Can acupuncture help me quit smoking? Acupuncture can help people with drug rehabilitation or to quit smoking by stopping the cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Acupuncture has long been a practice and tradition...
Acupuncture has long been a practice and tradition of medicine in Chinese culture. Believed to be able to cure certain illnesses and ailments by inserting stainless needles into the body of a patient, acupuncture of course has had its doubters here in American culture.
But in addition to being able to lessen the pain of a muscle or the cough brought on by bronchitis, acupuncture is said to be a very effective means towards helping someone quit a habit. The most notable habit that many clients ask for assistance from an acupuncturist would be to stop smoking.
Dr. Xiaodont Han graduated from the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Hunan Province of China. He is licensed in the state of Florida and is a physician with the Oak Hollow Acupuncture Clinic. Han said that he understands why a lot of people may be doubtful of acupuncture's ability to help someone stop smoking, but if those same doubters were to understand exactly how acupuncture attacked the addiction, then the maybe there wouldn't be so many doubters.
"If I ask someone if they want to stop smoking and they say no because they enjoy it, then that is an impossible situation," Han said. "But, sometimes people pick up smoking because of their environment where just about everybody smokes. Acupuncture does a great job helping people who want to quit by assisting them with their cravings, stopping the withdrawal symptoms, and relaxing the patient."
While smoking is the most prominent of habits that possible clients request help with, Han and several other acupuncture experts believe that it is not the only habit that can be helped with treatment. Recently, supermodel Kate Moss has been reported by BBC News as using acupuncture to help cure her addiction to cocaine. In addition to cocaine, acupuncture is said to be able to help with other addictions such as heroin, crack and many other abused substances.
Acupuncture helps with these addictions, not by stopping them, but by relaxing the abuser and helping them to reduce cravings. According to Han, the treatment process to help someone quit smoking is no different from that that helps them to stop using drugs.
"Treatment to quit smoking is pretty much the same (as the treatment to quit using drugs)," he said. "The success rate in America is over 68%. I've never seen any smoking treatment that works 100%. Relapse of the smoking habit is usually not because of the failure of the treatment, but rather the failure of the person."
While some still believe that acupuncture success rates are very hard to justify, acupuncture has received the support of the justice system. In some areas, acupuncture is mandated by the court to help drug users to quit.
It is also very important for anyone hoping to quit smoking that they understand that acupuncture is not a magic cure. Basically, acupuncture helps to reduce the cravings and lessen the withdrawal symptoms associated with quitting. As Han stated earlier, the program will only work if the patient really wants it too.
