금연이침저주파자극기(HBN-001)의 개발 및 금연효과 Pilot Test

Abstract

With recent increase in interest on health through extension of life expectancies of people, desire of smokers to stop smoking is also getting stronger. Korean medicine uses Auricular Acupuncturing as a treatment to stop smoking. This Study examined whether Auricular Acupuncturing is actually effective by manufacturing device that can stimulate lung point and endocrine point that are known to be effective in stop smoking through low frequency stimulation. Firstly, Low Frequency Stimulator for Auricular Acupuncturing to quit smoking (HBN-001) was developed as an experimental device by combining low frequency stimulation to auricular acupuncture points and headset, and was pilot tested on 20 subjects. The average quantity of cigarette smoked prior to the application of the procedure was 12.19, which was reduced to 10.34 cigarettes after 2 weeks with more than 5 sessions of Auricular Acupuncturing. However, there was no statistically significant difference. The changes in the desire to smoke following the procedure included 4 subjects (20%) with no change, 4 (20%) with slight reduction, 4 (20%) with 25%~49% reduction, 6 (30%) with 50%~75% reduction, 1 (5%) with 75%~99% reduction and 1 (5%) with complete elimination of desire to smoke. Changes in how cigarette smoking tasted included 2 subjects (10%) with slight improvement, 7 (35%) with no change, 6 (30%) with slight worsening and 5 (25%) with substantially worsened taste. Based on the results of the Pilot Test, it appears that Auricular Acupuncturing could be affirmatively helpful in quitting smoking, and further researches in greater depth would be necessary in the future.