Smoking or something else?

I am a 30 year old male smoker who also suffers from GERD. I have smoked since I was 18. I know I should quit and I probably will within a relatively short time.

I suffer once or twice a year from respiratory infections. I had one about a month or so ago and the Doctor gave me an antibiotic which after about a week cleared up my productive cough and congestion. It always seems that for a month or longer after having a respiratory infection I have breathing difficulty (especially when lying down). I get occasional wheezing also. It does not hurt at all when I breath and I only cough a couple of times a day( mostly in the morning). Is it normal for smokers to take longer to fully heal from lung infections? Does it sound like my breathing problems are most likely due to smoking and not a more serious condition like pneumonia? My Doctor did listen to my lungs with a stethoscope but did not do any x-rays. Would he have known if my lungs were in bad shape just by listening?

[National Jewish]

It is common for smokers to get more lung infections and to take longer to fully recover from them. It is very likely that the symptoms are due to smoking, but generally a chest X-ray is needed to be sure there are not other causes, like pneumonia. Spirometry, a simple breathing test, measures how your lungs are working and will often identify a problem in your lungs before you may have symptoms. With your smoking history, it would be helpful for you to have spirometry testing done at least once a year. As you know, quitting smoking is very important and the best health decision you could make. Good luck!