Ann Arbor Community Acupuncture
Simple. Effective. Affordable.
$25-$50 Sliding Scale Acupuncture Treatments
Ann Arbor Community Acupuncture is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides acupuncture treatments for a variety of health conditions. Our mission is to provide effective and affordable acupuncture for our community. By offering treatments on a $25-$50 sliding scale (plus $10 for the first visit), we hope to make natural and alternative medicine more accessible. You pay what you can – no questions asked.
Community acupuncture is a growing movement with the goal of creating social change in healthcare. This movement is led by the People’s Organization of Community Acupuncture (POCA), a co-op made up of acupuncturists, patients, and volunteers. Ann Arbor Community Acupuncture is a proud clinic member of POCA. We are excited to help spread community acupuncture throughout Michigan.
Our Acupuncturists
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Evan Lebow-Wolf, LAC
ACUPUNCTURIST
Evan is very interested in both the traditional aspects of Chinese medicine and the modern research and application of acupuncture, and he strives to incorporate both in his practice. He believes that, at its heart, acupuncture is a simple, effective, and inexpensive method for treating many conditions, and he is passionate about keeping acupuncture affordable and accessible.
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Cheryl Wong, ND, LAC
ACUPUNCTURIST
Dr. Wong values evidence-based therapies in complementary and alternative medicine. She grew up surrounded by Chinese medicine and nutrition, and she wants to share their application prioritizing safety and efficacy. She believes acupuncture is an integral part of maintaining health.
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Kierstin DeWitt, ND, LAc
ACUPUNCTURIST
Dr. DeWitt resonates with the mission to make Acupuncture more widely available and affordable and is excited to be a part of the AACA team. She has a passion for understanding chronic pain, addiction, anxiety, insomnia, and more.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a complete system of medicine used in China for over 2000 years. It utilizes the insertion of very fine, sterile, stainless steel needles into points that access the body’s natural energy flow called “Qi.” It is especially effective for stress, anxiety/depression, insomnia, acute and chronic pain, reproductive issues, allergies, and acute and chronic neurological complaints. Most people respond the best when acupuncture is used frequently, regularly, and started early in the course of a condition.
Community Acupuncture
Community acupuncture is a way to receive acupuncture in a group setting. Since acupuncture is most effective when treatment is used on a regular basis, community acupuncture allows people to get the amount of treatments they need in a shorter amount of time. In fact, this is still the way acupuncture is administered in hospitals across China. Often, profound healing can occur in a surrounding during which everyone shares the common goal of optimal wellbeing.
About Ann Arbor Community Acupuncture
Our mission at Ann Arbor Community Acupuncture is to provide effective and affordable acupuncture treatments for our community. When it comes to health and well-being, we want to put all our energy and focus on you getting better rather than on how you pay for it. In the United States, acupuncture at private clinics is often over $100 per treatment. Multiple treatments are often necessary for the highest benefit, which makes the cost of treatment the biggest barrier preventing Americans from using acupuncture. By offering a sliding scale between $25 to $50, we hope to make it more accessible to more people. You pay what you can–no questions asked.
Ann Arbor Community Acupuncture was founded by Evan Lebow-Wolf and Dr. Cheryl Wong in 2015. Since opening, we have provided over 30,000 treatments. In 2017, the clinic converted to a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. The idea behind offering community acupuncture as a nonprofit is long-term sustainability. For a number of reasons, we have seen other community clinics in Michigan close their doors or change business models in the past few years. But as a non-profit and publicly-owned charity we hope to provide this resource for many years to come.
Ann Arbor Community Acupuncture is a clinic member of POCA (People’s Organization of Community Acupuncture) and NAFC (The National Association of Charitable and Free Clinics).
Board of Directors
Evan Lebow-Wolf, President, senior acupuncturist
Kathleen Carroll, Secretary
Sansanee Craig, MD, Treasurer
Address
2500 Packard St. Suite 100 Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Scheduling is Easy
By Phone: (734) 780-7253
Office Hours
Monday 9:30a-4p
Tuesday 2p-8p
Wednesday 9:30a-8p
Thursday 12:30p-8p
Friday 10a-5p
Saturday 9:30a-4p
FAQs
What should I expect at the first acupuncture visit?
Plan to arrive 5-10 minutes before your first appointment to fill out a brief consent form and intake form. The acupuncturist will call you into the office to get your health history and treatment goals, go over what to expect from the visit and answer any additional questions you have (~10-15 minutes). Then the acupuncturist will lead you into the treatment room for the acupuncture treatment (usually about 45 minutes at the first visit though treatment times vary widely). It is helpful to wear loose comfortable clothing.
How do I know it’s working?
Everyone is different and the range of responses after acupuncture is vast. For most people, you can expect about 1-3 days of decreased intensity and/or frequency of your chief complaint. Usually after each subsequent visit, you will see longer lasting results. When you find your ailment is gone or more manageable, you can start to decrease the frequency of your visits. We typically ask people to try to commit to 3-4 treatments at first in order to understand how they respond to acupuncture and what it is doing for them.
