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Quit Smoking with Acupuncture |
People who seek out acupuncture for smoking cessation are usually highly motivated to quit smoking. They may have attempted to quit previously without success, but now feel that they are ready. Their reasons for wanting to stop smoking are varied. Some may have developed health problems from smoking, such as shortness of breath, a chronic cough or an increased frequency of colds and flu; others may not be experiencing adverse health consequences, but want to prevent them from developing and improve their health. Some decide to stop smoking when a loved one develops a smoking-related illness such as emphysema or lung cancer.The diseases associated with smoking are widely known. Many no longer want the expense and dependency of tobacco or they feel a social pressure not to smoke. Ultimately, one has to want to quit smoking for him or herself and not for anyone else. It just won't work. They have to be self-motivated. Every person who chooses acupuncture to quit smoking has a strong desire to quit now, rather than putting it off indefinitely.
What Does the Treatment Involve?
The acupuncture program for smoking cessation at New port Richey Acupuncture consists of five visits. Before your first appointment, you are required to inform the physician about your smoking history and health background via a formal questionair. The form assists in identifying the behaviors, habits and triggers that lead to smoking. Some are social smokers, some smoke for pleasure, some smoke alone or for emotional reasons or when stressed. Nicotine is a powerful mood-altering chemical that can be sedating or stimulating, depending on the individual.A few examples of triggers for smoking are:
Smoking when on the phone
Smoking when angry, upset, sad or lonely
Smoking when drinking coffee or alcohol
At the first appointment, your questionnaire is reviewed and discussed, and a physical exam including blood pressure, lung exam, and methods from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) such as taking the pulse and observing the tongue are employed. The purpose of this interview is to determine the Chinese medical diagnosis for you and the individualized treatment you will receive. Taking into account each person's unique smoking habits and physical and emotional make-up, every patient's acupuncture treatment is tailor-made and designed for him or her. No two people are treated exactly the same. At this session, you learn to identify your particular triggers for smoking and how to avoid them. Acupuncture can reduce the cravings and lessen the withdrawal symptoms associated you’re your efforts to quit smoking. Since the first month of quitting is probably the most difficult, the acupuncture program can ease you through this time. The first appointment is geared toward preparing you to become a nonsmoker; it does not include an acupuncture treatment.The next four sessions are acupuncture treatments to help you stop smoking. Up to the night before the first acupuncture treatment, you may smoke your last cigarette ever. From that point on, you will be a nonsmoker. The four acupuncture treatments for your quit smoking program are spaced out over three to four weeks, usually two treatments the first week, and then based on your individual needs. The treatments focus on any physical or emotional withdrawal symptoms that may arise, and also aid in relaxation. Of course, if you are having difficulty quitting, the program may be modified to fit your needs.
Does It Just Involve the Ear or Are Other Points Involved?
There are no "magic" acupuncture points for smoking cessation. Each patient is custom-treated according to his or her specific and unique diagnosis. Usually a combination of body acupuncture points and points on the ear are used. After the needles are inserted, you will relax for about 30 minutes.
Are Any Other Techniques Used Between Sessions?
Often you are prescribed herbs or supplements to control cravings or withdrawal symptoms. Exercise is encouraged and dietary recommendations are given (foods to avoid and foods to be included during the withdrawal phase). Sometimes a small metal pellet is tacked onto a specific point on the ear to reduce cravings.
How Does It Compare to Other Methods?
Because the acupuncture smoking termination program is individualized, it is often successful for those who have been unable to stop smoking through other methods. Often, our patients may have tried Nicorette gum, the nicotine patch or some type of organized program. If the individual sticks with it, the acupuncture quitting program can lead to permanent cessation.
How Much Does the Program Cost?
Addiction Packets Include:
Microsystem Ear Acupuncture
Electro Acupuncture
Acupressure
Ear Seeds
Detoxification Tea
Package of 3 $175.00 * Usually done in 10-14 Days
Package of 5 $325.00 * Usually done in 14-21 Days
Kimberly Halsey Acupuncture Physician
Treats the Following |
Arthritis
Anxiety
Allergies
Addiction
Asthma
Bronchitis
Back Pain
Cardiovascular
Cough
Colitis
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Common Cold
General Fatigue
Constipation
Chemo Side Effects
Depression
Dental Pain
Dysentery
Diabetis
Dizziness
Ear ache
Epilepsy
Emotional Problems
Emphysema
Fibromyalgia
Gastrointestinal
Gout
Glaucoma
Hypertension
Hypothyriodism
Hyperthyriodism
Headache
Herpes Zoster
Incontinence
Infertility(male)
Infertility(female)
Impotence
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Immune Disorders
Indigestion
Insomnia
Joint Pain
Facial Palsy-Ticks
Macular degeneration
Menstrual
Menopause
Migraine
Mitral valve prolapse
Meniere's
Muscle Pain
Nausia
Neck Pain
Osteo-Arthrities
Pain Sciatica
Pneumonia
PMS
Reproductive Problems
Respitory Disease
Radiation Side Effects
Repetitive Injuries
Rhinitis
RSD
Sinusitus
Sleep disturbance
Sports Injuries
Stop Smoking
Swollen glands
Tinitis
Trigeminal Neuralgia
Urinary tract infection
Vomiting
Whiplash
Weightloss
Plus Many More Health Issues
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World Health Organization (WHO)
on Health and Traditional Chinese Medicine |
It is important to understand what is meant by the word 'health'. The World Health Organization define health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
The World Health Organization recognizes the use of acupuncture in the treatment of a wide range of health problems. In a publication "Acupuncture: The WHO View", the World Health Organization found that acupuncture was indicated in treating the following conditions:
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Acute Tonsilitis
Bedwetting
Bladder Dysfunction
Bronchial Asthma
Bronchitis
Cataracts
Central Retinitis
Common Cold
Conjunctivitis
Constipation
Dental Pain
Diarrhea
Duodenal Ulcer
Dysentery
Esophageal Spasm
Facial Palsy
Frozen Shoulder
Gastric Hyperacidity
Gastritis
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Gingivitis
Headaches/Migraines
Hiccups
Intercostal Neuralgia
Low Back Pain
Meniere's Disease
Nearsightedness
Osteoarthritis
Paralytic Ileus
Peripheral Neuropathy
Pharyngitis
Post-Polio Paralysis
Post-Stoke Paralysis
Sciatica
Sinusitis/Rhinitis
Tennis Elbow
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Toothache
Trigeminal Neuralgia
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US National Institutes of Health |
The US National Institutes of Health issued a consensus statement on acupuncture in 1997, which states that "acupuncture as a therapeutic intervention is practiced widely in the United States... and ... promising results have emerged showing the efficacy of acupuncture". The NIH further states that "there is sufficient evidence of acupuncture's value to expand its use into conventional medicine and to encourage further studies of its physiology and clinical value." The NIH report mentions that the efficacy of acupuncture has been found in the following conditions:
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Addictions
Asthma
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Dental Pain
Fibromyalgia
Headache
Low Back Pain
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Menstrual Cramps
Nausea/Vomiting
Osteoarthritis
Stroke Rehabilitation
Tennis Elbow
Various Musculoskeletal Pains
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