About Nicotine Replacement Therapy

Cigarette smoking is a worldwide health detriment. It is addictive and chronic cigarette smoking poses increased risks of developing diseases such as respiratory ailments including emphysema, bronchitis, and lung cancer.

Nicotine is a substance found in cigarette. This specific substance causes the addiction to cigarette smoking. Nicotine causes increased dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain, which is responsible for the positive feelings smoking produces. Levels of these feel-good brain chemicals decrease when you quit smoking, which promotes cravings for cigarette.

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) aids nicotine withdrawal by supplementing nicotine in the body through different methods. Nicotine gum, patches, lozenges and inhalers are the most common methods of nicotine replacement. These cannot be sold to minors.

Nicotine gums and lozenges mainly contain nicotine which is gradually released as taken orally. Nicotine patches also provide nicotine topically and nicotine can enter through skin and through the blood circulation. Nicotine inhalers introduce nicotine through the oral or nasal cavity via puffs.

These products are said to be less damaging to the body since it does not require smoking and they also contain less nicotine than cigarettes. Smoking is harmful because of the by-products it produces, like tar and carbon monoxide. Nicotine does not do as much damage to the body as smoking does but it is still is damaging. Nicotine replacement products are less addicting because of the reduced nicotine content. Used properly, preferably with doctor’s supervision, nicotine replacement therapy is safe and effective. It can help you stop smoking, in part, by continuing to stimulate the release of low levels of dopamine and other chemicals in your brain. In this way, these stop-smoking medications decrease your craving for nicotine and reduce the signs and symptoms of withdrawal. Nicotine replacement therapy will reduce most but not all of the nicotine withdrawal and other symptoms.

So for those who want to quit smoking, nicotine replacement stop smoking aids may be chosen. Certain conditions may also make nicotine replacement therapy a helpful such as when a woman is pregnant and smoking cessation must be done. Smoking has been proven to result in low weight babies. People with cardiac ailments are also required to quit smoking so as to prevent aggravation of condition. A doctor’s consultation is needed by these individuals before undergoing nicotine replacement therapy. For younger people, nicotine replacement therapy can be done as it is already proven safe and effective in adults. Although, side effects to younger clients are not yet known. Side effects of NRT include - a bad taste from the gum, a tingling feeling on the tongue while gum is chewed, hiccups, upset stomach, nausea, or heartburn, headache, excessive gas, skin rash, and cough. But then again, less than five percent of those who stopped nicotine replacement therapy, are due to the side effects.

Using some form of nicotine replacement therapy increases your chances to stop smoking. All forms of nicotine replacement products are effective provided they are used properly. Your chances of quitting are best when nicotine replacement therapy is combined with additional health plans like a complete smoking cessation program and a smoking cessation support group like a doctor, counselor, or health partner.