An Introduction to Nicotine Sprays
Do you know how nicotine works in the body? When someone is a frequent smoker they are self-administering around ten doses of nicotine with every cigarette they smoke. This smoke-based delivery of the nicotine allows it to head immediately to the “reward pathways” inside the brain. This triggers elevated levels of the chemical known as dopamine and this is what provides the smoker with good feelings and even a brief sense of euphoria.
Unfortunately the human body quickly develops resistance to nicotine, and this is the reason that most smokers will begin increasing the number of cigarettes consumed each day. Over time they will subconsciously recognize that withdrawal symptoms are appearing, and will get a “nic fit” that is simply their brain craving more of the drug.
Nicotine makes it extremely difficult to give up smoking, but there are many great products that now supply the quitter with small doses of nicotine to help them combat even the worst cravings. One is the nicotine spray system that delivers nicotine into the nostrils where it is rapidly absorbed and enters the blood stream. This gives each dose the same kind of speedy effects of regular smoking with the exception that most sprays require only one or two doses instead of ten to twenty “puffs”.
Are the nasal sprays the best answer for all smokers who are trying to quit? Currently they are viewed as one of the most viable options for heavy smokers or those who consume a pack a day or more. This is because the nasal spray takes effect much more rapidly than patches, gum or lozenges and can reduce or even eliminate the signs of withdrawal that often lead the quitter into picking up their cigarettes again.
Unlike other smoking cessation aids, however, the nasal sprays are somewhat restrictive in how often and how long the quitter should use them. For example, most brands are not to be used more than forty times per day, and they should be used for no more than eight weeks. This is because some physicians consider them “too good” of a supplement and they often become a complete replacement for a smoking habit.
The whole point of a smoking cessation program is to eliminate nicotine from the body altogether. If you decided to just go “cold turkey” it would take around seventy-two hours to clear nicotine from the body. This would be accompanied by the headaches, nausea, nervousness and other issues that plague quitters. The nasal sprays will help someone to avoid the worst of the withdrawal symptoms and can ease them into a non-smoking lifestyle in a few week’s time.
