Nicotine Patches as a type of NRT can be used as soon as you throw away your last cigarette to get rid of your smoking habit. There is no need for you to let time pass before you apply the patch as it is advisable to immediately use them when you stop smoking. These patches contain a measured dose of nicotine that is readily absorbed by the skin. These patches enable you to slowly decrease the level of nicotine in your system as you begin using smaller doses over a few weeks.
There are also types of nicotine patches that you can use depending on how heavy you smoke. There are 16-hour patches that work mostly for light to average smokers. When you use it, you are less likely to experience headaches, sleep problems, and racing heartbeats. For those who usually experience early morning withdrawal symptoms, this patch will not be a good choice as it does not deliver nicotine at night. There are also 24-hour patches that give a constant dose of nicotine. It gets rid of early morning withdrawal symptoms but could cause slight skin irritations and disturbance in your sleep pattern. For those who smoke quite heavily, then you should use this patch since you need a steadier dose of nicotine all throughout the day.
Smokers usually start with a strong dose of nicotine patch for the first 4 weeks of having no cigarette at all. A weaker patch then replaces the strong one for another for weeks until the weakest patch is used for the next four weeks. The patch should be applied in the morning after cleaning the skin and drying the area where the patch is to be placed. Choose an area with less hair that is located below the neck and above the waist.
Nicotine patches help minimize the effects of nicotine loss in the body. Because of this, you are still prone to its side effects that may be brought about by the dose of nicotine in the patch, the brand, a person's skin characteristics, and how long the patch is used. These side effects may include skin irritations, headache, dizziness, muscle aches, nausea, and even sleep problems. It is advisable that when you feel these side effects, you should not smoke while using the patch, reduce the amount of nicotine by switching to lower doses, or try a different brand. If these symptoms still persist, try using the 16-hour patch instead of the 24-hour patch, or better use another type of nicotine replacement therapy.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.massagebyben.com/articles/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites 