Acupuncture is useful in helping patients recover from all manners of substance addictions, ranging from nicotine all the way to opiates and methamphetamines. Many ex-smokers have relied on it as a stand-alone treatment to help them kick cigarette addiction, and this use has been the subject of various news reporting and talk show discussions. However, its usefulness for helping break addictions to other drugs is often overlooked.

 

"Strong addictions typically require multiple treatment modalities for good long-term results. Counseling and in-patient care are standards for breaking addictions to opioids and other such drugs. However, once in-patient care ends, the patient still needs to manage withdrawal symptoms and ease emotional issues like anxiety, depression, and grief. Acupuncture helps people deal with all of these. It reduces physical pain, nausea, and jitters. It also produces relaxation and improves sleep," said Alida van Heerden L. Ac., the acupuncturist at Manhattan Acupuncture Clinic.

 

In acupuncture, specific points on the body are stimulated with fine needles to produce the desired response. For addiction treatment, five points, in particular, are used. The lung point is targeted to improve lung function and relieve grief, the liver point helps the liver as well as calming aggression, the kidney point helps the kidneys and other vital organs as well as calming fears, the Shen Men point or "spirit gate" relieves general anxiety, and the autonomic point generally soothes the nervous system and brings about relaxation.

 

This Manhattan addiction treatment takes about 45 to 60 minutes per session, which makes it fairly easy for patients to fit into their schedules. It can be done on an individual basis during a convenient appointment time. The result should be a sense of relaxation and calmness as well as a relief of some or all withdrawal symptoms.

 

About the Manhattan Acupuncture Clinic

 

The Manhattan Acupuncture Clinic offers acupuncture treatments for a wide variety of conditions, including helping to break addictions to a variety of substances such as drugs and tobacco. It is operated by Alida van Heerden L. Ac., who became an acupuncturist after experiencing, firsthand, how well the treatment works at helping to manage the negative side-effects of drug withdrawal.

 

From GLOBE NEWSWIRE