Upper airway complications of smoking

Tobacco smoke has a myriad of acute and chronic effects on the upper airway . These problems can range from aggravating inflammatory reactions to life threatening malignancies. Cessation of smoking is the key to successful res olution of many upper airway complaints. An increased awareness of these di sease processes can improve early diagnosis and appropriate treatment. A be tter awareness of these processes may facilitate physicians in counseling p atients about smoking.