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Quit Smoking
Oriental Medicine Acupuncture & Massage Clinic

Registered Acupuncturist

at Downtown Calgary Tower Professional Centre

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 Please pardon our Chinese English, 
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Located downtown Calgary.

Registered Acupuncturist

 Member of Acupuncture Examination Board, Alberta Health & Wellness.

 Member of Examination Committee,  CAAA.

 President of Alberta Association of Traditional Chinese Medical Doctors.

Member of Natural Health Practitioners of Canada Association

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Disclaimer

uit Smoking
 The article is meant to provide general information instead of diagnosis because each individual is different. For specific assessment, please feel free to call 403-233-0498 to arrange an appointment for assessment.

  1. How acupuncture helps quitting smoking?

  2. Does it work for me?

  3. How many sessions would I need?

  4. Where will I get needles? Is it painful?

  5. Can I quit smoking by myself?

  6. What can I do to help myself quit smoking?

  7. How much does it cost? Any insurance coverage?

  8. How do I start if I want to quit smoking with acupuncture?

How acupuncture helps quitting smoking?

Acupuncture helps quitting smoking in 4 ways.
1. by increasing will power;
2. by reducing the cravings,
3. by relieving the withdrawal symptoms,
4. by detoxifying the body.

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Does it work for me?

Acupuncture treatment in helping drug/substance abuse or addition has been proven effective and recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO). Reported by Alive Magazine, a study found that twice as many smokers managed to quit the habit when they received acupuncture along with their counseling as part of an anti-smoking program. Acupuncture is certainly a reasonable alternative that has helped many people quit smoking, however, it doesn't work for everyone. As for you, there is only one way to find out…

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How many sessions would I need?

From our experience, an average of 5 – 8 sessions can help most of the smokers quit smoking or greatly reduce the amount of cigarettes. Yet, we do experience smokers quit smoking after 2 sessions of acupuncture. We also saw few smokers have difficulty quit smoking after 10 sessions of treatment.

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Where will I get needles? Is it painful?

Each individual will receive needles according to their underlying conditions, such as withdrawal symptoms and body’s constitution. Most of the acupuncture points don’t hurt. Patients will have a mosquito bite feeling instead. There are some points tend to hurt more than the others. We would do it carefully to avoid the discomforts.

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Can I quit smoking by myself?

Studies of addictions show that addictive behavior is not just an isolated behavior. Having a cigarette becomes intertwined with other personal ways of responding to life. The smoker will often say that a cup of coffee, a big meal, emotional stress, a beer or a lonely moment-any number of cues-will prompt a desire for a cigarette. In this case, it is not easy, but possible, to quit smoking without help. 2 books here are recommended if you want to quit smoking by yourself:
Hooked but not Helpless, Kicking Nicotine Addiction by Patricia Allison.
Overcoming Addictions by Deepak Chopra, MD.

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What can I do to help myself quit smoking?

bulletAvoid having cigarettes too readily available. A new strategy is to crumple up your pack of cigarettes.
bulletPlan to reward yourself with something special after the first week, first month, and every month smoke-free.
bulletStop any behavior that you know triggers an increased desire to smoke, like drinking coffee.
bulletStart to limit times, places, and people with whom you are willing to smoke. Avoid situations where everyone smokes.
bulletListen to music or play an instrument.
bulletTake up yoga or karate.
bulletGet into a vigorous aerobic conditioning program. (With appropriate health precautions.)
bulletSpend more time with ex-smokers.
bulletSlow down and enjoy your meals more.
bulletTake a trip to a flower store and enjoy smelling.
bulletLearn and practice an effective relaxation response technique twice a day.
bulletMake a list of things you'll do or say to yourself the next time you have an urge for a cigarette.
bulletCall a friend everyday and talk about how thankful you are to have gone another day without a smoke. If you do have a setback, call at least two friends/supporters and let them know of your setback but also that you are going to keep trying.
bulletPut up signs with encouraging thoughts in places like your refrigerator, your bedroom, your car, your bathroom mirror, etc.
bulletDaily visualize yourself as a non-smoker.
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How much does it cost? Insurance coverage?

We charge $60 per acupuncture session.  It is covered by most of the company group benefit but not by Alberta Health Care Insurance. There is a $15 initial consultation fee at the first time of visit. All fees above are subject to change without notice. Please call 233-0498 for current rate.

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How do I start if I want to quit smoking with acupuncture?

Congratulations, my friend, for keeping reading this material down here. I'm delighted that you've made the decision to quit smoking. As many of you know first hand, tobacco is the most addictive drug in the world -- even more addictive than heroin -- and it's also the most preventable cause of major illnesses. Call 233-0498 to get a consultation first. 

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Telephone (preferred): 403-233-0498 (Please leave a message if get voicemail.)
Address: 433, 131 - 9th Ave., S.W., Calgary, AB T2P 1K1 (Map)
E mail (may be over-looked due to massive junk mail)