Smoked Cigarette. Getting Burning Sensation On Back Of Neck. Any Ideas?

Posted on Thu, 9 May 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Thu, 9 May 2013 Answered on

Mon, 27 May 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : i smoke cigarettes about 2 a day. lately after smoking the back of my neck burns. the burning sensation can last for many hours

Answered by Dr. Dr. Michelle Gibson (1 hour later)

Hi, thanks for using healthcare magic

Burning sensations can be a type of paresthesia which is an abnormal sensation that can be felt in any aspect of the body. It can be related to different factors.

Cigarette smoking can be associated with neurological side effects in some persons.
It is thought that there is a chemical called NNK present in the cigarettes that promotes neuroinflammation (inflammation of nerve cells).

Because nicotine also constricts blood vessels, it is also possible that temporary reduced blood could result in your discomfort.

The burning sensation may also be related to a reaction to the other chemical compounds present in the cigarette.

It is difficult to stop smoking but if you can it may help to relieve your symptoms.

I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar