Smoking Cessation

Our Centre helps people battle cigarette addiction through the application of Low-Level Laser Therapy (L.L.L.T., also knows as Cold Laser Therapy). The Centre is an IRB-approved research site, and is currently engaged in research measuring the effects of L.L.L.T. on smoking cessation. We can help you stop that craving! Our cold laser therapy even helps to curb your appetite to assist you in avoiding the weight gain that sometimes accompanies other methods of smoking cessation.

Cold laser therapy is 100% non-evasive. No needles, no incisions, no pain whatsoever. Patients have described the session as “relaxing.” When you visit our center we will discuss your smoking behavior and motivation. This is very important in order to give you individual advice and select the optimum treatment program for you. The treatment itself is completely safe and painless. Articles of interest: Benefits of stopping smoking with LASER What is Soft Laser What you should know about smoking and addictions Why Quit? Questions to think about before you quit The dangers of smoking - Photo Gallery How our lungs work

When you smoke, nicotine enters your blood system. Nicotine is responsible for the increased production of endorphins and during smoking the endorphin levels increase. After approximately 30 minutes endorphin levels are back to normal again. As your body is used to higher levels of endorphins it requires nicotine to produce more endorphins.

The nicotine is therefore responsible for physical dependence. It also causes a faster heartbeat and a release of adrenaline. A smoker is, therefore, continuously under pressure to smoke. Many people see smoking as a way of relieving this stress but it is really just satisfying the physical addiction.

With the laser, we work on the acupuncture and trigger points, with an energized laser light beam 40 times larger than an acupuncture needle, which stimulates the points painlessly and more actively. A success rate depends on motivation. Laser therapy suppresses the physical dependency on nicotine. It also alleviates the cravings, withdrawal and anxiety symptoms. Usually all that is needed is one 40 minute session! Results are usually immediate.

The treatment is safe, painless and very effective without any negative side effects. We also include targeting some of the appetite suppression points in the procedure, so you don't transfer your addiction to food and thus increase your weight.

If anything happens, regardless of when, and you start smoking again you can return for FREE follow-up "booster" treatments for up six months. We are committed to your success.

It is important to note that not everyone responds or reacts exactly the same way to Laserpuncture. The reaction can depend on such things as pharmaceuticals, the tissues and individual motivation. There are no known side effects from laser therapy, and the majority of people treated with this method respond very positively.

Wanting to quit is ½ the battle, one that can be won if you are committed to changing habits and disassociating certain triggers and stress causing or creating situations.

Laser therapy is not the quick answer; and effort has to be made by the smoker in order to succeed in quitting for life. At our center, we counsel you on how to not only become a non-smoker, but how to remain a non-smoker…for life. We do everything we can to ensure your success.

You have to want to quit, if you are not 100% “mentally” prepared to quit, give yourself time.

The total session takes less than 1 hour and costs less than a typical smoker spends on cigarettes in one month.

BEFORE YOU QUIT SMOKING With Laser…….

• Select a date to stop smoking and stick to it
• Tell everyone you are going to quit smoking
• Put off having your first cigarette of the day – add more time each day
• Don’t carry cigarettes with you, make them inconvenient to get to
• Make a list of all the reasons why you want to quit smoking
• Deep clean your house and car
• Eat more fruit and vegetables
• Exercise
• Make friends with an ex-smoker
• Sit in non-smoking areas
• Practice stress management and/or deep breathing
• Create a “Survival Kit” that includes gum, hard candy, cinnamon sticks, toothpicks, straws, pretzels, fruit, vegetable sticks, sunflower seeds, a list of reasons why you want to quit and a picture of loved ones

THE DAY YOU QUIT SMOKING With Laser ……..

• Throw away all cigarettes, ashtrays, lighters, etc.
• Keep very busy
• Go places you can’t smoke (library, movies, etc)
• Surround yourself with non-smokers
• Clean your clothes to get rid of tobacco odor
• Decide how you are going to reward yourself when you stay tobacco free for 24 hours, one week, one month, and one year.

