Nicotine Replacement Therapy

What is nicotine replacement therapy?

Nicotine replacement therapy is a stop smoking treatment and it comes in a wide range of forms. Nicotine replacement therapy (sometimes known as NRT) is available from GP, your local stop smoking service, and also a pharmacy.

What are nicotine patches and how do they work?

Nicotine patches are a very discreet and good way of getting nicotine in a very small dosage, an alternate nicotine replacement therapy. Nicotine patches are a clean dosage. It works on a drip, drip, drip effect. The smoker will put the nictotine patch actually on their arm, and they come in a 16 and also a 24 hour dosage. This form of nicotine replacement therapy is designed to actually fit in with the smoker's lifestyle. You can put a nicotine patch on, forget it's there, and actually go through the day being smoke free with this form of nicotine replacement therapy.

What are microtabs and how do they work?

Microtabs are also a nicotine replacement therapy. But the way that they work is with a small whole tablet that's put underneath the tongue. With the microtab nicotine replacement therapy, the idea is not to suck it or chew it but just let it dissolve underneath the tongue and the nicotine will absorb through the lining of the mouth.

What are lozenges and how do they work?

A nicotine replacement therapy lozenge is a very good alternative to gum. For those smokers who dont want to chew, a lozenge as a nicotine replacment therapy option will actually work just as effectively. Now a lozenge is a very quick delivery, indeed it's actually designed to help you deal with a craving when you're having the nicotine craving.

What is the nicotine nasal spray and how does it work?

Nicotine replacement therapy nasal spray is a very fast way of delivering the nicotine stop smoking treatment. Basically there is a nossle on the nicotine replacement therapy treatment and you squirt that up each nostril.

What are inhalators and how do they work?

An NRT inhalator as a form of nicotine replacement therapy is very useful for smokers who still feel that they need to actually distract their hands. When a smoker is smoking, their hands have something to do. Therefore the inhalator is a very good treatment because it actually mimics the size and the feel of a cigarette in the hand. Of course it is not a cigarette and it's actually a very safe way of supporting you to stop smoking. But you use it in the same way as you would a cigarette. The difference between a cigarette and an inhalator is that while you are actually taking in the nicotine into your throat, you are not taking it into the lungs. And you also don't have any of the four thousand chemicals which are actually the dangerous part of the cigarette.

What is nicotine replacement gum and how does it work?

Nicotine replacement therapy gum is a really effective way of helping you stop smoking, but you don't use it in the same way as you would chewing gum. When you're using a nicotine replacement therapy gum, it's really important to make sure that you don't chew it in the same way as you would ordinary chewing gum. When you finish chewing, you actually then put the nicotine gum to the side of your mouth and leave it there until another craving comes.

Where can I get NRT products from?

Nicotine replacement therapy products are freely available on the NHS. You can also buy nicotine replacement therapy products at supermarkets as well. But QUIT would advise in the first instance to go to your local stop smoking service or your GP to actually discuss the best type of nicotine replacement therapy treatment for you.

Are there any side effects to NRT?

Nicotine Replacement Therapy is a very safe way of treating the nicotine addiction that you have when you smoke. Nicotine Replacement Therapy is a safe form of nicotine, unlike that which you find in cigarettes as you don't have four thousand chemicals being inhaled into your system which really does the damage. It's very important to make sure that when you start the course of nicotine replacement therapy, that you read the instructions and that you speak to a health care professional deeply about it and you follow the course.

Can I become addicted to a NRT product?

Nicotine replacement therapy products are a safe way of delivering nicotine, and its part of the process of actually helping you deal with your nicotine addiction. It's very important to make sure that you read the instructions and that you follow the course of the nicotine replacement therapy until its completion. QUIT would advise that nicotine replacement therapy is taken with the support of your health care professional, your GP or a QUIT counsellor. And with any concerns that you may have whilst taking the nicotine replacement therapy you should speak to your health care professional. It's possible that actually you may even need to take another form of the nicotine replacement therapy treatment.