11-14 A 2014 review of yoga interventions for smoking cessation concluded that such interventions hold promise for smoking cessation, with the majority of studies showing that it increased quitting rates. Despite suffering from some methodological limitations, a growing body of research suggests that practising yoga is beneficial for both mental and physical health. Yoga is one of the most widely used complementary and alternative therapies.
running, walking, cycling), with or without NRT, to usual care found moderate-quality evidence that aerobic exercise increased smoking cessation in the short-term, but not at medium- or long-term follow-ups. 9 A 2021 meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials comparing aerobic exercise (e.g. The quality of evidence was judged to be of low certainty, due to concerns about bias, imprecision and publication bias in trials, and as such the possibility of a modest benefit of exercise could not be ruled out. 8ĭespite their promise, a 2019 Cochrane review found there was no evidence that adding exercise to smoking cessation support improved long-term abstinence compared to cessation support alone. 7 A small study in Canada found that an acute bout of exercise provided additional craving relief to the nicotine lozenge in recently quit smokers, suggesting exercise may complement existing therapies and maximise reductions in cravings. Regular exercise has been suggested as a strategy for managing nicotine withdrawal and weight gain, and it does appear to be effective for reducing cravings. A 2019 Cochrane review of hypnotherapy for smoking cessation found that existing studies did not provide reliable evidence that it had a greater effect on sustained quit rates than other interventions or no treatment. Hypnotherapy is often purported to assist with quitting smoking, and aims to act on underlying impulses to weaken the desire to smoke or strengthen the will to stop. 4 Overall, meta-analyses of acupuncture for smoking cessation have produced divergent results which may be due to differences in methodologies. For long term cessation, there was evidence that ear acupressure was more effective than sham treatment. 3 A 2021 meta-analysis concluded that the current evidence did not indicate that acupuncture or ear acupressure was more effective than sham treatment or nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) for short-term cessation. Acupuncture in combination with counselling, an educational smoking cessation program or moxibustion (a traditional Chinese medicine) was also found to be more effective than acupuncture as monotherapy. Further meta-analyses found that acupuncture in combination with ear acupressure was more effective than sham treatment for short-term and long-term cessation.
7.18 meta trial#
A 2019 systematic review found one trial indicating that acupuncture was effective compared to no intervention/waiting list for short-term cessation and another two trials indicating it was effective for long-term cessation. Since the 2014 Cochrane review, further studies have been published which provide mixed support for the efficacy of acupuncture and ear acupressure for smoking cessation. Due to the popularity of these interventions, the authors suggest that more robust research is justified however, they are not likely to be more effective than existing evidence-based strategies. It also concluded that electrostimulation is not effective for smoking cessation. A Cochrane review published in 2014 concluded that, although there is weak evidence for short-term effects, there is no consistent, bias-free evidence that acupuncture, acupressure, or laser therapy are effective for long-term smoking cessation. Related treatments include acupressure, laser therapy, and electrostimulation, all of which aim to stimulate acupuncture points on the body.
7.18 meta skin#
7.18.1 AcupunctureĪcupuncture involves applying needles or surgical staples to the skin of the ear or other parts of the body. The evidence to-date does not indicate that these alternative treatments are as effective for smoking cessation as first-line treatment.
However, many people trying to quit smoking take an interest in alternative and emerging treatments, such as acupuncture, yoga or hypnotherapy, as a primary treatment or to complement evidence-based treatment modalities. The most successful approach to smoking cessation is behavioural support combined with first-line pharmacotherapy and follow-up 1 (see 7.16.5.2). In Greenhalgh, EM, Scollo, MM and Winstanley, MH. 7.18 Alternative therapies and emerging treatments. Suggested citation: Jenkins, S., Greenhalgh, EM., & Ford, C.
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