Acupuncture has been a community based medicine for most of its long history. In Asia, acupuncture has traditionally been practiced in group rather than individual settings. For acupuncture to be most effective, patients need to receive it frequently and regularly—far more frequently and regularly than most insurance plans will pay for. As acupuncture has moved toward the mainstream, it has been forced into a paradigm of one-on-one treatments and high prices, which has decreased not only patient access but treatment efficacy.
Tucson Community Acupuncture is part of a growing movement of clinics that are returning to this tradition. Community acupuncturists focus on using “distal” points (below the knee and elbow, and on the head and neck) so that patients can remain fully clothed during treatment. Community acupuncture clinics often use recliners rather than treatment tables, which many patients find more relaxing.
Learn more about the Community Acupuncture:
Community Acupuncture Network – Nonprofit organization of practitioners, patients, and supporters whose goal is to make acupuncture more affordable and accessible by promoting the practice of offering acupuncture in community settings.
CAN Locate a Clinic – Not in Tucson? Find a community acupuncture clinic near you.
Acupuncture for All – Article about community acupuncture in the Winter 2008 issue of Yes! Magazine.