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Nobody wants to get sick and in some ways, it’s worse to get sick when you’ve consumed something or too much of something. Not only do you feel and experience the symptoms of what you’ve consumed, but you also feel remorse and regret for overdoing it.
Getting nic sick is also known as nicotine poisoning and it can happen in a variety of ways. Although it didn’t use to be a common occurrence, it’s becoming more prevalent in modern times and the symptoms are very unpleasant.
So, in this article – we’re going to go through all the information on nicotine poisoning. We’ll look at what nic-sick means, how it happens, how to treat it at home and how to avoid it next time.
What Does Nic Sick Mean?
Getting nic sick is a result of nicotine poisoning and it refers to either someone consuming too much nicotine like having a nicotine overdose, or for someone ingesting nicotine in the form of liquid which affects their stomach.
As we said, it used to be a rather rare occurrence through smokers – but over the years, it became more and more common due to the creation of e-cigarettes and more prevalent with vapers.
Chemicals in tobacco products can be in the thousands and one of the most harmful is nicotine – which is the chemical that makes smoking or other tobacco products addictive to the user.
If you go over your tolerance of a drug, which is what nicotine is – you are in danger of overdosing, and this can cause serious reactions in your body and mind.
Due to how they are made, vape and e-cigarette products are possibly more dangerous for the likelihood of nic-sickness, as anyone can accidentally consume e-liquids, vape too much due to their fruity tastes or not know how much nicotine is in the liquid.
What Are The Symptoms Of Nic Sickness?
There are a number of common symptoms that are associated with nic sickness, so if you are worried that you or someone you know has consumed too much nicotine – you may notice some of the following:
- Vomiting
- Feeling sick
- Stomach pains
- High heart rate
- High blood pressure
- Strong headaches
- Irregular breathing
- Watery mouth
- Anxiety
- Tremors
Some more severe symptoms can occur later on, sometimes along with the previous symptoms. You might experience diarrhea, paleness and muscle pains or weakness.
How Does Nicotine Poisoning Actually Occur?
You’re much more likely to get nicotine poisoning from smokeless tobacco products or from vaping and e-cigarettes. Having said that, children who innocently pick up cigarette butts from the floor and chew them can also get nic sick.
This is normally because these products contain much purer nicotine rather than cigarettes or cigars. It’s estimated that between 30mg and 60mg of nicotine can be fatal or lethal.
What some people might not realize is that, while we think of nicotine consumption coming from first or second hand smoke, it’s possible to achieve effects from nicotine from a “third party”, such as touching materials covered in nicotine or from skin contact.
Therefore, getting nic sick is also possible from too much exposure to someone who is a chain smoker for example.
However, most nicotine poisoning cases are currently due to vaping products, where people are using them too much, ingesting the liquid, consuming nicotine when they have never smoked before, or smokers that also vape.
The fact is, they’re getting too much nicotine, or their body is not used to nicotine.
Other than that, ingesting the liquid is also dangerous as nicotine can affect your stomach and bladder, along with any other chemical reactions from other ingredients that might be present in the liquid.
How Might You Treat Nic Sick At Home?
Any time we’re sick, we’re always looking for the ways we can treat ourselves at home.
The short answer is, it depends on the level of exposure. If someone has consumed far too much nicotine, they might need to visit a hospital for assistance. However, for a regular nicotine user, there are some things you can do. Such as:
- Stop consuming nicotine products immediately, as soon as you feel sick
- Get some pure water
- Get some rest
- Continue with a normal eating pattern, try not to skip meals due to nausea
- Take a stomach settler that you can by over the counter, assuming you’re not allergic
Unfortunately, nicotine poisoning might be much more serious. If someone has ingested liquid nicotine, they are typically in danger of toxic poisoning and have to see a specialist at a hospital.
Normally, doctors will use what’s known as active charcoal which is normally ingested to bind all of the nicotine together and leave the body from the stomach.
If there are other complications like a high heart rate or abnormal breathing – they will usually deal with these at the same time.
If for any reason nicotine has got into your eyes, it’s important that you wash your hands and eyes with warm water but be careful not to go too hard because it can make matters worse.
Prevention Is Key
Perhaps the easiest way to not get nic sick is to prevent yourself from exposure to nicotine. This means abstaining from any tobacco products, smokeless tobacco products, e-cigarettes or vapes.
If you’re around someone that uses these products, ensure that you’re washing your hands after being around them or touching things in their homes, as nicotine can enter fabrics like carpets or curtains.
If you do use nicotine products though, it’s important that you’re preventing anyone else from potentially getting nic sick. Always keep any products like e-liquids locked up and out of reach from children, non users and animals.
Ensure you keep the areas of your home clean and try not to use any of these products around children or others.
What If I See Someone With Nicotine Poisoning?
If someone you know like a spouse or family member or friend is exhibiting signs of nicotine poisoning, you should first and foremost ensure that they are safe from further problems.
Get them to a safe area and try to keep them comfortable. At your earliest convenience, call 9-1-1 for assistance and seek medical treatment as soon as possible.
If it is a child, it’s critical that you know what they have ingested and communicate this with the medical staff. Unfortunately, children do accidentally consume nicotine products and there have been reports of children under 10 getting nic sick.
How Do I Know The Difference Between Nicotine Poisoning And Allergies?
Some people are allergic to nicotine and do experience symptoms of allergies to nicotine products, but the resulting symptoms are not as severe as nicotine poisoning. Anyone experiencing allergic responses to nicotine will often develop rashes or begin coughing.
The Bottom Line
Getting nic sick is not nice and can only be treated at home if the symptoms are incredibly mild and if the person is already used to the effects of nicotine – however, if the person consumes liquid nicotine, they should always visit the hospital.
The best thing to do is to avoid nicotine entirely if possible and consider quitting if you do.
