Acupuncture for Smoking Cessation
Acupuncture is well known for helping patients to quit smoking. At least that is a very popular idea, but as we will discuss it’s not as simple as sticking a needle in a “special point” and the patient will, magically, stop smoking.
Quitting smoking is not easy. There is an array of factors that makes quitting very complex. Physiologically, the nicotine molecule binds with many receptors in our brain that change the biochemistry of our brain and increases the dependency to this substance. Emotionally, smokers use it to cope with life situations and stressors. There are behavioral tendencies that are difficult to change. There is social pressure that paradoxically acts to reinforce the habit in a negative feedback loop. The list goes on and on.
It is well known that “Tobacco use is one of the biggest public health threats worldwide and it is the leading cause of preventable death, disease and impoverishment. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that tobacco use causes the death of about 7 million people per year worldwide. More than 6 million of these deaths are associated directly with the use of tobacco while around 0.9 million occur in non-smokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke”(1).
So far I haven’t been very encouraging but if you made it to this point, we can take some steps to ease the transition and reduce the dependency. We can work together to help you to quit.
As an acupuncturist, I can help you reduce the physiological need of nicotine during the first 48 to 72 hours after quitting. Acupuncture can help you cope with the emotional stressors and give your system the necessary boost to get over the “hump” of the withdrawal syndrome. Together, we can design an individualized plan and some strategies that will assist you during the peak of the nicotine withdrawal. This plan will help you mitigate social triggers and identify the behaviors that are an obstacle to your final gol.
If you need counseling or emotional support, we can help you find a professional that fits your needs.
There are actions you can take before your first acupuncture “smoking cessation” visit:
Set a “quit date” that corresponds to the day before to your first acupuncture session for smoking cessation. Setting a specific day to quit smoking will help you plan accordingly to reduce stressors, distractors and increase the success ratio.
Communicate with your surrounding circle of family and friends. Communication with your family and friends encourages you to continue with the “plan” and prepares the people around you to help you in the transition.
Logistics. Avoid situations that trigger your need for smoking. There are some “little” things that can help you quit, like:
Not stoping at the same gas station where you buy cigarettes/tobacco. And filling out your gas tank in advance.
Going to the supermarket the day before. It’s good to have a “full” fridge to avoid the temptation of buying tobacco/cigarettes.
If you have a Counselor, let him/her know the specific date you will be quitting. And plan a session accordingly.
4. Behavioral. Start a mindfulness activity like Taijiquan, Qigong, Yoga, Meditation, walking, exercising, etc. to help you cope with the day to day stressors.
5. Joining a tobacco quitting program like: NYS Smokers Quitline https://www.nysmokefree.com
And of course you can contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
The most important thing here is to have realistic expectations, an action plan and support from your family and friends. Acupuncture treatment can help you in those critical 48 to 72 hours, but it won’t work unless you are willing to have the appropriate conditions and mindset to stop smoking. With each follow-up acupuncture session the physiological need will reduce and some of the stressors won’t affect you as much.
What would happen in the acupuncture appointments for smoking cessation?
On the first appointment (around 90 minutes) we will chat. I will ask questions about your general health, medical history and familiar medical history. Then I will take your pulse and ask you to show me your tongue. Tongue examination and pulse taking are two of the main “instruments” Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has to gather information about your health and develop a plan treat you. After that I will use the NADA protocol: a well known auricular acupuncture protocol that has been proven to specifically target behavioral health, including addictions and co-occurring disorders (2).
The NADA protocol consists of 5 needles on each ear.
In addition to the NADA protocol I will choose other points to support the treatment and address the pattern that corresponds to you, according to the TCM theory. This part of the treatment is tailored to the needs of each patient and it varies form person to person.
On the following appointments (around 60 minutes) the interview will be shorter and we will get to the acupuncture part sooner. Again, the NADA protocol and all the supporting points (as needed).
In an ideal panorama I recommend to have the first couple of treatments as close as possible (like every other day). After that, we will adjust the schedule to once a week, then once every other week.
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References
(1) World Health Organization. Tobacco. (2021). Retrieved 05 November 2021, from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tobacco
(2) Carter, K., Olshan-Perlmutter, M. NADA Protocol. Journal of Addictions Nursing. Volume 25, Number 4. (2014). Retrieved November 09 2021 from: https://alliedhealth.ceconnection.com/files/NADAProtocolIntegrativeAcupunctureinAddictions-1419263411853.pdf