Stop Smoking Tips

Nicotine replacement therapy uses gums or patches that will help to reduce the withdrawal symptoms. The theory behind the use of these products is that the nicotine absorption is low enough that it doesn’t provide the same pleasure as smoking an actual cigarette but it does help to alleviate the symptoms of withdrawal from the drug.

It’s important that the gum or patches aren’t used when a person is actually smoking because it can easily lead to an overdose of nicotine. An overdose or toxicity will lead to heart arrhythmias, nausea, headache and dangerous complications that will require immediate medical attention.

There are other nicotine delivery systems that include inhalers or nasal sprays that more closely mimic the delivery and impact of nicotine that’s obtained by smoking.

Researchers have found that although nicotine isn’t the chemical in the cigarettes responsible for the increased risk of development of cancer prolonged use of nasal sprays or inhalers can damage the cells lining the lungs and blood vessels and cause irreparable damage.

Delivery of the nicotine in patch form is called transdermal delivery. The advantages of using this method to help stop smoking is that it satisfies the physiological cravings for nicotine while the soon to be ex-smoker can deal with the emotional cravings associated with smoking that happen in social situations or the oral fixations that happen with long-term smoking.

These oral needs are the driving force behind an increasing waistline in ex-smokers as they try to meet their oral needs that cigarettes once met with food and sweets. Some ex-smokers find that the nicotine gums work best for them because they are able to get the nicotine drug delivery and meet their oral needs without gaining weight.

Because they may need more chewing action that should be delivered with just nicotine gum the ex-smoker may need to use over the counter gum without the drug to continue to chew during the day.

Share This