Smoking is bad for your health. Smoking harms nearly every organ of the body and there’s no way around it. Cigarette smoking leads to a wide range of diseases including many types of cancer, heart disease and stroke, chest and lung illnesses and stomach ulcers. It claims the lives of 15,500 Australians every year. Women who smoke have a greater chance of certain pregnancy problems or having a baby die from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Your smoke is also bad for other people – they breathe in your smoke second hand and can get many of the same problems as smokers do. Quitting smoking is a great goal, but it’s not an easy one. There are various methods designed to help a smoker to quit smoking. The trouble with most of them is that they can become addictive themselves but only less harmful. Acupuncture to quit smoking, however, may be an alternative approach with few or no negative side effects but some other positive side effects instead.

Can acupuncture be a way out of smoking?

The effectiveness of acupuncture to quit smoking has not been certified scientifically as stated by authorities. However, it is largely believed that acupuncture, even if it does not instantly make a person quit smoking, can help in controlling and manipulating the mechanisms of addiction itself. It may alter a person’s habits and hence help in quitting smoking. The NADA (National Acupuncture Detoxification Association) of USA published evidence indicating the effectiveness of acupuncture in managing addictions. People struggling to quit tobacco smoking have shown less irritability, better moods, reduced cravings and better sleep as a result of acupuncture.

How does acupuncture help with quitting smoking?

Traditional Chinese Medicine aims to treat the specific symptoms that are unique to each individual using a variety of techniques such as acupuncture, Chinese herbs, bodywork, lifestyle/dietary recommendations and energetic exercises to restore imbalances in the body. Acupuncture works with quitting smoking by reducing the cravings and lessening the withdrawal symptoms associated with quitting. There is some research evidence showing that acupuncture can influence aspects of the nervous system and its ability to regulate things like stress, heart rate and mood. One of the most common acupuncture techniques, called auricular acupuncture, involves inserting fine needles into acupuncture points in the ear.

Is it enough to use acupuncture to quit smoking?

Although acupuncture can help you with smoking cessation, acupuncture alone is not likely to be enough to stop smoking. You must have a strong desire to quit in the first place, otherwise, acupuncture to quit smoking will have little effect. You will also need to make a strong commitment to quitting as the effect may take a few sessions to build up.

Acupuncture to quit smoking works best when it is used in conjunction with other alternative methods like herbs and hypnotherapy. Hypnotherapy is a treatment of the mind where one is trained to say no to smoking. Acupuncture addresses mostly the physical element of the addiction. You also need to make your lifestyle and dietary changes. Exercise is encouraged and dietary and support systems are recommended to rid the body of toxins and avoid relapses.

Contact us for a consultation

We have grasped a set of acupuncture points which may be used to help to quit smoking. We also prescribe a specific Chinese medicine formula used to help eliminate toxins within the body and increase treatment success. A typical course of treatment requires 4 to 10 sessions, 2 to 3 sessions per week.

If you would like to learn more about using acupuncture to quit smoking, or would like to book an initial consultation with one of our professional and experienced acupuncturists, please call your closest location (Perth Clinic: 57/76 Newcastle Street (08) 9228 8828, Subiaco Clinic: 6/1 Sheen Street (08) 9380 4171). Alternatively, you can send us your queries through our online contact page.

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