By Pam Djelidi, Inspire Contributor
Patrick Oberle, D.C., has helped hundreds of St. Louisans overcome an addiction that is four times stronger than heroin: nicotine. In this interview, he explains how a simple electrical impulse stimulating the outer ear can change a lifetime of bondage and poor health.
Inspire Magazine (INSPIRE): Dr. Oberle, how do you help people become non-smokers?
Dr. Oberle (DR): I use a revolutionary procedure called Auricular Therapy. It is based on the same principles as acupuncture, but without the pain and needles. It's a very light electrical stimulation to precise points on the external ear which eliminate nicotine cravings.
INSPIRE: How do electrical impulses have such an effect?
DR: Well, these painless impulses either stimulate (excite) or sedate (calm) specific regions in your brain. There are seven points that I treat. The most important is the one connected to the addiction center in your central brain. We sedate that particular point and the result is that your brain communicates to the rest of the body that you are no longer addicted to nicotine. You don't crave nicotine anymore.
INSPIRE: Why do people find it so hard to quit smoking?
DR: Nicotine is four times more addictive than morphine or heroin. Auricular Therapy literally turns off the addiction, immediately. It is unlike other quit-smoking procedure and goes right to the heart of the problem. I wouldn't have believed it was true if I hadn't experienced it myself.
INSPIRE: So you are a former smoker?
DR: Yes, off and on for 30 years. And, it landed me in the hospital with major bypass surgery. Prior to my bypass surgery, I used Auricular Therapy and became a non-smoker. It was while I was rehabbing my heart, that I realized I could use the Auricular Therapy in my clinic to help other people break their addiction to nicotine. I felt that God called me to share the blessing of Auricular Therapy with others.
INSPIRE: How many people have you helped stop smoking?
DR: Between two and three hundred so far. We have about an 85 percent success rate. I wish I could say everyone stops smoking, but we have a free will and people can choose to go back to smoking even when their addiction is broken. The majority of our patients find the freedom that they've wanted for so long, and that makes my work very satisfying.
INSPIRE: Do most smokers know the dangers of smoking today?
DR: I think so. Almost every smoker I meet, deep down in their heart of hearts, wants desperately to stop. Smokers realize all the reasons that they need to become a non-smoker. Consequently, I spend very little time explaining why to quit, and concentrate and encourage them that there is hope and that they can become a non-smoker. My clients know they want to stop; they just need to know how to be helped.
INSPIRE: How do you find patients for Auricular Therapy?
DR: In the past, we have done some direct mail advertising, but for the most part, we rely heavily on referrals from successful patients and medical doctors. A lot of people don't know that doctors are reluctant to do surgery on smokers because their body has 700 percent less healing ability than that of a non-smoker. This has to do primarily with the reduced oxygen concentration in the blood caused by smoking. Another important source of referrals are family members of smokers, who want to see their loved one quit the habit.
INSPIRE: How long does it take?
DR: I spend about 30 minutes with each patient, but the treatment itself only takes about five minutes. The rest of the time I serve as a counselor, coach and consultant. I do my best to help people see that they really can overcome the bondage of nicotine and change their life. After the treatment, I let them know that the addiction is gone; however, there will be times of temptation. I teach a specific coping mechanism for temptation. I think it helps that I am an ex-smoker who has suffered the consequences of this habit. Of course, I also pray for my patients and give them advice on exercise and nutrition.
INSPIRE: Have a lot of smokers given up hope of ever quitting?
DR: Yes. Hopelessness is the most common denominator that I see in smokers. They've failed so many times that they think it's impossible to quit. Our success with other people gives them hope and the signature scripture that we stand on is Philippians 4:13. "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." It's very important that when our patients walk out the door that they see themselves as NON-SMOKERS, not just people who have quit smoking.
Dr. Oberle is the founder and partner at Family Chiropractic Center, serving the St. Louis area for 24 years. He is a graduate of Logan College of Chiropractic and a certified provider and instructor of the Active Release Technique. Family Chiropractic Center has been a member of the Christian Chiropractic Association for over 10 years.