Quit Smoking

Smoking has become more and more unpopular as its negative effects and dangers to health increasingly come to light. It is linked strongly to some of the UK's biggest killers; lung cancer and heart disease, not only for the individual but also being a potentially deadly hazard to those around, as the danger of inhaling 'used' smoke or passive smoking becomes clear. This is a problem to which the most vulnerable can be innocently exposed: our children. Also in the longer term, smoking tends to reduce blood supply and dehydrates the skin, affecting how we look and feel, even affecting sexual performance.

So How Do I Give Up?

Once you have acknowledged the dangers and decided that you wish to change then Chinese medicine can provide significant help in this journey. It shouldn't be a difficult decision to make, indeed in many cases smokers who have stopped for 6 years or more reduce their health risk to levels about the same as a non-smoker. So start straightaway to maximise this benefit. It is important therefore to emphasise that the will and motivation to give up needs to be there.

Once this decision is made there are lots of ways to guide you towards success. One of the worse things can be the inevitable stress produced as a result of withdrawal symptoms. Acupuncture and herbs can be very effective in helping reduce and minimise these, making the process easier. To help replace the need for nicotine, herbs are used nourish the Qi (energy flow) and Yin (female, water, coolness) of the body and aid the discharge of accumulated nicotine through the urine and stools. Acupuncture will help remove the blockage of Qi circulation and enhance your body function, thus helping you overcome the stresses and build you up to a normal smokeless life style. If the stress of withdrawal is still a problem, then smoothing the Liver Qi by the use of herbal formulas such as Xiao Chai Hu Wan (tablets) and Jia Wei Xiao Yao Wan (tablets) can have significant effects on Liver Qi stagnation, reducing irritability and headaches.

What can I expect?

In typical cases we would expect the individual to have a reduced craving for cigarettes after 2-3 sessions of acupuncture and be able to give up after a further 3-4 sessions; the rest of the treatment being simply to help the body adjust to non-smoking in the long term. The following is a typical patient comment from our clinic:

“After being a smoker for 25 years I have found it almost impossible to kick the habit. I have tried patches without success. However both my wife and I vowed to try acupuncture. I will confirm at time of writing this is my 5th week and I have not had any form of craving. The treatment is painless, which impressed me. The herbal tea is awful to drink, however like most medicines if it cures you then it has achieved the objective.” - C. M. from Bridgend

How should I proceed?

Why not make an appointment for a consultation with Dr Zhao and see how so we can help you become a permanent non-smoker.