Choosing And Using The Right Nicotine Replacement Therapy For You
No one type of nicotine replacement therapy – by itself or in combination – is necessarily any better than another. When choosing the type of NRT you will use, think about which method will best fit your lifestyle and pattern of smoking or using smokeless tobacco. For example, do you want/need something in your mouth or something to keep your hands busy? Are you looking for once-a-day convenience? How urgent are your cravings for nicotine?
Here are some important points to think about as you decide:
- Nicotine gums, lozenges, and inhalers are substitutes you can put into your mouth that let you control your dosage to help keep cravings under better control.
- Nicotine gums and lozenges are generally sugar-free, but if you are diabetic and have any doubts, check with the manufacturer.
- Nicotine nasal spray works very quickly when you need it.
- Nicotine inhalers allow you to mimic the use of cigarettes by puffing and holding the inhaler. It also works very quickly.
- Nicotine patches are convenient and only have to be put on once a day.
- Both inhalers and nasal sprays require a doctors prescription.
- Some people may not be able to use patches, inhalers, or nasal sprays because of allergies or other conditions.
- Nicotine gum may stick to dentures or dental work making it hard to chew before parking.
How Is Cigarette Smoke Harmful For The Body
Cigarette smoke is one of the most toxic compounds known and is truly a slow poison. Cigarette smoke, being a mixture of 4000 chemicals is not only disastrous to the smoker, but also to the people who breathe around him. The main toxic compounds include nicotine, tar, carbon mono oxide, hydrogen, among others.
Cigarette smoke contains around sixty cancer-causing agents like benzene, chromium, cadmium, vinyl chloride and arsenic. The chemicals are known to have serious health impacts involving all the major organ systems, lest apart the cancers. Not only do active smokers face these health hazards, the passive smokers suffer as well. It has been estimated in studies that of eight active smoker deaths, there will be one passive smoker who will die.
On an average, cigarette smoking reduces the life expectancy of an individual by thirteen to sixteen years.
How Do I Know What Nrt Dose To Use Based On My Smokeless Tobacco Use
NRT products are supposed to roughly match the amount of nicotine you typically took in through tobacco. It can be more of a challenge to get the dose right for smokeless tobacco users, since NRT products are labeled for people who smoke.
Certain types of NRT may help more than others. If you look at the way the tobacco is used, nicotine gum and lozenges are most like using smokeless tobacco. They also let you control your dose to help keep nicotine cravings down. To avoid withdrawal symptoms, you want to aim for a nicotine dose fairly close to what you got from snuff or tobacco use.
These are general guidelines:
- A heavy user is a person who uses more than 3 cans of snuff or 3 pouches of tobacco a week, and would typically use the higher doses of NRT .
- Those who use 2 to 3 cans or pouches per week would usually try the moderate doses.
- Those who use less than 2 would start with the lowest doses of NRT.
If youve decided to try NRT, discuss your dose with a health care provider before you quit tobacco.
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How To Use Nicotine Patch Patch Transdermal 24 Hours
If you are using the over-the-counter product, read all directions on the product package before using this medication. If your doctor has prescribed this medication, read the Patient Information Leaflet if provided by your pharmacist before you start using this product and each time you get a refill. Make sure you understand how to apply a new patch and dispose of the used product. If you have any questions, consult your doctor or pharmacist.
Start this medication on your quit day. The patch should be applied to a clean, dry, non-hairy area on the trunk or upper arm. Check the manufacturer’s instruction sheet for recommended areas to place the patch. If necessary, clip hair from the site before applying the patch. Do not shave the area. Remove the patch from the package, peel off the protective strip, and immediately apply the patch to the skin. Press firmly for 10 to 20 seconds to make sure the patch stays in place. Be sure the edges are held firmly to the skin. Wash your hands with plain water after applying the patch. Do not use soap.
The best dose for you is the dose that decreases the urge to smoke without side effects from too much nicotine. If your doctor has prescribed this medication, follow your doctor’s orders carefully. Your dose will need to be adjusted to your needs, including smoking history and medical condition.
Whats In A Nicotine Pouch
The main ingredients are nicotine, water, flavorings, sweeteners, and plant-based-based fibers. Product makers sell nicotine pouches in different strengths, so some have more nicotine than others.
The lack of tobacco leaf in them makes them different from other âsmokelessâ products with nicotine, like chewing tobacco, snuff, and snus. Even though snus can also come in a small pouch that goes in your mouth, itâs filled with moist, finely ground tobacco.
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How Does Smoking Affect Wound Healing After Surgery
- Blood vessels shrink in diameter within minutes after smoke inhalation.
- Peripheral blood flow in legs and arms decreases by 30-40%.
- Carbon monoxide decreases oxygen delivery by red blood cells to tissue.
