Acupuncture Aids In Smoking Cessation
Cigarette smoking is the single most preventable cause of premature death in the United States. According to the Center for Disease Control there were 442,398 U.S. deaths attributable to cigarette smoking in 2005.
Chemical dependency, including cigarette addiction, is often the toughest to overcome. Health professionals refer patients to a variety of cessation methods such as simply stopping (often referred to as “cold turkey”), nicotine replacement therapy, certain medications (such as antidepressants), behavioral and/or educational programs, and counseling. However, Acupuncture, an Ecologically Sustainable Medical practice, is on the rise in America for chemical dependency treatment.
Acupuncture is used for the treatment of nicotine dependence with the aim of reducing the withdrawal symptoms people experience when they try to quit smoking. Treatment sessions involve the insertion of acupuncture needles for 15-20 minutes at the time of cessation, to be repeated each day. Numerous research studies indicate significant success rates of nicotine/tobacco cessation, especially in conjunction with an educational piece.
A study published in the American Journal of Public Health reflected an effectiveness rate of 40% cessation and 53% post-treatment reduction in total cigarettes smoked (Bier et al, 2002). These results demonstrate that the greater the estimated pack-year history of the subject before treatment, the greater the decrease in total number of cigarettes smoked per day following treatment. This indicates that the combined treatment protocol is effective in the population that is most addicted and at the greatest risk of developing smoking related-diseases.
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