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Can massage help you quit smoking?

With today being World No Tobacco Day it seems well suited that today we should talk about massage and how it can assist to quit smoking.

Although everyone has a different reason for taking up smoking, research has shown that a vast majority of smokers also struggle with anxiety disorders. This correlation causes one to deduce that anxiety can potentially be a causal factor for smoking tobacco.

A study conducted by the University of Wisconsin  found that anxiety diagnoses were very common among participants who were identified as smokers, with more than one-third meeting the criteria for at least one anxiety diagnosis in their lifetime. Of the 1,504 study participants, 455 had experienced a panic attack in the past, 199 were diagnosed with a social anxiety disorder and 99 were diagnosed with a generalized anxiety disorder.

Since the habit of smoking has proven to be closely linked to anxiety, a correlation has been drawn to the smoking cessation benefits of massage, long recognized as a relaxation treatment.

Although massage therapy can be effective in helping patients quit smoking, it doesn’t work for everyone. Patients who tend to smoke routinely or socially may not benefit from reducing anxiety, since anxiety is not the most common trigger for their behavior.

If you would like to talk to a qualified remedial massage therapist about the potential options for massage to assist with reducing smoking habits contact us today.

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