What is Community Acupuncture?

Community Acupuncture is a more affordable and more effective type of acupuncture. Instead of having people in individual rooms, we treat in a large group room. Many people find it comforting to have others nearby rather than being in a room all alone. Community acupuncture is more effective because of the healing energy created by the group.

What should I expect?

You will be surrounded by other people quietly receiving treatment at the same time. The soothing atmosphere in our clinic exists because all of our patients create it by relaxing together. Patients benefit in many ways from the community setting. In our busy society, it is not often we stop and take time to relax while surrounded by our peers. This is not a lack of privacy but an opportunity to experience treatment with family, friends and community. As with any intentional group endeavor, the shared state makes individual treatments more powerful. Here, the patients create the healing atmosphere as much as the practitioner.

Do I have to take my clothes off for treatment?

Absolutely not. To get ready for a community acupuncture treatment, you just need to roll up your pant legs and shirt sleeves and settle into the reclining chair. Points on the lower arms and legs are the most commonly used. If we need access to areas above the knee or up to the shoulder we’ll ask you to wear shorts or a tee shirt.

Is it effective?

A common concern about community acupuncture is whether it is as effective as regular/private treatment. Since the treatment only uses points on the forearms & lower legs people worry that they are missing out on effective points. No matter what style of acupuncture you receive or with whom, there will be excellent and effective points used, and good points that are not chosen. No style of acupuncture is able to use all acupuncture points at once – and nor should they…that would be way too many needles!

Can you still treat my…..?

Lots of people ask if we can still treat back pain using points in the forearms or legs. Yes! There are very effective points in the hand, wrist and ankles to treat back pain, and headaches, and stress and… This distal (using points far from the location of pain) style of acupuncture is quite effective and can be much more comfortable to receive.

Why the Community Model?

Acupuncture is a PROCESS. You do not just take one pill and expect to get better. In China, a typical treatment protocol for a Chronic condition can be acupuncture 2-3 times a week for 2-3 months! Most of our patients do not need that much acupuncture. But virtually everyone requires a course of treatment, rather than a single one. Because community acupuncture is more affordable and people can actually get the number of treatments they need we have found it to be more effective. See the post on “5 Benefits of Regular Acupuncture” for more information.

Give it a Try

Ready to give community acupuncture a try? Come visit me at Ren Acupuncture & Massage in Kensington.

Resources:

Rohleder, L. (2009). Acupuncture is like noodles: The Little Red (Cook) Book of Working Class Acupuncture. Working Class Acupuncture.

Rohleder, L., & Van Meter, S. (2012). The Little Red Book of Community Acupuncture for Practitioners (10th ed.). Working Class Acupuncture.

Community Acupuncture in Santa Barbara, CA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAMXgZ3xyHo