Hi,

Thanks for the query.

I am a cardiologist and will not scare you by enlisting the long term bad effects.

Smoking can produce on upper respiratory tract (as in your case irritation of throat and itchy ear - there is natural communication between middle part of ear; throat and smoke from the cigarette causes irritation of eyes: these are early effects) to dreadful consequences on lungs & heart later.

For the burning throat, you can use throat lozenges and do warm saline gargles - these measures should help you. Meantime I would urge you to consult an Ear Nose Throat Specialist to get your ear examined for any infection.

Please do not worry about throat cancer yet, as it is too short a period of smoking. However I would urge you to quit smoking. Good news is that you are smoking for short duration; therefore giving it up will be relatively easy. A few tips to help you quit are as follows:
- Your doctor can use anti anxiety drugs which you are otherwise taking in a manner that helps in giving up smoking altogether.
- With reasonable will from your side without any other drug you can decide to give up smoking for it is only a year or so that you have started.
- If your doctor feels that that you are dependent on smoking and withdrawal produces problems use of nicotine chewing gum or nicotine patches or nicotine spray are the preparations available which are handy.

What is needed is a little dose of will power from your side.

I hope I have answered your queries; if you need any elaboration please ask a follow up question.

With Best Wishes
Dr. Anil Grover
Cardiologist

---