What You Need to Know about Nicotine Patches (Part 1)

If you're a smoker who wants to quit, the nicotine patch might be good for you. A nicotine patch is applied to your skin and slowly releases nicotine right through your skin into your bloodstream.

The nicotine patch can help you quit smoking because it gives you a small "supplementation" of nicotine and can help reduce cravings so that you can concentrate on getting away from cigarettes. This can help ease withdrawal symptoms and can help you achieve success in quitting smoking.

Even though it addresses some of the physical symptoms of smoking addiction, it does not address the psychological addiction. Nevertheless, because it does take care of some of the physical withdrawal symptoms, you can focus more clearly on the psychological addiction and break it.

Nicotine patches are available over the counter and without prescription. However, you should check with your doctor to make sure this is the right choice for you. The patch may not be the right choice for you if you have cardiovascular disease or other health conditions, or if you are taking certain prescription medications, so of course you should check with your doctor first.

Of course, it may also be true that you have been told not to use the patch currently. However, check with your doctor occasionally to see if things have changed so that you can use it.

It could be that your physical condition has improved or that the patches themselves or medical advice for patch users has changed. As an example, physicians were concerned initially that the nicotine patch might be dangerous for smokers with coronary artery disease.

However, recently, a study found that the patches are safe to use in this group, not least because they may actually improve oxygen and blood flow to the heart. It has also been suggested that the patch is probably safe and effective for adolescents who smoke, but they aren't advised for those under 18.

A continuation of this topic will be in the next post.

Tags: Stop Smoking Aids