EAST LANSING, MI: Peggy McElroy 58, quit smoking two and a half years ago with the help of the BreakFree laser treatment. The treatment, available in about 75 clinics around the United States, still is being studied. Smokers who want to take part pay around $350. It's not covered by health insurance, but some employers negotiate discounts for their workers, and some people have been allowed to pay with health-care spending accounts.The laser is applied to pressure points on the body, including the ears, hands and head, said John Hagerty Jr., a Lansing-based laser therapist. It's similar to acupuncture and releases endorphins to help quitters beat nicotine withdrawal.Potential quitters also get counseling.
"You also have to address the nutritional needs and the behavioral side, to prepare them to deal with the stressors in their life without smoking," Hagerty said. More.
1 comment:
I've always wondered if it was possible to have laser treatment administered for a nicotine addiction. My mother has struggled with a nicotine addiction for years, and we have tried various things to help her work through it. One thing that we haven't tried though, is laser treatment. She just was really hesitant to do it, because the technology was so new. Is the laser treatment safe? Is it effective? Is the treatment itself affordable?
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