Trying to stop smoking can be extremely difficult and all the nicotine gum and patches in the world sometimes can’t give you the help we need. Acupuncture is a treatment that not many people think of when trying to stop smoking but can offer relief especially during your initial stages of withdrawal.
In this stage, people often face symptoms such as irritability, fatigue, anxiousness and obviously the strong craving to smoke again. Acupuncture works by treating each of these symptoms individually so that you can be aided on your path to be smoke-free. People turn to Acupuncture for different reasons, many people don’t like the idea of using drugs to combat their addiction to nicotine and unlike these types of medication, there are no unwanted side effects to the treatments.
Acupuncturists target specific pressure points of the ear to help suppress any cravings the patient might be experiencing. In between these treatments, patients are encouraged to use ear seeds as a form of acupressure. These little plasters have small metal balls attached to them in specific areas helping the patients to curb their urge to smoke whenever they feel like they need it. This type of Acupuncture also helps to promote the release of endorphins which allows relaxation and calm in the patient.
There have been many studies which have shown that Acupuncture is successful in helping people deal with nicotine withdrawal and to stop smoking completely. Most commonly patients report that they feel better mentally, they are getting more sleep, are less irritable, don’t crave cigarettes as much and their bowel movements are much more regular. Generally, the best results are found when Acupuncture is combined with traditional treatments. Most acupuncturists will ask their patients to not smoke for at least 24 hours before their first consultation appointment to prove that they are serious about quitting. If a patient can take this first step it shows their willingness to quit and is the first major step on the road to recovery.
For more information about how we can use Acupuncture to help you quit smoking, call us free on 0800 051 76 88.
