Quitting smoking is not easy. There are many aids to help you quit, from nicotine lozenges to nicotine gum to transdermal patches to hypnotism. Another method, although not proven to be effective according to lifescript.com, are ear magnets. These devices are claimed to help you quit smoking without replacement nicotine therapy or by putting nicotine in your body.
Auricular Therapy
According to Luigi Gori and Fabio Firenzuoli in their paper "Ear Acupuncture in European Traditional Medicine," auricular acupuncture is used to normalize "the body's dysfunction through stimulation of definite points on the ear." The two state that Paul Nogier was the first person to describe microacupuncture in 1950 in the ear. Ear magnets are derived from Nogier's work, according to Zerosmoke, a manufacturer of the devices. Gori and Firenzuoli state that the use of the technique has not been proven yet as a treatment for smoking cessation.
What They Do
Placing the smaller of the two magnets on the outside of the ear and the larger behind the ear opposite the first one supposedly applies a small amount of pressure to a pressure point. This, according to the manufacturer, stimulates the brain to produce more dopamine, the neurotransmitter responsible for pleasure. Nicotine also causes the brain to produce dopamine, so the idea is to replace the stimulant in nicotine with the acupressure stimulant.
Use
Place the ear magnets on the ear, then wear them for about a week while still smoking. At the end of 6 days, continue to wear the magnets, but stop smoking completely. Again, according to Zerosmoke, the craving to smoke will disappear after 3 weeks of magnet use.
