While smoking may not cause back pain, it certainly does not help it.

Smoking has been shown to contribute to hypertension or high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, high blood cholesterol and now studies are turning to how these conditions are contributing to back pain. Because smoking suppresses the oxygen supply in your blood, muscles and structures in the back which rely on a steadily refreshing supply of oxygen don’t get the right amount and this can cause problems including hampering their ability to rebuild and repair and helping them to drain waste products such as lactic acid. 

Back pain is a less-thought of consequence of smoking

Smoking simply suppresses your body’s immune and nervous systems, effectively handicapping them in their attempts to keep you healthy and, more importantly, in charge of your health. Any plan for overcoming chronic pain is going to be dragged down severely by the presence of smoking. Rather than fully oxygenated blood, your circulatory system is carrying blood with some of the oxygen replaced by CO₂ which makes it difficult for the oxygen to reach the intended muscles; this makes them more prone to weakness and tightness, which then leads to instability, especially in the lower back. 

Quitting smoking can help your experience with back pain 

The cessation of smoking combined with chiropractic care  is an effective method for treating back pain. Chiropractic itself can help you stop smoking by influencing feelings of relaxation, improving circulation and treating pain. This is a mental boost that should not be underestimated in a person’s attempt to overcome a smoking habit.