Acupuncture treatment has been proven to be an effective aid to help a person quit smoking. Acupuncture cannot make you quit smoking, only you can do that. Acupuncture can decrease the withdrawal symptoms that make quitting so difficult and reduce the longing for a cigarette.
When you smoke cigarettes you are putting many chemical compounds, such as nicotine, that are stimulants into your body. Your body then builds a dependency for this stimulation that is both chemical and mental. Many of the chemical compounds found in cigarettes have been proven to be the major cause of lung and throat cancer, as well as increasing rates of heart attack and stroke.
After you quit smoking, the stimulants produced (nicotine, etc), suddenly stop and you go through withdrawal. This is a mental and physical change where increased levels of neurotransmitters, that keep your body in a state of increased stimulation (higher blood pressure, higher pulse rate, and higher metabolic rate), are not present to do this. Some of the symptoms due to this change may be lethargy, edginess, aggressiveness, nausea, etc.
Acupuncture affects the nervous system by producing certain chemical compounds via the nervous system stimulation. Naturally occurring neurotransmitters within the body such as endorphin, serotonin, and adrenalin, assist in rebalancing your nervous system during the withdrawal phase. This allows an easier transition from a hyperstimulated state to a more normal state of being.
It is recommended that you pick a time to quit that is a low stress time for you. In the preceding week or weeks prior to your appointment, cut down by smoking your cigarettes only half way. You may also try cutting down on the number of cigarettes you smoke. If you are smoking 20 cigarettes a day, try smoking 15. After a week or two cut it down to 10 and so forth. Then you must make a firm commitment to quit smoking once and for all.
The initial treatment last approximately 30 to 40 minutes. The cost is $95.00. A second treatment within the next 7 days helps to maintain your nervous system. If during the next 30 days you begin smoking again or feel like you are about to, another treatment is advisable. The follow-up visits are $70.00.