Smoking cessation
Smoking Cessation with Acupuncture
Today more than 50 million Americans smoke. Smoking has been linked to many health problems such as lung cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. In fact, more than one million are diagnosed with lung cancer each year. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer in the United States, and is responsible for more deaths than the next three most common cancers combined (breast, prostate, and colon.)
The reasons to quit smoking are endless. Cigarettes contain over 4000 known poisons, all of which are lethal in high doses. In the United States alone, smoking kills more than 440,000 people each year.
There is good news by quitting smoking however. The American Heart Association states that after quitting for one year, you risk of heart disease decreases by half. After 15 years of quitting, the risk is similar to that for people who've never smoked. They also state that quitting for roughly 5 to 15 years decreases your risk of stroke to the level of those who've never smoked, and by quitting you can add an average of 3-5 more years to your life expectancy.
Acupuncture to quit smoking has shown to be effective and the number of converts is steadily increasing. In fact, many court systems have mandated acupuncture for the treatment of addiction because of its ability to ease withdrawal symptoms and manage cravings. Acupuncture is not a magic cure however, but it is effective in making it easier to quit and remain smoke-free.
Acupuncture treatments are individualized for each patient because many experience different symptoms while quitting smoking. Some may have strong cravings, while others may experience emotional fluctuations such as depression or irritability. Overall, the acupuncture will help with the jitters, cravings, irritability, and restlessness often associated with quitting. Furthermore, acupuncture can help to detoxify the body, nourish and clear heat from the lungs, and promote relaxation. If you are highly motivated and ready to quit, acupuncture can empower you to take control and adopt a healthy and smoke-free lifestyle.
The length, number and frequency of treatments will vary among patients. In order get started you must schedule an initial consultation first. During the consultation, we will do a health history examination, discuss the treatment protocol, and instruct tools that can help to begin the cessation process. Following the consultation, our treatment protocol requires six-thirty minute treatments every other day for acupuncture. After the initial two weeks of treatment, we can schedule maintenance visits in order to keep your body balanced, healthy, and smoke-free.
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