Studies On Acupuncture For Quitting Smoking

admin — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:58:30 +0000

Many studies have been conducted in the West into the effect of acupuncture on the people who regularly smoked tobacco products trying to quit smoking. Many of the studies have found that acupuncture positively influenced the number of smokers who quit smoking during the trials. Some have also not found such an effect. Unfortunately, the design of the studies means meta-analysis (comparison of different trial results) is not always reliable. The British Acupuncture Council provides a summary of many research papers on the effects of acupuncture during smoking cessation, many of which demonstrated positive effects (1).

There has been some research into acupuncture and quitting smoking

The gold standard of scientific medical research is the randomised controlled trial. Acupuncture does not always lend itself well to the trial requirements. This is because it is not a standardised therapy. In real life, ina an acupuncture clinic patients do not get treated using one point, or one set of points every time, always! A wide variety of acupuncture points are chosen at each individual appointment, wheteher by an acupuncturist using body points, or by an ear acupuncturist. Some standardisation has occurred within ear acupuncture but not to the extent probably that randomised controlled trials generate within their methodological approach.

Studies which did find positive effects for acupuncture and smoking cessation may be a good reason for smokers quitting to try acupuncture. One interesting study found motivated smokers did better with acupuncture than without. 46 healthy male and female smokers were recruited and it was found the desire to smoke was significantly reduced compared to those in the group who had not received acupuncture (2).

References
1. The British Acupuncture Council. 2000. Substance abuse & acupuncture: the evidence for effectiveness. London: Acupuncture Research & resource Centre. Available at:
http://www.acupuncture.org.uk/content/Library/doc/addiction_bp7.pdf

2. He, D., Burge J.E. & Hostmark, A.T. 1997. Effects of acupuncture on smoking cessation or reduction for motivated smokers. Preventative Medicine/ 26 (2)pp. 208-14.

Posted by: Daniel Clarke & CK Rivera

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Escaping Smoking With Acupuncture » randomised controlled trials

Studies On Acupuncture For Quitting Smoking