Laser-acupuncture reduces cigarette smoking: a preliminary report

Area of Science:

• Integrative oncology
• Cardiovascular disease prevention
• Addiction medicine

Background:

• Smoking cessation is crucial for preventing cardiovascular and oncological diseases.
• Nicotine abstinence syndrome presents significant challenges for patients attempting to quit smoking.
• Elderly patients with pre-existing conditions require specialized smoking cessation support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of laser-acupuncture in managing nicotine withdrawal symptoms.
• To assess the impact of laser-acupuncture on smoking cessation rates in elderly patients with comorbidities.
• To explore adjunctive needle insertion for reinforcing negative responses to nicotine.

Main Methods:

• Laser-acupuncture was applied to 85 elderly patients undergoing smoking cessation.
• Patients had peripheral vascular diseases or lung cancer.
• Adjunctive steel needle insertion in specific auricular areas was used to induce a stable negative response to nicotine.

Main Results:

• All 85 patients showed positive trends in managing withdrawal symptoms.
• Vegetative and somatic manifestations of nicotine abstinence were eliminated.
• 71% of patients achieved complete smoking cessation, with reduced craving in others.

Conclusions:

• Laser-acupuncture demonstrates high therapeutic value for treating chronic smoking.
• This method is effective in alleviating nicotine abstinence symptoms in high-risk patient groups.
• The combined approach of laser-acupuncture and needle insertion shows promise for smoking cessation.