More than meth sores: Other drug addictions cause sores, too.
There’s nothing quite like painful and eerie-looking meth sores. When you’ve seen the ugly sores that are a direct result of meth abuse – it’s enough to make you want to steer clear of the stuff. Getting “high” isn’t worth having open sores or rotten teeth and gums. However, it’s not just meth that can create terrible looking sores on your body or in your mouth. Using all kinds of illegal drugs, even just once, can get ugly. Here is a list of illegal drugs and the painful consequences that can be the result of abusing them.
Heroin
Did you know that on its own, the city of San Francisco spends about $40 million each year on treatment for heroin sores? It’s a huge problem in the city and for its communities. Heroin sores are a bit different from meth sores, because the abscesses in the skin are caused by injecting the heroine into muscle tissue instead of the vein. These sores are very serious and bacterial infections can complicate the experience. Hospitalization is often required; many times surgery is necessary and may include amputations. The scarring that often results from these sores is traumatic and life-changing, because it looks so severe.
Inhalants
Huffing or sniffing household chemicals and drugs is yet another way to get gross sores. These sores often form around the mouth area and may have an odor, like bad breath, associated with them. Glue, hair spray, nail polish remover, aerosol deodorants, dry-erase markers, spray paint and other such products are commonly inhaled. Not only can this type of drug abuse cause sores, but it often leads to brain damage and nosebleeds.
Chewing Tobacco
While smokeless tobacco is used less by teens and young adults, it is still being used quite often by older adults. If found these mouth sores can be an indicator of oral cancer. At the first sign of a mouth sore, professional help from a doctor should be sought out. Surgery or other treatment may be needed. Some marijuana users may also complain about cold sores, but there are few studies showing any definitive link between the two.
Drug addiction doesn’t just hurt a person’s body, it ruins their life. Going through rehab and getting treatment won’t just heal the bodily scars; it saves lives by showing people how to make it worth living again.
Related Posts
Why Meth Users Have Sores on their Faces and Rotten TeethMethamphetamine use & awareness in young adults and What Causes Sores on the Faces of Meth Users?
Is Drug Treatment Different for Meth Users?
September 1st, 2009 at 1:00 am
This is a great post. It is true and must be stressed that getting a temporary high is not worth your life and the discomfort of the side effects. I just hope that people recognize this before diving into that abyss.