A lot of people find it hard to quit smoking. It’s not just because of the withdrawal symptoms that come with it, but merely because this is a bad and addictive habit that is just hard to stay away from.

According to a study, cigarettes are found to contain over 4,000 chemical compounds; 60 of these compounds are carcinogens while 200 are poisonous compounds. These figures are probably enough to tell you just how destructive cigarette smoking is to your health. But with the following smoking-related health problems, you might just start thinking about quitting this addictive habit.

Cardiovascular Diseases

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among smokers. Smoking hardens and narrows the arteries which are carriers of blood away from the heart. Once these are narrowed and hardened, blood clotting occurs causing heart attack and other cardiovascular diseases, including vascular diseases caused by damaged blood vessels; cerebrovascular diseases brought about by damaged arteries; stroke and coronary heart diseases.

Cancer

Statistics show that 90% of lung cancers are caused by smoking. The more sticks you use up every day, the higher your risk of getting lung cancer. The same happens when you started to smoke early in your life and when you inhale the smoke deeper.  Aside from lung cancer, smoking also causes cancer to various parts of the body, including throat, kidney, liver, oesophagus, and bladder.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Eighty percent of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease cases are caused by smoking. Also known as COPD, this disease refers to the blockage of airflow passage, making breathing more difficult. COPD may include emphysema or breathlessness as caused by damaged air sacs; and chronic bronchitis.  Other respiratory problems associated with smoking include asthma, worsening colds and flu and tuberculosis complications.

Impotence

Research has also proved that men who are in their 30s and 40s have high risks of suffering from erectile dysfunction. Blood vessels, which are greatly affected by smoking, have to be always in good condition for them to carry blood into the penis.

These are just the major health problems that are associated with smoking. Until you quit smoking, you’ll never know how it has affected your overall health condition.

With all the campaigns and infomercials that encourage you to quit smoking, you’re more than aware of how dangerous cigarette smoking can be to your health. And probably, the message ‘smoking is bad for you’ has now become an understatement.

Currently considered the most effective smoking cessation method, acupuncture continues to gain the trust and interest of smokers who are determined to quit smoking. Smokers who resort to acupuncture are those who have the strong desire to quit now rather than put it off.

Acupuncture refers to the stimulation of anatomical locations on the skin using different techniques. The process has long been a component of China’s healthcare system, and is done by penetrating the skin using thin needles of different lengths. Acupuncture treatment focuses on various aspects of nicotine addiction, including cravings, restlessness, irritability, and jitters; all of which are what people experience when they quit smoking.

Acupuncture, however, is neither a panacea nor a magic cure to smoking. It just helps you reduce your cravings for nicotine and lessen the withdrawal symptoms that are associated with smoking cessation. Acupuncture also helps you better relax and aids in detoxifying your body.

Treatment using acupuncture varies from one person to another. A person who smokes a pack of cigarette a day will have a different treatment compared to a person who smokes occasionally. The type of treatment will be determined during the initial consultation where the patient is asked about his or her smoking habits.

During an acupuncture session, the acupuncturist targets and stimulates major points in your body that directly influence those organs that are commonly affected by smoking, such as lungs, mouth and throat. It also includes parts of the body that affect the brain, which generates cravings for nicotine. While it can be real hard to imagine having to stick those needles into your body, acupuncture is guaranteed painless, safe and effective.

Aside from needle insertion, some acupuncturists also advise their patients to take Chinese herbal medicines that will better help them lessen their nicotine cravings and remove toxins in between the sessions.

The acupuncturist, however, is not the only one responsible for stopping your smoking habit. You also have to do your job by remaining motivated and determined to attend all the sessions that you’re supposed to attend. For you to achieve the full benefits of this method, attend sessions at least twice a week for three weeks and don’t miss one.

Acupuncture is an alternative method that is worth considering if you want to permanently quit smoking. People who have undergone a series of acupuncture sessions have become non-smokers permanently. But while it may not help some smokers fully recover from smoking, it can certainly help reduce nicotine cravings and lessen the amount of cigarettes that are used up every day.

A stick of cigarette has been with you through thick and thin and has given you much comfort and pleasure during stressful situations. This is probably the reason why you just can’t let go of smoking. It is, indeed, a hard habit to break and you have to want to quit smoking before you can get successful with it.

A smoker who plans to permanently quit smoking would have to be fully committed and has a strong desire to do so. Coupled with a strong desire and commitment, he can manage to stop smoking and remain a non-smoker for the rest of his life using any of the following methods.

Medication Treatments

• Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT). Products such as nicotine nasal spray, nicotine patches and nicotine lozenges are used in nicotine replacement therapy. Using this therapy, patients are given measured doses of nicotine, which help them stop their cravings and reduce the symptoms associated with smoking cessation.
• Non-Nicotine Medications. These types of medications are anti-smoking pills that are only for short-term use. Currently, there are only two non-nicotine medications proven to help reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms, bupropion (Zyban) and varenicline (Chantix).

Non-medication Treatments

• Acupuncture. This method involves inserting thin needles into various skin areas that affect the energy that flows to the common organs affected by smoking, such as the lungs, throat and mouth. This method is also known to release endorphins, making one’s body relax and reduce withdrawal symptoms.
• Hypnosis. This process allows one’s mind to relax as he thinks about a desired result. In this case, a person desires to stop smoking and be a non-smoker for the rest of his life. His subconscious mind, which accepts all kinds of information whether real or imagination, will process his desired result and will accept it as a reality.
• Motivational Therapy. This type of therapy won’t really require professional therapists. Self-help books and websites offer thousands of reasons for smokers to quit. These books and websites also discuss things that every smoker needs to know about smoking, from health risks and complications to how they can effectively get rid of the habit.
• Behavioural Therapy. This refers to learning the ways on how a smoker can better break his habit, and cope with the withdrawal symptoms associated with it. Many health organizations, such as the American Lung Association, offer this kind of service and even have free online smoking cessation programs.

While all these methods are known to effectively help smokers quit smoking, the success of such methods mainly depends on the person himself. A smoker wanting to quit has to remain determined and committed to his goal during the whole process.