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Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staff
Quit using tobacco in any form
If you're diagnosed with Buerger's disease, you must stop using tobacco in order to stop the disease from getting worse. The swelling of your arteries stops when you quit using tobacco. Most people who quit tobacco won't have to face amputation of their fingers or toes in the future. Those who continue to use tobacco may worsen their Buerger's disease and need to have their affected fingers or toes removed.
It's hard to quit smoking. If you're like the majority of people who smoke, you've probably tried to quit in the past, but haven't been successful. Talk to your doctor about strategies to help you quit. Medications are available to ease your cravings. However, you won't be able to use nicotine replacement products, such as patches or gum, since the nicotine in these products also affects Buerger's disease.
Because it's crucial that you stop all tobacco use, your doctor may recommend more-aggressive approaches to quitting. For instance, your doctor may occasionally test your urine to make sure you aren't using tobacco.
Another option is a residential smoking-cessation program. In these programs, you stay at a treatment facility, sometimes a hospital, for a set number of days or weeks. During that time you participate in daily counseling sessions and other activities to help you deal with the cravings for cigarettes and to help you learn to live tobacco-free.
