Helix Clinic blog

We get many calls and emails from prospective patients asking us how effective acupuncture is to help stop smoking. There is certainly lots of anecdotal evidence that acupuncture can help someone to stop smoking, and at the clinic we have helped lots of people to quit smoking for good, but sometimes people still have trouble giving up.

From our experience, we have found that the most effective application of acupuncture to help stop smoking is through shorter, more frequent sessions.  The physical cravings are generally the worst during those first three weeks after quitting, and during that time people need support more than once a week to help with persistent cravings.

For those first three weeks, we would recommend coming in for at least two and preferably three short ear acupuncture treatments (15-20 minutes) evenly spaced throughout the week. In addition, it is best to start the whole process with a couple of body acupuncture sessions to help the detox process get started. After that initial 3 week period, weekly body acupuncture sessions are recommended for a further month to help consolidate and prevent relapse.

One of our blocks of 5 acupuncture treatments (at a cost of £200) would cover an initial consultation and body acupuncture treatment, 3 weeks of 2-3 ear acupuncture sessions a week, and a final week’s body acupuncture treatment to help get you through that tricky initial period, and off the cigarettes for good.

Tags: cravings, ear acupuncture, smoking