Effectiveness of ear acupuncture treatment of smoking temperance syndrome depending on smoking period

Abstract

Introduction. Tobacco use is one of the biggest threats to the worldwide public health and is the leading cause of death (7 million people per year worldwide), associated diseases (including cancer, chronic lung disease, cardiovascular disease) and impoverishment that can be prevented. Smoking eradication is an important global health issue approached by the World Health Organization (WHO). The difficulty for smokers to quit is due to the strong addiction to nicotine, psychological, sociological factors. Drug elimination methods, replacement therapy, hypnosis, psychotherapy do not provide the expected results. The use of acupuncture to suppress addiction and eliminate withdrawal symptoms has steadily increased in recent years and is showing significant results. Aim of study. Studying the effectiveness of auricular acupuncture treatment in patients with smoking temperance syndrome, according to the clinical-psychological symptoms and the duration of smoking period. Methods and materials. This study was carried out for 1 year on a group of 71 persons of different ages and smoking experience. Results. The elucidation of the clinical-psychological manifestations allows the differentiated evaluation of the patients' condition and, in accordance with this, the prescription of a certain treatment. In patients with a smoking experience of up to 10 years, the first version of the abstinence syndrome is predominating (the pronounced ideational-mental component and the absence of distinct affective disorders). From 10 to 20 years of smoking - the second version (pronounced ideational-mental component and manifest sub-depressive anxiety disorders) and when smoking for more than 20 years, the third version is more frequent (pronounced ideational-mental component and dysphoric disorders). The obtained data reveal that, in order to provide an individualized treatment to patients, it is necessary to take into account the duration period of smoking. The use of auricular acupuncture as monotherapy is highly effective for patients with the first version of temperance syndrome. Placebo treatment has no clinical efficiency. The dynamic monitoring of the condition of the patients over the course of a year showed that the effective correction of ideation and emotional disorders and the stabilization of the obtained positive effect are possible after two, and sometimes three, treatment courses. Conclusion. The treatment of smoking can be individualized, depending on the clinical-psychological version of the smoking temperance syndrome expressed by the patient and the duration period of smoking, which is mutually related to the prevalence of certain affective disorders. Auricular acupuncture as a monotherapy is effective for people with a smoking history of up to 10 years and the first version of the temperance syndrome (pronounced ideational component and the absence of distinct affective disorders.