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Acupuncture for Addiction

Traditional Chinese Medicine in New York

Acupuncture can be an effective treatment for addiction. It can be very effective as a sole therapy for nicotine addiction, but when used to treat addiction to narcotics it must be used in conjunction with more tradtional methods, such as psychotherapy. Acupuncture for addiction can reduce cravings and mitigate withdrawal symptoms. Acupuncture for addiction has also been shown to reduce the likelihood of relapse. Dr. Hanson has had extensive experience working treating patients with acupuncture for addiction

Acupuncture for addiction involves the insertion of very fine sterile needles into specific points on the body. An acupuncturist uses these needles to influence the flow of vital energy, known as qi, throughout your body and to restore balance to the flow of energy and improve health. Acupuncture works by regulating a patient’s qi, supplementing it if the qi is deficient and dispersing it if qi has become stagnant.

A typical session of acupuncture for addiction lasts 45 minutes. It can be done everyday at the beginning of withdrawal and the space between sessions can then be increased as the patient becomes more comfortable. Patients generally feel very relaxed during and after an acupuncture session. The needles used in acupuncture are much smaller than the needles used to take blood or give shots and therefore do not cause pain when inserted.

When undergoing an acupuncture treatment for addiction, it is not unusual for acupuncture needles to be placed in points at different parts of the body, most notably the ears.

There are no side effects to acupuncture for addiction. Acupuncture can be combined safely with other treatments you may be getting.