Monday 26 December 2011

How Does the Quit Smoking Laser Work?

Smoking is a health scourge. Millions of people have died as a result of this nasty habit, and most smokers are well aware of the health risks, but are trapped by their habit into continuing. If they could, most smokers would choose to quit, but a nicotine addiction is a hard habit to kick, especially if you’ve smoked for decades.

As a result, most smokers seek some kind of aid in order to quit. This may include nicotine gum, nicotine patches or the quit smoking laser. But how can a laser help someone to quit smoking?

How it works

The quit smoking laser is supposed to work in the same way that acupuncture works, without the needles. By using a low grade laser, which is aimed at acupuncture points, the doctor will stimulate the nerve endings in those regions. This in turn is supposed to release endorphins into your body, which will help relieve the stress that is associated with nicotine withdrawal.

Laser treatment is often coupled with counselling, in a two pronged approach to quit smoking. Some laser treatment centers say that the laser treatment will only take one session of 30 minutes in order to work, while others say it will take up to three sessions.

The quit smoking laser will not harm you, and most laser treatment centers say that the treatment actually promotes a feeling of well-being. In some cases, you may experience a slight bit of dizziness or light-headedness, which quickly fades.

But does it work?

This is a sticky point. Laser treatment centers say that they have close to a 90% success rate. But many people will argue that of course they will say that. After all, they’re out to sell you their services.

The fact is, that while laser treatment centers will quote what they claim are facts, there are very few actual scientific studies that will back up their claims. In most cases, their sites will not post links to the studies they mention, and it’s very difficult to ascertain whether or not the stop smoking laser actually works.

Does this mean that it doesn’t work?

Not at all. It just means that the evidence to date is inconclusive. It can be argued that the stop smoking laser treatment convinces the patient that it works, and so it does. It can also be argued that the actual counselling that the laser centers offer is the thing that finally breaks the habit. However, it can also be argued that the stop smoking laser is a revolutionary medical breakthrough, and it absolutely works.

The last word

The point is that it’s up to you to find out. If you’re a smoker, and you’ve tried everything else to quit, the stop smoking laser treatment may be the final solution. Keep in mind that just one stop smoking laser treatment can cost upwards of $300 US, which puts it out of the price range of many.


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