If you are a chronic smoker (chain smoker) and failed to quit smoking, despite trying to quit smoking previously, you can try acupuncture to quit smoking. Many smokers have successfully quit smoking with the help of acupuncture. Most smokers who decide to try acupuncture are usually chain smokers and tried to quit smoking (several instances in some cases) but failed every time and generally keen on quitting smoking and understand the harm smoking is doing to their health.

How acupuncture help in quitting smoking?

Acupuncture is approximately 3500 years old traditional Chinese medical practice where it is believed that the “chi” or vital energy force flows through 12 key channels in human body. Within these 12 key channels there are more than 365 acupuncture points where the vital energy flow (“chi”) may get blocked, which causes disturbance of smooth flow of vital energy. At least 5 acupuncture points out of more than 365 are pricked to help quit smoking. Some of the points are in the ear (ear cartilage or pinna) and some are on the hands and wrists. These acupuncture points are pricked and you are allowed to relax for 30-45 minutes and these needle pricks are supposed to help you to reduce craving for smoking, even if you are a chain smoker.

To stop smoking completely, you need to a series of several such sessions of needle pricks and relaxation. These acupuncture needle prick sessions also include some counseling as well as use of herbs which can help you quit smoking successfully. The use of herbs such as clove and wintergreen oil mixture, extracts of evodia fruits etc. on the acupuncture points where needle prick is done during series of sessions.

Additional advantages of acupuncture in remaining a non-smoker:

Acupuncture helps you to quit smoking permanently. If you undergo acupuncture treatment for quitting smoking, you get certain other advantages other than quitting smoking which is the reason you undergo acupuncture treatment.

Acupuncture will help you to remain a permanent non smoker, because after acupuncture treatment for quitting smoking, cigarette will smell foul to you, the same burnt taste an individual or a non smoker get when smoking for the first time. Acupuncture therapy can also reduce or minimize the side effects or withdrawal symptoms of quitting smoking such as craving, anxiety, depression etc. As you are able to quit smoking, you feel energetic and your lungs starts getting clear from the debris smoking has caused in your lung.

If you have tried traditional and other methods of quitting smoking and failed every time (if you have tried several times), it is high time you give a serious thought about going for acupuncture therapy for quitting smoking permanently.

Before we begin a discussion about the benefits of acupuncture, let’s talk about the origins of acupuncture. It was first used in China over 2000 years ago, and is one of the oldest medical procedures in the world. It is a family of procedures that stimulates the anatomy of the body and helps to balance the energy flow throughout the body. It is this kind of acupuncture that is practiced in the United Sates today, through the use of tiny, metallic needles placed in affected areas and manipulated by hand or by electrical stimulation.

Acupuncture is the basic foundation for Traditional Chinese Medicine and is based on the belief that there are two opposing and inseparable forces within our body. They are known as the Yin and Yang of the entire person. The Yin is representative of the cold, slow, or passive principle, and yang represents the hot, excited or active principle. A healthy state is achieved by maintaining a balance state of the yin and yang. This is done through vital pathways or meridians that allow for the flow of qi, or vital energy. The vital energy flow occurs along pathways known as meridians. These meridians connect over 2,000 acupuncture points along the body. There are 12 main meridians, and 8 secondary meridians. Although traditional western medicine does not completely understand how acupuncture works, the proof that it does work has been shown in several studies conducted by western medical facilities.

Now, let’s move to the question of does it work? According to the National Institute of Health, the answer would be yes. Acupuncture has been shown to be effective in many areas of health care. Areas such as postoperative nausea, chemotherapy side effects, osteoarthritis, low-back pain, headache, menstrual cramps, addiction, carpal tunnel syndrome, and asthma, just to name a few. The study revealed that acupuncture was able to provide pain relief, improve function and mobility of joints due to arthritis inflammation, and served to complement standard care.

Although there are many who would doubt the effectiveness of acupuncture, once they are a patient, they are believers. It has been proposed that acupuncture works and produces its effects through regulating the nervous system. The theory proposes that since acupuncture produces its effect through regulation of the nervous system, it induces the release of endorphins and immune system cells at specific sites on the body. There is also the theory that acupuncture alters the brain chemistry by the changing the neurotransmitters in the brain.

Without doubt acupuncture was a benefit in the study, and as a patient myself, I can vouch for the wonderful effect it has had on my back. Although acupuncture is classified as an alternative medicine therapy, and there is still much to be understood about the way it works, it is a proven aid in maintaining optimal health.

But what about the well individual, can acupuncture provide a benefit to them? Absolutely. Because acupuncture works off the belief that we must maintain balance of our vital energy flow in order to remain healthy, acupuncture serves as the tool for realignment. Our vital energy flow can be out of balance, and we still feel and appear quite healthy. It is in this capacity that acupuncture serves as a sort of preventive medicine. Checking and balancing the flow of energy on the meridian points in your body is like your car receiving a tune-up before it is in need of a repair.