Acupuncture to Stop Smoking

The use of acupuncture to stop smoking is popular in the West these days. In fact it is also used for weight loss and so you may be able to get two for one if you choose acupuncture to quit smoking.


If it appeals to you,or perhaps you are thinking about it because nothing else has worked, you should take a look at the different types of acupuncture on offer and how they could benefit your health, both for losing weight and stopping smoking, but also in terms of your general well-being.

Types of Acupuncture to Stop Smoking

It can be difficult to understand the different types of acupuncture available, as some are based in Traditional Chinese Medicine and others are based on symptomatic treatment.

So let's start with a quick overview of acupuncture to help you decide which method is best for you

Acupuncture originated in China and is based on two thousand years of experience and development, as well as extensive clinical practice. The patient is treated by inserting needles in points which are based on the twelve main meridians or energy pathways. The meridians are responsible for carrying energy known as qi around the body and the pathways are interconnected.

In China, the word for acupuncture is zhenjiu, which is made up of two characters, the first zhen meaning needle and the second jiu which means moxibustion. Moxa is a substance which is shaped into small cones, and occasionally placed on the acupuncture points and burned for a short time. Don't worry, this is more likely to burn the practitioner's fingers than you.

In China, or if you visit a Chinese acupuncturist, you are likely to be find that acupuncture tends to be used in conjunction with Chinese herbs. Traditional Chinese Medicine is a very complex system and requires years of study.

In the West, as interest in acupuncture grew, various schools were set up, some concentrating on just Five Element theory and others focusing on the Eight Principles. Quite a number of practitioners now combine these two methods, which is probably closer to acupuncture as originally practised in China.

So what are the Five Elements?

The Five Elements are Earth, Metal,Water, Wood and Fire and form the basis of a holistic form of acupuncture, that is, one which takes your entire body, mind, spirit, personality and lifestyle into account. A traditional diagnosis is made based on the initial session. This is not the same as the diagnosis of a specific illness or condition. So if you are concerned about any health problems, related to smoking, weight or anything else, go to see your doctor for a diagnosis.

The Chinese felt there was a relationship between their bodies and the elements and so ascribed each of the major organs to one of the elements, for example, the heart is related to the element fire and the kidney to the element water. Each element also has associations with a specific colour, season, emotion and sound.

And the Eight Principles?

The eight principles are made up of four sets of opposites:

Yin and Yang (which most people have heard of)

Interior and Exterior external is usually associated with acute illness and interior with chronic.

Deficiency and Excess

Hot and Cold

These help the practitioner to recognize patterns of illness. I studied 5 element acupuncture and so do not have indepth knowledge of the 8 principles. If you'd like to know more, I recommend Chinese Medicine, The Web that has No Weaver, by Ted J. Kaptchuk.

Acupuncture Diagnosis

An acupuncturist reads the patient's energy in a number of ways, one of which is taking the twelve pulses, which are situated on the wrists – 6 on the left wrist and 6 on the right. This is very different from having your pulse taken by a western doctor or nurse. Each pulse relates to one of the meridians and has many different characteristics.

The practitioner will also ask a number of questions about general health, preferences and lifestyle and will make a diagnosis based

Alternatively, medical practitioners can take short courses in acupuncture, leading to a very basic understanding of the discipline and only enough knowledge to treat patients' symptoms, rather than the cause of the problem.

Symptomatic Acupuncture to Stop Smoking 

If you opt for symptomatic acupuncture, you won't necessarily be dealing with the cause behind the addiction or helping build up reserves of energy to deal with withdrawal.

However, holistic treatment with acupuncture helps restore the balance of energy in the body and can enable patients to stop smoking whilst improving their general well-being, as well as treating any existing health problems at the same time.

Patients treated for health problems will often give up smoking as a side effect of acupuncture. Holistic treatment takes time, which will vary according to the individual and his or her overall state of health. So although there are likely to be a number of benefits, it is time consuming and will not be cheap. Be sure to find a qualified practitioner. Useful websites to help you find an acupuncturist in your area:

In the US: National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

In the UK: British Acupuncture Council

In Australia: Find a Practitioner:

If you don't like the idea of needles, hypnosis to stop smoking is another popular alternative treatment and can also be used as a self-help method.

The articles on this site are for information only. Please consult your doctor before beginning any form of treatment.

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