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Quitting Smoking: Laser, Hypnosis & More Reviewed

QUITTING SMOKING: LASER, HYPNOSIS & MORE THERAPIES REVIEWED

If you’ve heard claims that some alternative therapies can make the transition to a smoke-free life faster and easier, you’re probably wondering whether these claims hold any water or whether they’re just a bunch of pseudoscience. For example, can hypnosis or laser therapy really help you quit smoking?

What about acupuncture? And if these treatments do have the potential to help, do they also carry the potential for harm? Do they have any associated risks or side effects?

We’re here to help answer all these questions and more, so you can quit with confidence. Keep reading for a breakdown of some of the alternative therapies that are or have been incorporated into smoking cessation programs before.

Laser therapy

What is it?

Getting laser treatment for smoking cessation is like getting acupuncture for the same reason – except instead of using needles, non-invasive beams from low-level lasers are directed at specific acupoints, instead.1

Does it work?

A lot more research needs to be done before we can say unequivocally that laser therapy helps people quit smoking.1 Having said that, recent studies have yielded promising results. One study published in mid-2021, for example, found that laser auricular acupuncture – whether used alone or in combination with psychological counselling – can reduce nicotine dependence among smokers.1

Are there any risks or side effects?

Minor side effects such as temporary dizziness, headaches and fatigue have been reported,2 but compared to traditional (needle) acupuncture, laser therapy designed to help you quit smoking is non-invasive, painless, and may be more suitable for some people e.g. those with phobias of needles.1

Acupuncture

What is it?

Acupuncture is a form of complementary or alternative medicine (CAM) that originates from ancient Chinese medicine.3 An acupuncturist will insert fine needles at specific sites on the body (these are known as acupoints) for various therapeutic and/or preventative purposes.3

Does it work?

As with laser treatment, we can’t really say for sure that acupuncture “works” for stopping smoking. Again, some studies do seem encouraging, though – one found that adequate acupuncture treatment may help motivated smokers to reduce their smoking or even quit entirely, and that the effect may last for at least 5 years.4

Are there any risks or side effects?

As long as it’s performed by a qualified practitioner, acupuncture is typically very safe.3 In rare cases, some people may experience the following mild, short-term side effects:3

  • Pain, bleeding or bruising at the targeted acupoints.
  • Drowsiness.
  • Nausea.
  • Feeling dizzy or faint.
  • Worsening of pre-existing symptoms.

Hypnosis

What is it?

Hypnosis is a trance-like state in which your concentration and focus is heightened.5

Hypnotherapy employs hypnosis with the goal of treating certain conditions or changing undesirable habits.6

Does it work?

If you think the idea of hypnosis helping you to stop smoking sounds too good to be true, well, you might be right. Frankly, the jury’s out on whether hypnosis can aid smoking cessation,7 with studies producing conflicting results.

Are there any risks or side effects?

There’s very little evidence on whether hypnotherapy causes any adverse effects, but the data that is available does not suggest that hypnotherapy carries any risk.7

A reliable quit smoking aid

While the above alternative therapies require more scientific research into their efficacy, the evidence that nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) helps to stop smoking is well accepted, and many clinical guidelines recommend NRT as a first-line treatment for people seeking pharmacological help to stop smoking.8

Find out more about how THRIVE nicotine replacement products – including Lozenges and Gums of varying strengths – can help you achieve a smoke-free life.

  1. Efficacy of Laser Auricular Acupuncture for Smoking Cessation. NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8219332/. Accessed November 12, 2021. Referenced text is highlighted in source PDF.
  2. Laser Acupuncture: A Concise Review. NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6604908/. Accessed November 12, 2021. Referenced text is highlighted in source PDF.
  3. Acupuncture. NHS. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/acupuncture/. Accessed November 12, 2021. Referenced text is highlighted in source PDF.
  4. Effect of acupuncture on smoking cessation or reduction: an 8-month and 5-year follow-up study. PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11676576/. Accessed November 12, 2021. Referenced text is highlighted in source PDF.
  5. Hypnosis. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/hypnosis/about/pac-20394405. Accessed November 12, 2021. Referenced text is highlighted in source PDF.
  6. Hypnotherapy. NHS. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hypnotherapy/. Accessed November 12, 2021. Referenced text is highlighted in source PDF.
  7. Hypnotherapy for smoking cessation. NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6568235/. Accessed November 12, 2021. Referenced text is highlighted in source PDF.
  8. Nicotine Replacement Therapy: An Overview. NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5003586/. Accessed November 12, 2021. Referenced text is highlighted in source PDF.

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