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What is 'Community Acupuncture' & How are we different?
The mission behind community acupuncture is to create a model of practice that allows us to provide professional, high-quality acupuncture in a more affordable way than the private practice model. We strongly feel that this medicine can enhance the quality of life of every person, and keeping the price affordable allows this to be possible.
Another important benefit of community acupuncture is that often at the beginning of care, it is helpful to come several times per week to get the best and quickest results from treatment. Buying your treatments in affordable packages can allow you to come more frequently and therefore get better faster. This often leads to less treatments overall, because the cumulative benefits of treatment can take hold much sooner.
Treatments in our clinic happen in a beautiful group space.
Our goal is to have the healing of your treatment begin the moment you walk in our door. The treatments will include neck warmers, ambient music and a warm inviting atmosphere. They will also include all of the high-quality attention that you would hope to receive at a one-on-one acupuncture session.
Another benefit of community-acupuncture is the group healing effect. If you’ve ever gone to a yoga or meditation class, you may have experienced that the effects of your practice were more powerful than alone at home and it felt like there was a healing quality to the space. Practicing healing work within a group environment has been shown to have a collective benefit for your body, mind and spirit.
Another important benefit of community acupuncture is that often at the beginning of care, it is helpful to come several times per week to get the best and quickest results from treatment. Buying your treatments in affordable packages can allow you to come more frequently and therefore get better faster. This often leads to less treatments overall, because the cumulative benefits of treatment can take hold much sooner.
Treatments in our clinic happen in a beautiful group space.
Our goal is to have the healing of your treatment begin the moment you walk in our door. The treatments will include neck warmers, ambient music and a warm inviting atmosphere. They will also include all of the high-quality attention that you would hope to receive at a one-on-one acupuncture session.
Another benefit of community-acupuncture is the group healing effect. If you’ve ever gone to a yoga or meditation class, you may have experienced that the effects of your practice were more powerful than alone at home and it felt like there was a healing quality to the space. Practicing healing work within a group environment has been shown to have a collective benefit for your body, mind and spirit.
How does Acupuncture work? What's the science?
- Modern scientific research has shown acupuncture to have specific biological effects: Acupuncture promotes the release of endorphins and enkephalins, which are pain-blocking biochemicals. When these hormones are released, blood flow in the body improves, carrying with it beneficial nutrients, hormones and oxygen to the tissues and organs.
- Acupuncture influences the cellular matrix of connective tissue.
- Functional MRI studies have shown acupuncture to stimulate regions of the brain that correlate to the treated acupuncture points.
- Acupuncture activates the parasympathetic nervous system to move the body into a balanced state known as homeostasis. This takes us out of the ‘fight or flight’ mode of the sympathetic nervous system, into more of the ‘rest and restore’ mode of the parasympathetic nervous system.
How many treatments will I need?
One of the basic tenets of Chinese medicine is that prevention is always better than needing a cure. Most people come in with several health imbalances that need attention. Correcting these imbalances can vary from taking just a few treatments to a few months or even years of regular acupuncture. The more chronic the condition, the more treatments it will require.
Once the patient is feeling well, coming in for acupuncture as part of their self-care routine will help maintain the results in the clinic and prevent new issues from arising. Frequency of wellness visits can vary from weekly, bi-weekly, monthly and even seasonally. Each person is unique and so are their plans. Your practitioner will recommend the plan that seems best for you.
Once the patient is feeling well, coming in for acupuncture as part of their self-care routine will help maintain the results in the clinic and prevent new issues from arising. Frequency of wellness visits can vary from weekly, bi-weekly, monthly and even seasonally. Each person is unique and so are their plans. Your practitioner will recommend the plan that seems best for you.
Does Acupuncture hurt?
Besides asking if acupuncture works, this is the most commonly asked question by anyone new to acupuncture and reasonably so. Acupuncture needles are hair thin and when inserted by a qualified practitioner will quickly bypass all of your pain receptors which lie just beneath the skin.
Once inserted the needles should feel completely pain-free, although a Qi sensation of a dull ache, tingling or heaviness is often felt. This is a very positive sign that the treatments are having a beneficial effect and should not at all be painful or uncomfortable.
That being said, they are still needles and are sometimes felt during the insertion. This sensation should pass immediately and if it does not, we will remove the needle. Always communicate to your practitioner if a needle is feeling painful or uncomfortable.
Once inserted the needles should feel completely pain-free, although a Qi sensation of a dull ache, tingling or heaviness is often felt. This is a very positive sign that the treatments are having a beneficial effect and should not at all be painful or uncomfortable.
That being said, they are still needles and are sometimes felt during the insertion. This sensation should pass immediately and if it does not, we will remove the needle. Always communicate to your practitioner if a needle is feeling painful or uncomfortable.
Are the Acupuncture needles safe?
At Open Circle Acupuncture & Healing we only use pre-sterilized disposable needles that are disposed of in a biohazard container immediately after use.
Do we treat children and young adults?
Our clinic can treat all children 8 years and older who are comfortable with needle insertions and able to be in our group treatment space. If the child is really nervous but interested we can arrange to have them come in to meet us, see the space and experience what a needle insertion feels like, to see if it is something that might work for them. Acupuncture tends to be very effective and very powerful for children and it often doesn't take many sessions before they experience some very positive results. Also, most young people are pleasantly surprised that they hardly feel the needles at all! We also have press balls for the ear that can enhance treatment results and pediatric Chinese herbal tinctures when indicated.
Do we bill insurance companies for acupuncture?
Open Circle Acupuncture and Healing is not a provider for any insurance companies, including and not limited to: Medicare, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mass, Tufts, Mass Health, Harvard Pilgrim, Aetna, Cigna, and United Health Care.
Since Open Circle Acupuncture and Healing does not bill insurance, payment is due at time of service. We accept the following forms of payment: cash, credit cards including Master Card, Visa, American Express and Discover and personal checks.
Since Open Circle Acupuncture and Healing does not bill insurance, payment is due at time of service. We accept the following forms of payment: cash, credit cards including Master Card, Visa, American Express and Discover and personal checks.
Enjoy our TV debut on Shrewsbury Media Connection where we talk about how acupuncture works and demonstrate that it doesn't hurt!!
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