For others, you may not notice any change in your chief complaint. However, you may notice that your sleep, energy, mood, or appetite regularity is better. Acupuncture works when you can get it frequently and regularly. (This is the whole reason we try to make it affordable and accessible!) Very often, we see people improve over time and they are able to use acupuncture as one of their tools for managing symptoms that affect their quality of life.
How much are the treatments?
We charge on a sliding scale. No income verification needed. Pay whatever you want within the scale. The first visit is $35-$60. Return visits are $25-$50.
Does my insurance cover acupuncture?
Acupuncture insurance coverage is limited. Many plans still require a copay of $25-$50. We do not bill insurance at our office. Check with your insurance company to see if they cover acupuncture. If needed, we can provide you with a receipt for reimbursement.
What does it help with?
Acupuncture can be helpful for a wide variety of complaints. Check out the 72 conditions the World Health Organization considers to be treatable through acupuncture.
Do you work with any community organizations?
We partner with Dawn Farm, an addiction recovery program, to provide acupuncture services to their clients.
Where does the treatment take place?
We have a large community acupuncture treatment room with 7 recliners. Two table rooms, one of which has an additional 2 recliners. The room is dimly lit, cozy and relaxing.
Does acupuncture hurt?
When the needle is first inserted, you may feel a slight prick or nothing at all. It is common to feel a heavy sensation at the point after awhile. You should not feel a sharp pain that lasts more than a few seconds, and should let the acupuncturist know if you do so they can adjust the needle.
Tell me more about the acupuncture needles.
The acupuncture needles we use are hair-thin, either made of stainless steel or polycarbonate, and are sterile packed for one time use only. After each package is open and used, the needles are disposed in biohazard bins.
Can I read or use my phone during the treatment?
Using your phone or reading is discouraged during the acupuncture treatment. An acupuncture treatment is like meditation on supercharge. Concentrating with a phone or a book engages brain activity that interferes with that process. Furthermore, increasing that type of activity can be disruptive to others’ treatments in the treatment room
What other services do you offer?
We may recommend cupping, moxa, or electroacupuncture case-by-case. If the acupuncturist thinks these additional services can help you reach your health outcomes, they will discuss it with you before your treatment. There is no extra charge for these services. We may also recommend Chinese herbal therapies as needed as well. There is an additional cost for herbal products.
How are you addressing communicable diseases in a shared space?
Over the years since the COVID pandemic, we have doubled the size of our clinic to accommodate more social distancing, while reducing the number of chairs in the treatment room. Each chair is 10-15 feet apart from head to head. The use of masks is recommended. Practitioners continue to use masks. We use hand sanitizer between each patient interaction. Sheets are changed and washed for each patient’s chair. We disinfect surfaces regularly throughout the day. We continue to follow the most recent research and guidelines from public health experts. We are proud to continue to offer a setting for group healing that feels safe and relaxing.
How do you treat back pain in a community setting?
For chronic back pain, we typically treat using distal acupuncture points while you sit in a recliner. This means that we use points in the arms and legs that help relieve back pain. We mostly use Dr. Tan method and Master Tung points that help with pain that is not at the site of needle insertion. We do have tables for lying face down, so we can place needles directly in the back. We usually reserve this for acute back pain or on a case-by-case basis depending on patients’ responses and needs. At your acupuncture visit, the acupuncturist will discuss with you if this is an appropriate option for your case.
How does acupuncture work?
Loads of research about acupuncture’s mechanisms of actions and theories on how acupuncture works exist out there. In terms of why placing a needle in a particular point elicits specific health responses remains a mystery. Until we can develop a way to visualize meridians, we are only stuck with pieces of the puzzle. We know that acupuncture treatments increase the production of endogenous endorphins and neurotransmitters, regulate inflammatory cytokines and hormones, and creates oscillating brain wave activity between Alpha and Theta brain wave states. In tissues where a needle is placed, substance P (one chemical responsible for the sensation of pain) decreases, and capillaries vasodilate and blood cells release prostaglandins and glutamate, and much more. In other words, a lot of neurobiochemistry is going on all at once during an acupuncture treatment that generally supports your body’s ability to regulate pain, inflammation and increase circulation. However, the best part of getting acupuncture is that you don’t have to think about any of it, and your job is to just relax and let your body do the work.
What’s the story with community acupuncture?
Before the 1970s, when relations between the US and China opened, acupuncture was not widely used outside of Asia. In China, patients received acupuncture at the hospital in shared rooms. This therapeutic tool became more widespread in the US, but the profession was developing it into more of a specialty spa-like treatment, which was expensive and not affordable for most people. A group of acupuncturists were influenced by the Lincoln Detox project, a program that the Black Panthers and the Young Lords started in the South Bronx to treat heroin addiction recovery. At the Lincoln Detox project, patients received a simple acupuncture treatment in a group setting. The treatment was easy and affordable to administer and produced effective results. These acupuncturists began experimenting with new clinic models to make acupuncture more affordable and accessible. Community acupuncture was born! A cooperative of clinics called POCA (People’s Organization of
Community Acupuncture) formed to help support those who wanted to provide
the service across the country.
Make a donation
Support our mission by contributing today. Suppose you want to support us, but you don’t like needles. Or you do like needles, and want to support our mission further. You can still help by making a tax deductible donation or asking your employer to make a year-end donation.