Benefits of Stopping Smoking with Laser

After you stop smoking with Laser, you don't have to wait weeks or months to reap the benefits of your new healthy lifestyle

WITHIN 20 MINUTES

• Body temperature of feet and hands increases to normal
• Pulse rate drops to normal rate
• Blood pressure drops to normal

AFTER 12 HOURS

• Pulse rate slows/skin temperature increases to normal
• Oxygen in blood increases to normal
• Carbon Monoxide level in blood drops to normal

AFTER 24 HOURS

• Nerve endings start re-growing
• Ability to smell and taste is enhanced

AFTER 72 HOURS

• Bronchial tubes relax, make breathing easier
• Lung capacity increases

WITHIN 2 WEEKS TO 3 MONTHS

• Circulation improves, walking becomes easier because stamina and vigor have improved
• Lung function increases up to 30%

1 TO 9 MONTHS

• Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, shortness of breath decreases
• Cilia re-grow in lungs, increasing ability to handle mucous, clean the lungs and reduce infection
• Body's overall energy increases

1 YEAR

• Risk of heart disease decreases 90%
• Heart will have returned to nearly normal

10-15 YEARS

• Risk of lung cancer will be roughly the same as if you had never smoked

Added Benefits

• Stroke risk is reduced to that of a person who never smoked after 5 to 15 years of not smoking 
• Cancers of the mouth, throat, and esophagus risks are halved 5 years after quitting 
• Cancer of the larynx risk is reduced after quitting 
• Coronary heart disease risk is cut by half 1 year after quitting and is nearly the same as someone who never smoked 15 years after quitting 
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease risk of death is reduced after you quit Lung cancer risk drops by as much as half 10 years after quitting 
• Ulcer risk drops after quitting 
• Bladder cancer risk is halved a few years after quitting 
• Peripheral artery disease goes down after quitting
• Cervical cancer risk is reduced a few years after quitting
• Low birth weight baby risk drops to normal if you quit before pregnancy or during your first trimester the benefits of quitting

Source: The Office on Smoking and Health (OSH), a division within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

What Is Soft Laser?

What is Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT)?

LLLT is the application of a “cold” pure laser light applied to body points for certain conditions. It has been cleared by FDA for many kinds of musculoskeletal injuries because it promotes healing and tissue repair.

Is LLLT safe?

LLLT is non-invasive and medication-free. It has been used in England, Canada, and Europe for over 20 years.

How does LLLT work?

Low level laser is currently being studied in the U.S. to determine if it boosts endorphin production, thereby relieving the cravings and withdrawal symptoms normally associated with smoking cessation. Endorphins are produced naturally by your body and are nature’s own mood lifter and anesthetic. The endorphin production may relieve the physical withdrawal symptoms of quitting smoking and help keep you from feeling anxious or “crabby”.

What parts of my body will receive laser?

For smoking cessation the laser is applied to Laser points on different parts of the body. Laser Therapy is NOT ACUPUNCTURE. No needles are used!!!!

Will the laser hurt?

Most people describe an extremely relaxed feeling following their laser session.

How long does the laser session take?

The laser session takes about 30 minutes. Your first visit will include a personal consultation and counseling, so you should allow about an hour for that appointment.

Will I gain weight when I quit smoking?

Weight gain may be avoidable when quitting smoking with low level laser. Studies conducted in other countries have shown no weight gain with LLLT. Dr. Cichowicz, a study investigator will explain the metabolic changes that occur in your body when you quit smoking so that you may avoid weight gain.

Is the laser session covered by insurance?

At this time, LLLT for smoking cessation and weight loss is not reimbursable by insurance companies.

Are the results guaranteed?

