The American Cancer Society Great American Smokeout is Nov. 17, and Lake Regional wants to help smokers quit with help from the Leslie-Cam smoking cessation program.
From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, Leslie-Cam will be at Lake Regional Hospital, Osage Beach, offering 45-minute auriculotherapy treatment sessions to the public. The program fee is $135.
"Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States," said Jennifer Newman, R.N., CEN, cPT, director of Lake Regional Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, in a Lake Regional Health System news release. "It damages organs, causes chronic diseases and reduces overall health. But the body can heal in incredible ways if smokers will quit smoking. No matter how long you have smoked, it's never too late to quit."
Auriculotherapy (also called auricular therapy) is an effective and painless tool used to enable smokers to quit by minimizing cravings and calming the nervous system. It is a safe and pain-free treatment to the outside of the ears (auricles) at specific trigger points, the news release said.
Leslie-Cam uses principles similar to acupuncture but without needles or pain. During the treatment, technicians simply apply a light, electrical stimulation to precise points on the external ear. Stimulating specific points allows interception of messages sent by the brain to the body that cause it to demand more nicotine. This disrupts the addictive process. According to the news release, in most cases, relief of cravings is noticed immediately after just one treatment. There are no known adverse side effects.
Note that each session will include as many as eight participants. Private sessions are available only by contacting Leslie-Cam in St. Louis, the news release said.
Leslie-Cam Stop Smoking Center offers a safe, quick and effective treatment for smoking cessation. Occasionally, a second treatment is beneficial, and Leslie-Cam offers free "boosters" at its St. Louis office for an unlimited period of time post-treatment for those who remain smoke-free. Learn more at www.lesliecamstopsmoking.com.
To register, visit www.lakeregional.com/events or contact Jennifer Newman in Cardiac Rehab at [email protected] or 302-2282.