Can doctors tell if you lie about smoking?

Asked by: Lionel Bergnaum DDS  |  Last update: July 21, 2023
Score: 4.9/5 (31 votes)

22 (HealthDay News) -- If you're sneaking smokes when no one's looking, beware: One lung doctor says a common device can determine whether someone is a smoker. The blood carbon monoxide detector could be used to ferret out people who hide a cigarette habit, said pulmonologist Dr. Sridhar Reddy.

What happens if you lie to a doctor about smoking?

No one is honest 100% of the time, but lying to your doctor can put your health in jeopardy. Lying about a nicotine habit can cause problems if you need surgery. Smoking can interfere with your healing process, so doctors need to know if you light up.

Can doctors check if u smoke?

Yes, your doctor can tell if you smoke occasionally by looking at medical tests that can detect nicotine in your blood, saliva, urine and hair. When you smoke or get exposed to secondhand smoke, the nicotine you inhale gets absorbed into your blood.

How do you spot a smoker?

Tell-tale signs of smoking
  1. Stains. Nails and fingers: Nails and fingers of smokers may take a yellow stain due to repeated exposure to smoke and tar in smoke. ...
  2. Burns. ...
  3. Skin changes. ...
  4. Smell of smoke.

Why do doctors ask if you have ever smoked?

If you ever develop lung symptoms, your doctor needs to know what you've inhaled in the past. There may be health conditions associated with that smoking that they wouldn't consider if they didn't know about your history, and certain tests they'll order to better diagnose the problem.

What you must tell your doctor, even if it`s illegal

31 related questions found

What should you not tell your doctor?

The 10 Worst Things Patients Can Say to Physicians
  • Anything that is not 100 percent truthful. ...
  • Anything condescending, loud, hostile, or sarcastic. ...
  • Anything related to your health care when we are off the clock. ...
  • Complaining about other doctors. ...
  • Anything that is a huge overreaction.

Should I tell my doctor about smoking?

While it's easy to see why this may be tempting, we always advise against lying to your doctor. Leaving information about your lifestyle out will make it more difficult for your doctor to paint a picture of your needs and appropriately help you out.

Should I tell my doctor I vape?

You can sugar-coat the rest of your vices, but tell your doctor if you vape. During your yearly physical — if you're diligent enough to go that consistently — it's standard for your doctor to ask whether you smoke. For many years, this has seemed like a pretty straightforward question.

Why do doctors ask if I vape?

Well, now some doctors are having to ask their patients if they vape. The scrutiny on vaping comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found a recent surge in vaping-related illnesses, including 805 confirmed cases and 12 deaths.

How long is nicotine in your urine?

People also process nicotine differently depending on their genetics. Generally, nicotine will leaves your blood within 1 to 3 days after you stop using tobacco, and cotinine will be gone after 1 to 10 days. Neither nicotine nor cotinine will be detectable in your urine after 3 to 4 days of stopping tobacco products.

What happens if you don't tell the doctor you smoke?

Smoking puts you at risk for certain illness, blood pressure issues and more. Knowing you smoke, your physician can keep a closer eye on those things and catch any problems early. Hiding your smoking status from your care team means they may not know you are at higher risk for certain illnesses.

Can doctors tell your parents if you smoke?

No, generally speaking the doctor should not inform your parents about this unless it directly impacts a treatment plan for which your parents consent is required.

Can a doctor tell if you use drugs?

No. Federal law prohibits your doctor from telling the police about your drug use. This law, called the Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder Patient Records, 42 CFR Part 2, has been in effect since 1975.

What does it mean to be red flagged by a doctor?

Red Flags for Physicians. Throughout the course of several investigations, certain consistencies have been observed and can serve as “red flags” for medical providers to alert them that the patient may not have a legitimate pain issue but are instead seeking narcotics for illegitimate reasons.

Do doctors ever lie to patients?

Research shows that it happens rather often. Eleven percent of 1,800-plus physicians recently surveyed by Massachusetts General Hospital admitted to having lied to a patient in the preceding year, and 55 percent said they'd described a prognosis to a patient in a more positive light than was medically accurate.

What are doctors looking for when they look in your mouth?

So what can looking into your mouth tell your doctor? Well, if your tongue has a growth or a white spot, it may lead to cancer. Your throat and the back of your mouth can suggest how healthy your teeth are too. Your tonsils could be inflamed, which happens when you have acute tonsillitis.

Can you get in trouble for telling your doctor you did drugs?

No. Your doctor isn't legally allowed to report drug use to the police. The only situations in which doctors can break confidentially is if there's concern about someone seriously harming themselves or others.

Why do doctors ask about drug use?

Some reasons why it is good to talk about your drug use: The doctor may be able to make a better diagnosis if he/ she knows the whole story. Even symptoms that may seem unrelated to drug use can sometimes be a result of drugs you are taking or the “cut” in those drugs.

Do drugs show up in a full blood count?

Drugs in blood are typically detectable within minutes to hours, depending on the drug and the dose, versus one to several days in urine. Blood drug screen tests are performed on whole blood specimens using immunoassay screening with reflex to definitive testing.

Can I test my kid for nicotine?

The hair test goes back three months. Both detect nicotine in a teenager's system, called "cotinine" once it's metabolized in the body. In this test, parents learned their kid had been vaping in the last few days.

Can doctors keep secrets from parents?

Q: Will my doctor tell my parents what we talked about? A: Your doctor will keep the details of what you talk about private, or confidential. The only times when your doctor cannot honor your privacy is when someone is hurting you or you are going to hurt yourself or someone else.

What foods get nicotine out of your system?

Foods to Flush nicotine out of your body
  • Water. Nicotine dehydrates the body, so drink water to rehydrate. ...
  • Nettle. This herb is loaded with iron and is a useful disinfectant and great at fighting infection.
  • Vegetables. ...
  • Pine needle tea. ...
  • Oranges. ...
  • Kiwi fruit. ...
  • Carrot juice. ...
  • Broccoli.

How do you detox your body from smoking?

How Can I Detox My Body From Smoking?
  1. Drink plenty of water. Water can help flush out toxins and chemicals from your body. ...
  2. Eat a diet rich in antioxidants. ...
  3. Exercise regularly. ...
  4. Avoid secondhand smoke. ...
  5. Steer clear of pollution.

Can you fail a nicotine test from secondhand smoke?

If you use nicotine replacement medicine, such as gum or a patch, the cotinine test will not give an accurate result. Breathing in secondhand smoke can also affect the result. If you haven't smoked or been exposed to nicotine in 7 to 10 days, your cotinine levels start to return to a normal level.

How do smokers clean their lungs?

How Can I Accelerate Lung Healing After Smoking?
  1. Drink Lots Of Water. Water helps flush toxins from your body, including those found in cigarettes and tobacco products. ...
  2. Eat Healthy Foods. ...
  3. Exercise Regularly. ...
  4. Cough. ...
  5. Clean Your Living Space. ...
  6. Practice Deep Breathing. ...
  7. Try Steam Therapy.