Quit Smoking with Acupuncture
December 24, 2008 by admin
Filed under Methods To Quit Smoking
Acupuncture is a treatment which originally came from China and which is several thousand years old, dating back to the Stone Age for some 8000 years ago. The detritus of stone and bone in the form of needles have been found, and archaeologists believe that they have been used for a crude form of acupuncture. The word acupuncture is of Latin origin and can be split into “Acuse” and “Punctura” which means needle stick.
During the 1800s French missionaries gets acquainted with treatment in China, and a few hundred years later, it becomes more widespread acknowledged in Europe. During the’70s, it was popular for Western doctors and medical students to visit China to observe operations which almost miraculously was performed without the use of anesthesia. At the same time the interest in the treatment blossoms in the US, and the interest has steadily grown since.
The idea behind acupuncture is that the body has several energy lanes each of which contains hundreds of areas which can be stimulated with needles and thus energy can be shaped and balanced so that diseases can be cured and prevented. The body’s energy balance is called “qi, and the balance of the energy consist of “Yin” and “Yang”.
It has been proved to also have a positive effect in treating the of symptoms associated with smoking cessation. Many ex-smokers reports on a good effect to receive this treatment, often when many of the other means have proved ineffective, such as quit smoking pills or other quit smoking medication. However, it is necessary that you are preparing for a smoking cessation, and that you are determined to stop – as with all smoking cessation trials, with or without quit smoking aids.
Some acupuncturists are even former smokers who after the smoking cessation has been so enthusiastic about the treatment that they themselves have taken education in acupuncture.
A consultation with a quit smoking acupuncturist might be to first have a talk about one’s smoking habits and attitudes to smoking, and together find a stop date for the smoking cessation.
After that follows the actual treatment, which should be effective against the physical withdrawal symptoms which typically appears within the first few weeks of the smoking cessation. The treatment will usually take place over 1-2 treatments with some weekly intervals, in which the needle is placed in one ear in selected points. This may vary depending on the acupuncturist and which methods he or she may be using.
If you do not like the idea of needles, however, there are other treatments than acupuncture with needles, including pressure massage and quit smoking laser light. There are many physicians, and you might be a little insecure if it is the first time you are considering this type of treatment. It may be that you’re familiar with family or friends who have tried this treatment with good results, and it would be a good idea to talk to them about their experiences.
If you go looking for therapists on the web, the check if the physician is included in a recognized organization, such as AAMA (American Academy of Medical Acupuncture) or whether there are some statements from former patients.
Finally, try to call or write the physician about the things you are uncertain of. It is in this as in all other treatments that you must have confidence in thepractitioner, just like when you go to your doctor or dentist.
