A Pilot Test on Stop-Smoking and Development of HBN-001

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

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.

최근 수명 연장 등으로 건강에 대한 관심이 높아지면서 흡연자들의 금연에 대한 욕구가 높아지고 있다. 한의학에서는 금연치료법으로 이침요법(Auricular Acupuncturing)을 사용하는데, 저주파 자극을 통하여 금연에 효과 있는 폐점(Lung point)과 내분비점(Endocrine point)을 자극할 수 있는 기기를 만들어 실제 효과가 있는지 알아보았다. 먼저 이혈에 저주파 자극과 헤드셋이 결합된 금연이침저주파자극기(HBN-001)시제품을 개발하였고 이 기기를 이용하여 20명의 피험자에게 Pilot Test를 해보았다. 흡연량은 시술 전 12.19 개비였으며, 5회 이상 시술하여 2주후에는 10.34개비로 줄었으나 통계적으로 유의한 차이는 없었다. 수술 후 흡연에 대한 욕구는 변화 없다 4명(20%), 약간감소 4명(20%), 25-49% 감소 4명(20%), 50-75% 감소 6명(30%), 75-99% 감소 1명(5%), 욕구가 완전히 사라졌다 1명(5%) 이었다. 담배 맛의 변화에 대해서는 피험자 중 약간 좋아졌다 2명(10%), 변화없다 7명(35%), 약간 나빠졌다 6명(30%), 많이 나빠졌다 5명(25%) 이었다. Pilot Test 상으로는 긍정적으로 금연을 도울 수 있을 것으로 보이며, 향후 더 깊은 연구가 필요할 것으로 보인다.