Smoking causes more than 480,000 deaths each year in the United States, and around 34 million Americans still smoke. Although smoking has lost some of its appeal in the last decade with people either not beginning to smoke at all or those who do smoke showing a stronger interest in quitting, it is still the most common cause of preventable disease and/or death in the U.S. The issue is that while there are some people that have success with standard treatment options of medication, nicotine replacement, or cold turkey, there are a greater amount of people who still struggle to quit. Acupuncture treatment could be the answer for many Americans struggling to regain their health and quit smoking.
Quitting Smoking with Conventional Medicine
The hardest part about quitting smoking is undoubtedly the withdrawal symptoms, and finding a remedy that works best with your unique body makeup. While there is a large need for multiple options for quitting smoking, but unfortunately, there are only so many options to choose from.
Standard Medical Intervention for Quitting Smoking:
- Medication – there are two FDA approved smoking cessation medicines that do not contain nicotine and a prescription is needed for.
- Bupropion hydrochloride
- Varenicline tartrate
- Bupropion hydrochloride
- Nicotine Products – these products contain nicotine and also need a prescription from a doctor.
- Nicotine inhaler
- Nicotine spray
- Nicotine inhaler
- Nicotine Replacement Therapy – these are designed to aid in quitting smoking by providing the smoker with small does of nicotine slowly decreasing over time. These can be obtained over the counter.
- Gum
- Skin patches
- Lozenges
- Gum
Aside from these options, there is also going cold turkey which is not always the most favorable choice amongst smokers. The benefits to quitting smoking are obvious, not only getting away from the harm and toxins that smoking gives, but also to recover from smoking which can take years. However, the carbon monoxide level in your blood goes back to normal just 12 hours after quitting smoking. Acupuncture in addition to some standard medical options to quit smoking may just give you the results you’re seeking.
Acupuncture for Quitting Smoking
Acupuncture is progressively being used for addiction treatment not only for its beneficial results, but also for its safe and side-effect free nature. In particular, auricular acupuncture, or ear acupuncture, is extremely effective for the treatment of various types of withdrawal symptoms from addiction including tobacco.
Acupuncture Helps to Quit Smoking By:
- Decrease cravings – acupuncture treatment slows the body’s stress response, activating the parasympathetic nervous system promoting relaxation and restoration responses in the body. Activating this will help curb cravings for nicotine while also helping mitigate feelings of fatigue and irritability.
- Increasing health and well-being – when the smoke clears, and the worst of the withdrawals have subsided, you will feel physically better making way for other healthier habits in your day to day life.
- Releasing endorphins – endorphins are the “feel-good” hormones that are released during acupuncture treatment. These hormones help to stabilize your mood during those hard times of withdrawal.
As far as how often one would need to be seen for acupuncture in order to quit smoking, it is truly dependent on the individual. There are many factors that can contribute to how long treatment is necessary such as how long they have been smoking, how much or often they smoke, and if there is support from family and for themselves in their pursuit to quit. It is important to know that while acupuncture can decrease cravings, it cannot change habits. Therefore, it is vital, no matter what treatment approach is taken that the smoker is fully willing and ready to quit as often times the smoking habit is harder to break than the addiction.
Symptoms that Acupuncture Helps with:
- Cravings
- Jitters
- Detoxification
- Irritability
- Increased sleep
- Restlessness
- Relaxation
Acupuncture Points for Quitting Smoking:
- Shen Men
- Kidney
- Lung
- Liver
- Sympathetic
These are the five main ear acupuncture points that are utilized for addiction treatment. There are also many other acupuncture points all along the body that are utilized by licensed acupuncturists in smoking cessation treatment, but they are all dependent on the patients’ condition and where they are at in quitting smoking.
Additionally, herbal medicine has also been proven to be useful for quitting. In a 2023 study, it was found that some herbal remedies showed positive results on quitting smoking when compared with placebo and/or control groups.
Herbs Found to Help with Quitting Smoking:
- Lavender oil
- Black pepper
- St. John’s Wort
- V.Cinerea
- Lime
- Green Tea
- Lobelia Tea
Herbs are often introduced into the treatment plan when you see a licensed acupuncturist as they can also aid with cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Not to mention that herbs can also help repair damaged tissues from smoking. In addition to herbs, it is also vital that the smoker makes changes in their lifestyle for the best results including higher water intake, rest, avoiding processed sugars and caffeine, and more.
Try Acupuncture to Quit Smoking
While acupuncture is not a magical cure, it is a very helpful and powerful comprehensive treatment option along with counseling, medication, nutritional aid, and education. Acupuncture treatment allows the body to reset itself, re-learning how to stay calm in the midst of stress or craving. When the body is unable to comprehend if the stimulant is beneficial or harmful is when an addiction takes hold.
The main goal of acupuncture treatment is to curb cravings for the nicotine itself, and is highly effective; some even considering it an untapped resource, and even supported by research. Studies performed in 2019 and 2022 showed positive outcomes for patients treated with acupuncture for smoking. Working together to try to keep patients smoke-free is what acupuncturists are all about. If you’ve tried everything, what have you got to lose…besides the burden of cigarettes?