A Randomized Controlled Trial of Foot Reflexology in Treatment of Tobacco Addiction: Pilot Study

Abstract

This study was a double-blind randomized controlled trial conducted in 74 tobacco addicts, enrolled in four Smart Quit clinics and allocated using the block-of-4 technique, from 1 June 2012 to 28 February 2013. The objectives, methods and benefits of the study were explained to both the experimental and the control groups. Trained therapists applied acupressure at the assigned foot reflexology zones twice a week for all participants. The results showed that smoking cessation rates were 47.6% in the experimental group and only 12.5% in the control group (p<0.05). The cessation was achieved after receiving 1 to 11 treatments – an average of 5 treatments. Among them, 69.05% in the experimental group versus 43.75% in the control group reported changes in cigarette taste. At the end of the study, the experimental group had a significantly lower carbon monoxide level in exhaled breath compared to that in the control group (p<0.05). The smoking cessation was not found to be associated with the tastes and types of cigarettes as well as the duration, severity and causes of addiction. In the experimental group, the smoking cessation rates were found to be 42.86% at 1 and 3 months and 38.1% at 6 months after treatment initiation. In conclusion, foot reflexology is effective in treating smoking addiction, and on average the smoking cessation was achieved after receiving 5 treatments.