Quit Smoking & Drug Addiction

Acupuncture for Quit Smoking

If you are seeking out acupuncture for smoking cessation, you are most probably highly motivated to quit smoking. The reasons for wanting to stop smoking are varied. The diseases associated with smoking are widely known. Ultimately, one has to decide to quit smoking for him or herself and not for anyone else. It just won’t work. You have to be self-motivated. Every person who chooses acupuncture to quit smoking has a strong desire to quit now, rather than putting it off indefinitely.

What Does the Treatment Involve?

The acupuncture program for smoking cessation at Irvine Acupuncture consists of five visits. Your first appointment which is your initial consultation, you have to fill an extensive questionnaire that gathers information about your smoking history and health background. This form assists us identifying the behaviors, habits and triggers that lead and have led you to smoking.

At the first initial consultation, your questionnaire is reviewed and discussed. Physical exam and methods from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) are performed. The purpose of the initial consultation is to determine the TCM diagnosis and the customized treatment for your case. Acupuncture can reduce the cravings and lessen the withdrawal symptoms associated with your efforts to quit smoking. You must stop smoking the night before your first acupuncture treatment. The acupuncture treatments for your quit smoking program are spaced out over three to four weeks, usually two treatments the first week, and then two treatments in the following two weeks. If you are having difficulty quitting, the program will be modified to fit your needs.

Along with acupuncture, we also take advantage of Chinese herbs to control craving and deal with the withdrawal effects of smoking cessation