My Skin Tingles Under The Patch Is That Normal
It is normal to feel mild tingling, itching, or burning when you put the patch on. This feeling usually lasts 15 minutes to 1 hour. When you take off an old patch, your skin may be red where the patch was. Your skin should not stay red for more than 1 day. If the skin stays red for 4 days, or if it gets swollen or sore, do not put on a new patch. Call your doctor.
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Can Patches Give You Cancer
Nicotine patches, chewing gum and sprays used by nearly two million Britons each year have been linked to cancer.
A study by a leading cancer expert has sparked fears that popular methods of giving up smoking could have long-term health implications.
Researchers discovered that chemicals released by nicotine can break down in the body into a known cancer-causing agent.
The chemical, NNK, is specifically linked to the development of lung cancer, which claims an estimated 30,000 lives in Britain each year. But the use of patches, sprays and gums means other areas of the body could now be at risk.
The threat is thought to be greatest for people who keep using the products beyond the short to medium term for which they are intended.
The research, published in the prestigious American medical journal the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is the first to link nicotine to cancer.
Until now, experts thought that nicotine simply made people addicted, while the cancer risk came from the 100 known carcinogens released into the body by smoking a single cigarette.
The revelation will be a major shock to the estimated five million smokers – out of a total of 13million – who try to quit in the UK each year. Nicotine replacement therapy has become a key aid, creating a £35million a year industry
Side Effects Of The Nicotine Patch
Most smokers get real relief from the nicotine patch but they can also experience some side effects. These may include:
- Skin irritation Some peoples skin may become irritated under the patch. Choosing a new skin site each day usually helps alleviate this problem if it continues, you can consider switching to another brand of patch.
- Sleep disturbances Some people using the patch report disruptions to their sleep, such as vivid dreams, insomnia, and other disturbances. If your sleep is still affected after three or four days of using a nicotine patch, try taking the patch off after 16 hours to give your skin a rest.
- Racing heartbeat and dizziness If this occurs, stop using the patch immediately and talk to your doctor about switching to a lower-dose patch. According to a research review published in 2012 by the Cochrane Collaboration, nicotine replacement therapy doesnt increase a smokers risk of having heart problems if he or she has a history of heart disease. However, if you do have a history of heart disease, be sure to use a nicotine patch under your doctors guidance.
- Pain and nausea This includes headaches, muscle aches, and vomiting.
Choi cautions, though, that some of these symptoms may not be due to nicotine replacement therapy but to nicotine withdrawal itself. So be sure to talk to your doctor about the symptoms youre experiencing he or she can help you pinpoint the cause.
Additional reporting by Maria Masters
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Chemical Properties And Metabolism
Nicotine was first extracted from tobacco by German physicians Wilhelm Heinrich Posselt and Karl Ludwig Reimann. Nicotine, a strong alkaloid, in its pure form is a clear liquid with a characteristic odour. It turns brown on exposure to air. It is water soluble and separates preferentially from organic solvents. It is an amine composed of pyridine and pyrrolidine rings.
Nicotine is a dibasic compound and the availability and absorption in human body depends upon the pH of the solution. The absorption can occur through oral mucosa, lungs, skin or gut. The increase in pH of a solution causes an increase in concentrations of uncharged lipophilic nicotine, in this form it can actively pass through all biological membranes. The addition of slaked lime and catechu to tobacco increases the absorption of nicotine from the oral cavity.
How Do Nicotine Patches Work
Once proven as a helpful tool in fighting nicotine addiction, the patches have conquered other fields of the medical market. Doctors prescribe them for treating dementia, vertigo, or pains. Theyve been used to tame symptoms of ulcerative colitis. Some diseases, though, can be worsened by consumption of nicotine in any dose. Therefore, the attempts to self-medicate may end-up in adverse outcomes. Doctors advice is necessary both for exemplary and off-label purposes.
Nicotine may be helpful with mental disorders like depressions, anxiety, attention deficit, Alzheimer and Tourette syndromes. Still, the medical research is being provided to consider all the pros and cons. The substance has proven to help with mental activities and boosting concentration . The risks for health, in particular, cancer odds, remain substantial and more medical attention is required.
The transdermal therapy proved to be sufficient for nicotine quitters. However, caution is needed in cases of side effects. Of course, these patches are to be kept out of a childs reach.
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Does Nicotine Replacement Therapy Cause Cancer Evidence From The Lung Health Study
Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, CanadaDivision of Biostatistics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MNPinney Associates, Inc., Bethesda, MDCorresponding Author:Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 7th Floor, 820 Sherbrook Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3A 1R9. Telephone: +604-669-3045 E-mail:
Nicotine Pouches And Your Health
More research needs to be done to find out how safe and effective nicotine pouches are in general. But they can bring on side effects, like:
- Hiccups
- Upset stomach
Never share a nicotine pouch with someone else, and call your doctor right away if you swallow one.
