Does Nicotine Gum Work?

Basically, there are two ways of quitting smoking; one is known as the cold turkey method, while the other is the gradual quitting. As the name suggests, cold turkey method advocates quitting smoking in one go. This process does not leave any room for any kind of replacement which can help the person quit this habit gradually. Although beneficial, many people cannot keep up with this method. This is because of the nicotine withdrawal symptoms. When the nicotine supply to the body, which was in progress for all these years, is suddenly taken off, the body responds by producing unpleasant symptoms. So what most people choose is the other method. Here, they have lesser risk of experiencing any withdrawal side effects. And use of nicotine gum is a part of it. Although the person stops smoking, by chewing the gum, he can fool his body into a regular supply of the same that had been received by smoking cigarettes. So it can be said that, nicotine gum is a smart way to wean off someone from smoking, eventually doing away with it for good. So does nicotine gum work? Yes it does. But the grass is not green on the other side.

About Nicotine Gum and its Side Effects

It is true that nicotine gum works for most, but the fact that the gum itself may make the person addicted to it, also cannot be denied. Many cases have come up, wherein, the subject was able to quit smoking, but got addicted to this gum. And when this happens, it does not serve the original purpose. This is because, he is still exposing himself to the same nicotine health risks, as he had been, while smoking. That is why, this gum does not serve to be a lifetime replacement for cigarettes. At one point, it has to be abandoned when its purpose of helping the person quit smoking, is fulfilled. So the nicotine gum risks that I was speaking off in the beginning of this article occur as a result of overdose. The most common side effects that may occur because of its use include:

• Confusion
• Increased heart rate
• Cold sweats
• Mouth sores
• Pain in the jaws
• Experiencing frequent headaches
• Nausea
• Indigestion
• Oral cancer
• High blood pressure
• Plaque in arteries
• Heart attack
• Rapid heart rate
• Hives
• Itching
• Rash
• Redness
• Swelling of skin

How Does it Work?

In case you were not aware of the fact, use of nicotine in the process of quitting smoking, is known as Nicotine Replacement Therapy, NRT in short. As tobacco contains nicotine, among its several ingredients, on chewing this gum, the person gets the same feeling what he receives from smoking, except the smoke and the foul breath of course. Smoking cigarette exposes a person to many harmful chemicals, but in the nicotine gum, what one gets is only nicotine. So you can deduce the degree of harmfulness between the two. The person may start feeling the effect of nicotine, when it starts getting absorbed by the bloodstream. And till its flavor lasts, it can be chewed on. But again, this process has its own drawbacks, as already discussed. Most people just can't help getting addicted to the gum, and the dose of nicotine that they are getting. So the addiction is known to be the biggest of all the nicotine gum risks.

Also, the use of the gum is generally recommended for a period of three months. Post this period, the user is supposed to stop using it. But then, as I said, the nicotine kick gets the better of most, and they start getting addicted to it. The fact that these stuffs are easily available over the counter, makes the possibility of the nicotine gum addiction even worse.

How to Overcome the Addiction?

The best of all methods to overcome all such nicotine gum risks is not to smoke at all. If you don't smoke, you wouldn't try to use any method to quit it. But if you are already in the process, then the only way to keep yourself from getting addicted is to keep a conscious check on the number of gum you chew in a day. The manufacturers mention the number of gum to be taken in a day on their packets. So follow the instruction, and also try to lessen the amount, gradually, finally cutting down completely.

If at any time you feel that you are sliding into a habit of chewing the gum, then do not delay in seeking help from a medical professional. But above all, do not fall into the habit of smoking. Remember, this nasty habit of smoking gives you nothing, but only takes away your life, puff by puff!