The Magic of Acupuncture

Five weeks into seeking out an acupuncturist for relief of chronic back pain which has over the years lead to sleep disturbance, higher levels of stress and the general feeling of being trapped by a condition that was robbing me of improved quality of life, I am a living witness of the benefits of acupuncture.
My practitioner, Kim of Revive Community Acupuncture, begins treatment with a check in of how I have been since my last treatment and proceeds to place the needles on different points of my body based on our conversation. The thing I find most interesting about acupuncture, other than it has greatly improved my state of wellbeing, I almost immediately go into a sleep state but I do not realize I have drifted off, awakening about an hour later.
Sadly, acupuncture is not covered by all insurances making populations I believe could benefit most, seniors, the disabled and those with limited finances no access to this therapy that has been shown by research to be beneficial. On the positive side, some areas are fortunate to have Community Acupuncture Clinics which offer acupuncture in a group setting on a sliding scale fee based on your own determination of what you can afford ($15 -$35 per session), making it much more affordable.
The main thing is you must keep an open mind and do not have expectations of overnight results. You must , like with any treatment, adhere to the establish plan of care and be patient. For me acupuncture has become part of my lifetime wellness plan. My hope is that this alternative therapy will be recognized by all insurers, especially Medicare/Medicaid and that the Community Acupuncture Movement can expand all over the world. You can do your part to help the growth of clinics by joining People's Organization of Community Acupuncture. It is the visible increase of interest that helps generate clinics opening in areas where currently none are available.