Because nicotine pouches donât have tobacco, they may be safer than snus and other smokeless tobacco products, which can cause:
- Cancers of the mouth, throat, and pancreas
Once you stop smoking, these can ease your cravings for cigarettes. They can also help you manage nicotine withdrawal, which can make you feel sad or irritable, have trouble sleeping, or feel mild flu-like symptoms.
In general, nicotine replacement therapy is a safe quit-smoking treatment if youâre a healthy adult and youâre not pregnant. But you still need to learn about the side effects and get your doctorâs OK before you start using it. It probably isnât right for you if youâre still using tobacco or if you were a light smoker before you decided to quit.
Some other ways to give up tobacco are:
- Work with your doctor on a plan to quit.
- Use a program like SmokefreeTXT. .
- Get tips from an app, like the free QuitGuide.
- Avoid people, places, and situations that seem to make you crave tobacco.
- Take charge of stress with healthy habits like exercise and meditation.
- Join a quit-smoking support group.
- Ask family and friends to keep you accountable as you try to kick the habit.
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Myth: I Can’t Use Stop Smoking Treatments If I’m Pregnant
THE FACTS: If you’re pregnant, it’s important to quit as soon as possible, as smoking is incredibly harmful to both you and your baby.
Talk to your stop smoking advisor or midwife about your treatment options. Though the prescription tablets Champix and Zyban cannot be used in pregnancy, NRT products such as patches, gum, lozenges, microtabs, the inhalator and nasal sprays can be helpful if you’re finding it hard to quit.
These licensed NRT medicines should be the first option for pregnant smokers trying to quit, but if using an e-cigarette helps a pregnant woman to stop smoking and remain smokefree, it is much safer for both her and the baby than continuing to smoke.
Read about stopping smoking in pregnancy.
How Does Nicotine Replacement Therapy Work
Nicotine replacement therapy can help with the difficult withdrawal symptoms and cravings that most people say is their only reason for not giving up tobacco. Using NRT reduces those symptoms.
Many people can quit tobacco without using NRT, but most of those who attempt quitting do not succeed on the first try. In fact, people trying to quit usually need many tries before theyre able to quit for good. Most people who try to quit on their own go back to smoking within the first month of quitting often because of the withdrawal symptoms. But the good news is that many do succeed. In fact, there are now more people who formerly smoked than people who currently smoke!
Together with counseling or other support, NRT may help increase the number of smokeless tobacco users who quit, too.
You can start using nicotine replacement therapy as soon as you throw away your tobacco. You dont need to wait a certain length of time to put on the patch or start using the gum, lozenge, nasal spray, or inhaler. Double-check this information with the instructions on your chosen method of nicotine replacement, but in general theres no need to wait to start using NRT.
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What Is Light Average And Heavy Smoking
Most nicotine replacement therapy products recommendations are based on how much you smoke. But theres no formal category in any textbook or group that defines how much smoking is considered light, average, or heavy smoking.
These are general guidelines:
- Light smoking: Fewer than 10 cigarettes per day
- Heavy smoking: A pack a day or more
- Average smoking falls in between.
Articles On Smoking Cessation Treatment & Aids
Whether youâre a smoker trying to kick the habit or you know someone who is, you know itâs extremely tough. And thatâs all because nicotine — the ingredient in tobacco products like cigarettes — is very addictive.
Nicotine actually changes your brain chemistry to make you crave it more. It also makes you feel unpleasant symptoms of withdrawal when you donât get the amount your bodyâs used to.
While withdrawal symptoms usually go away on their own after you quit smoking for a few weeks, some people find that using nicotine replacement therapies can ease the transition and make quitting easier.
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What Are The Various Skin Disorders Of The Oral Cavity Associated With Smoking
Cigarette smoking has been shown to be an independent risk factor for oral mucocutaneous disorders and the risk is further enhanced with excess alcohol consumption.
Nicotine Stomatitis � It causes the discoloration and fissuring of the hard palate caused by increased heat, which comes out of the burnt end of cigarette.
Leukokeratosis Nicotina Glossi � Tongue of chronic chain smokers gradually turns black and hairy with the passage of time.
Smoker�s Melanosis � It is the hyperpigmentation of gingiva due to the increased secretion of melanin because of the heat given off by the burning cigarette.
Effect Of Smoking On Medicines
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from smoking induces CYP1A2 enzymes in the liver. These enzymes destroy toxins. The result is that smokers need higher doses of many medicines compared to non-smokers to achieve the same result. These include insulin, pain relievers, antipsychotics, anticoagulants, caffeine and alcohol.
Alcohol intake and caffeine intake are on average double in smokers. This tolerance of alcohol and caffeine is quickly lost when a smoker stops smoking. Previously tolerated amounts of alcohol and caffeine can thus result in unexpected toxicity.
Alcohol ingestion can also lead to smoking more.
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