Nicotine addiction consists of two factors: the physical addiction and the mental addiction. The laser session may relieve the physical withdrawal symptoms, but will not give you amnesia! If you have smoked a pack a day for thirty years, this means you will be making a huge change to your daily routine when you quit. Even if you experience NO physical symptoms, you may still think about smoking. Therefore, while we cannot make a guarantee, we will do everything in our power to ensure your success.

Like the smoking sessions, weight loss depends a great deal on your commitment; consequently we cannot guarantee individual results. We offer packages which are designed to fit your lifestyle and the amount of weight you wish to lose. The laser session should be an adjunct to your own diet and exercise programs. It may control the cravings, increases your metabolism, and leaves you calm and relaxed. Laser Points does not recommend any particular diet, as each person must choose a diet that fits their lifestyle of activity and eating habits. However, we will give you information that can assist you with your program and will be available for consultation throughout your laser sessions.

Are there any health conditions for which LLLT is not recommended?

Yes. Since Laser Points is participating in clinical research trials for smoking cessation and weight loss, there are some health conditions that will exclude you from receiving LLLT. All clients are screened and their history reviewed to assure that they qualify for participation in these trials. The conditions that would exclude you from receiving these treatments are: active cancer, undergoing treatments with chemotherapy or radiation, photosensitivity to light, pregnancy, blood clotting disorders, epilepsy, and having steroid injections 48 hours prior to receiving laser.

Is there anything I need to do before my first laser session?

While there are no preparations needed for laser sessions, it is helpful if before you arrive that you drink 6 – 8 glasses of water each day, decrease your consumption of caffeine of either coffee or sodas, and drink citrus juice daily or take vitamin C tablets. It may also helpful to take a good multivitamin every day to help replace the nutrients that nicotine draws out of your system.

Is LLLT approved by the FDA?

Treatments of certain musculoskeletal conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, etc have been cleared by the FDA for human use. The laser that we use has been ruled a “non significant risk device” by the FDA, however, smoking cessation and weight loss with the low level laser have not been cleared. Therefore, Laser Points is one of over 100 centers across the U.S. conducting clinical research trials for smoking or weight loss. The purpose of the trials is to gather more information on the effectiveness of the low level laser for nicotine addiction and weight loss. You will be given an informed consent prior to the laser session, which will be reviewed with you by one of our research investigators. Once you are enrolled in our clinical trial and receive laser, your progress will be followed for approximately 3 – 6 months depending on which trial you are enrolled in.

What You Should Know About Smoking and Addictions

Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, causing approximately 440,000 premature deaths each year and resulting in an annual cost of more than $75 billion in direct medical costs attributable to smoking. Over the past four decades, cigarette smoking has caused an estimated 12 million deaths, including 4.1 million deaths from cancer, 5.5 million deaths from cardiovascular diseases, 2.1 million deaths from respiratory diseases, and 94,000 infant deaths related to mothers smoking during pregnancy. 

Secondhand smoke, also known as environmental tobacco smoke, is a mixture of the smoke given off by the burning end of tobacco products (side-stream smoke) and the mainstream smoke exhaled by smokers. It is a complex mixture containing many chemicals (including formaldehyde, cyanide, carbon monoxide, ammonia, and nicotine), many of which are known carcinogens. Nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work increase their risk of developing heart disease by 25 to 30 percent and lung cancer by 20 to 30 percent. In addition, secondhand smoke causes respiratory problems in nonsmokers such as coughing, phlegm, and reduced lung function. Children exposed to secondhand smoke are at an increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome, acute respiratory infections, ear problems, and more severe asthma.

Source: As a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) does not recommend or endorse any company advertised on this site.

Why Quit?

Quitting smoking is one of the most important things you will ever do. Why? Here are just a few good reasons: 

• You will live longer and live better
• Quitting will lower your chance of having a heart attack, stroke, or cancer.
• If you are pregnant, quitting smoking will improve your chances of having a healthy baby.
• The people you live with, especially your children, will be healthier.
• You will have extra money to spend on things other than cigarettes.

