Smoking Cessation & Medical Acupuncture

Smoking is a chronic and recurrent medical challenge, and is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide.

There are many methods available for a smoker, when he wants to stop smoking. Medical Acupuncture is an alternative approach to this destructive addiction.

Medical Acupuncture has been proven to help many smokers change their lives, by becoming ex-smokers. This is because of Acupuncture’s ability to reduce withdrawal symptoms caused by the lack of nicotine.

There are many studies/researches related to Acupuncture and its contribution to substance detoxification.  These studies conclude that Acupuncture creates vitality and euphoria, increases the need for positive action, helps the mind to control desire, thus minimizing the smoker’s effort, leading to an easier cessation of smoking. But the key prerequisite for the success of this effort, is the firm decision of the smoker to get rid of the smoking addiction.

What is the Treatment Procedure?

The therapeutic process of Medical Acupuncture is non-pharmaceutical, certainly without side effects, with significant success rates. The needles placed in specific areas of the body and remaining in them for about 50 minutes, are of single use and ultra thin. The Doctor/Acupuncturist always follows the international treatment protocols. From the first acupuncture sessions, the results are very good. The patient should be aware that the treatment plan is tailored to the smoker’s requirements.

The Treatment

Acupuncture leads to an increase in the natural production of endogenous substances, which make up for the lack of nicotine in cells, so that the cells begin to function with the natural stimuli of the body.

It is worth noting that our body has an important supply of tools, which cannot always be activated on their own, and this is precisely where Acupuncture intervenes, initiating the process.

With the special techniques of Acupuncture, a large number of substances produced by the tissues of the body, are transferred to the brain through the bloodstream. There, these substances mimic the action of nicotine, “filling” with endogenous substances the gap created by its lack.

As early as the first 24 hours after the treatment of Acupuncture, the smoker has:

• Mild and controlled desire to smoke
• Gradual aversion to tobacco and the taste of cigarettes
• Reduction of withdrawal symptoms

It is noted that mental stress, anxiety, depression, nervous tension, as well as the feeling of “emptiness” (caused by the interruption of long-term nicotine intake), are reduced.

Medical Acupuncture significantly helps the body to adapt to this new condition, i.e. to end chronic intake of exogenous substances, and replace them with corresponding endogenous substances that the body produces.