Nicotine patches are probably the most popular nicotine replacement therapy these days. Having said that, the use of nicotine inhalers is fast on the rise, as not only do they replace the nicotine just as effectively as the patches do, but they also offer smokers the actual feeling and habitual process of putting something into their mouth to receive their nicotine hit.
The Nicotine Patch was originally brought into the US in 1992 but wasn’t available to buy in shops until around 1996. Since then they have exploded as an industry, due to the success many people have had with them as a smoking cessation method.
The nicotine patch resembles a band aid type plaster which is stuck firmly onto the skin in some remote location out of sight, thus delivering nicotine slowly over time until it runs out, usually in around 12 hours. This steady controlled dose of nicotine provides a very effective aid to the quitter, allowing the chemical cravings to be reduced or in some cases avoided altogether.
Generally speaking, nicotine patches come in 3 dose levels, 21mg, 14mg, and 7mg. These figures change depending on the maker or brand. The idea is that you start with the highest dose levels, and when you feel ready, you reduce down to the medium strength patches, and then the low ones when you feel the cravings are reducing well.
Some makers of patches advise wearing them at night, but many people experience sleep problems when doing this, so it is probably best if you take it off at night when in bed. Think about it, when you were smoking tobacco, you didn’t smoke while you slept did you?! So it makes sense that this delivery of nicotine will affect your brain chemistry when asleep, it can’t be good for you.
Some of the side-effects of using nicotine patches are as follows:
- Vomiting
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Bad stomach
- Swelling or a burning sensation around the area of the patch
Despite some of these uncomfortable symptoms, nicotine patches are a great way to beat the cravings associated with giving up smoking.