoke break while being in a smoky room for more than 6 hours in a row, the risk of death increases significantly.

During the long process of smoking chilim, a large concentration of dangerous chemical compounds enters the human organs, in which nicotine and carbon monoxide are particularly prominent. Lack of oxygen and severe intoxication do not go unnoticed for a person. He feels dizzy and has a headache after drinking hookah.

Hypoxia provokes dizziness and frequent migraines, and also has an effect on the human central nervous system. Characteristic signs of a weakened body are:

• Rapid pulse
• Nausea and diarrhea
• Oxygen starvation
• Frequent shortness of breath
• Loss of coordination and slow speech

Pain from smoking primarily affects the occipital region of the head and the temple area. A severe form of hookah intoxication inhibits normal brain activity. As a result, a person begins to think slowly and periodically lose consciousness.

The main symptoms of why you get a headache from hookah

When do they call an ambulance?

This will be required if the person becomes worse or if there is no improvement in well-being. If a child, an old man or a pregnant woman is injured. When the patient is inhibited, he does not make contact or communication with him is limited. When neurological symptoms appear (uncoordinated movements, impaired speech and vision, convulsive seizures occur). With delirium or absent consciousness of the patient.

It is worth remembering that treatment measures are carried out on an inpatient basis. The doctor carries out detoxification and eliminates symptomatic manifestations. Paralysis of the respiratory muscles should be prevented and the functions of the heart and liver, which are involved in the metabolism of nicotine, should be maintained. If the pupils do not react to light, the person is not breathing, his heart is not working, he is lying unconscious, then resuscitation measures are carried out.