Source: The Office on Smoking and Health (OSH), a division within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

What is Nicotine?

Nicotine, one of more than 4,000 chemicals found in the smoke of cigarettes, and cigars, is the primary component in tobacco that acts on the brain. Smokeless tobacco products like chewing tobacco also contain many toxins as well as high levels of nicotine.
Nicotine can act as both a stimulant and a sedative. Immediately after exposure to nicotine, there is a "rush" caused in part by the drug's stimulation of the adrenal glands and resulting discharge of epinephrine (adrenaline). The rush of adrenaline stimulates the body and causes a sudden release of glucose as well as an increase in blood pressure, respiration, and heart rate. There are many more dangerous chemicals in tobacco that the majority of the public are not aware of.

What Turns You Off About Smoking?

• Yellow teeth
• Bad breath
• Smelly clothes
• Stained hands
• Ashes in your car
• Stale air in your house
• Constant cough
• Shortened life span
• Pasty complexion
• Pregnancy
• "Smoker's" mouth (wrinkles from inhaling)
• Lack of energy
• Loss of taste
• Loss of smell
• Being socially unacceptable/ Disapproval of loved ones
• Being sent out to smoke in the cold
• Premature aging
• Wanted money ($1500 - $5000/year/person)
• Risk of developing life threatening, incurable diseases.

Questions to Think About Before You Quit

Think about the following questions before you try to stop smoking. You may want to talk about your answers with our staff.

1. Why do you want to quit?
2. When you tried to quit in the past, what helped and what didn't?
3. What will be the most difficult situations for you after you quit? How will you plan to handle them?
4. Who can help you through the tough times? Your family? Friends? Our Staff?
5. What pleasures do you get from smoking? What ways can you still get pleasure if you quit?

The Dangers of Smoking:

		Tongue Cancer
Emphysema Specimens

Quit Smoking - How Our Lungs Work:

In mechanical terms, our lungs can be described as the site of gas exchange: Oxygen--the fuel all the cells and organs of our body need to function--is extracted there from the air we inhale and infused into the bloodstream, to be distributed to other organs and tissues. With each exhalation, we dispose of the carbon dioxide that is the by-product of our bodily processes. In our lungs, in the course of a single day, an astonishing 8,000 to 9,000 liters of breathed-in air meet 8,000 to 10,000 liters of blood pumped in by the heart through the pulmonary artery. The lungs relieve the blood of its burden of waste and return a refreshed, oxygen-rich stream of blood to the heart through the pulmonary vein.

The lungs are internal organs. Yet they are, uniquely, constantly exposed to our external environment--a direct interface with the world outside. With each breath, a host of alien substances enter our bodies--pollens, dust, viruses, bacteria; the constituents of the air in our homes and offices and factories, ranging from animal dander and tobacco smoke to radon and airborne lead; the toxic chemicals spewed into our atmosphere by smokestacks and tailpipes.

The lungs, with their tiny air sacs called alveoli, have sometimes been simplistically compared to sponges. They are actually far more complex than many other organs. The heart, for example, is a relatively uncomplicated muscular pump designed, with one-way mechanical valves, for one purpose: to keep the bloodstream flowing in one direction. The lungs must play multiple roles--supplier of oxygen, remover of wastes and toxins, defender against hostile intruders. They contain at least three dozen distinct types of cells, each with its special tasks and abilities. Some scavenge foreign matter. Others, equipped with delicate, hairlike cilia, sweep the mucous membranes lining the smallest air passages. Still others act on substances crucial to blood-pressure control, or serve as sentries to spot invading agents of infection.

Source: American Lung Association

Are You Ready to Quit?

For more information or to set up an appointment, please call:
(630) 833-4007 - Villa Park Office
(773) 878-4000 - Lincoln Square, Chicago

Note: IRB - Institutional Review Board.  An IRB is a federally-approved agency responsible for overseeing research programs to ensure they comply with all laws and regulations concerning research on human subjects.