acupuncture wanted - giving up smoking

Hi PP

Might I say "well done you" for making this decision to stop smoking; this one step is THE single most effective thing you can do to try to ensure ongoing health and long life. Stopping smoking doesn't have to be hard, as there is lots of support around now to help you with the transition towards better health. Acupuncture can be a useful support method, but like all of the others, it will only help you, as ultimately it's you who makes the decisions about what you do to your body. Here's how it can help, from a Chinese medicine viewpoint-

When we experience everyday tensions in life, traffic jams, nasty boss, noisy neighbours and so on, the Chinese assert that the effect of the tension on the emotions is to thwart the normal circulation of Qi energy, creating internal feelings of pressure and tension. In extreme cases this can be felt as abdominal bloating, which the Chinese assert may eventually contribute to things like IBS, migraine, menstrual pain and so on. Now, the body feels this tension, and one of the ways it tries to deal with it is through sighing. "Sigh"...for God's sake" or "sigh...come on, we're late", that kind of thing. The sighing process is the body trying to relieve itself of internal tension. Here's the rub; smokers are sighing when they exhale deeply, and thus relieving tension. When you take that mechanism away, which is what happens when someone stops smoking, there's no longer that regular outlet for internal tension, and the now ex-smoker gets tense and tetchy, and often inadvertently starts to look for other was to reduce tension. Chinese medicine asserts that sweet food also reduces tension, albeit briefly, so smokers often find themselves substituting sweets for fags.

Acupuncture can help by reducing the internal tension, by moving "stagnant qi" as we like to say. The acupuncture process triggers the release of neurochemicals that enhance relaxation, and you can use things like "ear seeds" in between sessions to enhance the process. These are like hard poppy seeds stuck to the ear by sticking plaster, and you press them when tense or frustrated; they are placed close to a branch of the vagus nerve in the ear, and when squeezed they help to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, and reduce the effect of tension.

You'll have to cope with the nicotine withdrawal, and this in itself can cause tension too. One of the electric cigarettes will still allow the sighing process to happen, and you won't feel as silly as you might using a biro for the same effect!

You can easily find a practitioner in Harrow by doing a google search. Always check someone's level of training and experience, as acupuncture is unregulated in the UK meaning any Tom, Richard or Harriet can pass themselves off as a practitioner, and this includes the High Street chains. A good practitioner will have a degree, or diploma as a minimum, and won't need a translator. Avoid physiotherapists and osteopaths offering acupuncture, as they have a short 4 day training in acupuncture for pain relief, and won't necessarily have the experience to help you.

Reframing the language of "giving up" can help, as it can sound like you are almost sacrificing a pleasure; in fact what you'll be "giving up" is an elevated risk of lung cancer, emphysema, laryngeal, oesophageal and stomach cancer, heart disease, arterial disease, gangrene of the limbs, oh and smelling like an ashtray! What you be gaining is a much increased chance of living to see your grandchildren get married.

If you do fall of the wagon, one crafty fag is not an excuse to start up again on 20 a day, and won't make you a failure. It's just a bump in the road on the journey to better health, and eventually the urges will go away.

Thanks for that outstanding explanation, David. I was a smoker for 10 years, 20-25 cigs per day. *Where I come from fag means a whole different thing* :1kis:Back to topic...

It really mkaes sense on the sighing mechanism. I would smoke for relaxation, more so if I was tense or worried. All the media says that since cigarettes contain nicotine, they are actually stimulating, but I never got that feeling from them.

Just the whole ritual of lighting one up, putting it to my mouth, taking a drag, inhaling, watching the smoke drift around, exhaling (sighing), and sometimes making smokerings was almost hypnotic.

Hi Natalie,

First of all, good luck, and well done fro making a positive choice. In my experience, 2 or 3 acupuncture sessions are most effective, although some people prefer to just use one.

You may well find a few sessions afterwards will help to keep you balanced, focused and strong-willed.

Finding an acupuncturist

Make sure you find your acupuncturist through the British Acupuncture Council website. [url]Welcome to the British Acupuncture Council[/url]. That way you can be assured that your acupuncturist adheres to all the codes of conduct and safe practise. You can search locally too.

Good luck