Our Services
At Sarana Community Acupuncture, we offer a variety of treatments to fit your specific needs, acupuncture, herbs, and cupping. If you are unsure about which is for you, our practitioners can help you determine which method will best suit your individual health and preferences. With a range of services including acupuncture, herbs, and cupping, we are dedicated to helping you achieve optimal health and wellness.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture theory says that qi (pronounced chee), circulates throughout the body in specific patterns, referred to as channels or meridians. Acupuncture needles help regulate the flow of qi. Because qi travels all over the body through these channels, internally and externally, acupuncture can activate points on the channels to affect conditions all over the body, even if the needles are not close to the body part or region being targeted.
Acupuncture can effectively treat many ailments, including: allergies, asthma, anxiety, arthritis, back pain, colds, cough, effects of chemotherapy, fatigue, headache, immunity, indigestion, muscle injuries, numbness, PMS, skin problems, and stress.​ For context, acupuncture is considered to be a primary care modality in California, so a good rule of thumb is to try acupuncture for anything you might go to your PCP about.
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After needle insertion, you may feel sensations indicating the awakening of qi flow. The sensations vary depending on multiple factors, including where the point is located, how you are feeling, and the techniques used. These sensations may include warmth, heaviness, a slight ache, tingling or numbness. Many people report feeling deeply relaxed and elevated in spirit during and after receiving acupuncture.
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Although science has not yet been able to explain the precise physiological mechanisms of how acupuncture works, many studies have shown that it does work in measurable ways, including the ability of acupuncture to stimulate the body’s natural release of neurotransmitters.
Cupping
Cupping is a healing modality used for thousands of years to promote circulation, ease pain, release muscle tension, clear heat and expel toxins. Cupping pulls carbon dioxide and other cell waste from the deeper muscle layer to the surface of the skin, allowing the body to more easily flush out toxins and improve circulation in the local area. Cupping is beneficial for back pain, shoulder tension, improving range of motion, respiratory condition (asthma/bronchitis/common cold), anxiety and stress release.
Cupping is available on Fridays and Sundays, from 9:30am to 11:30 am, for returning clients.
If you're new to Sarana, you'll need to come in for an acupuncture visit before you can receive cupping.
Chinese Herbs
Acupuncturists sometimes prescribe Chinese herbs as part of treatment. Herbal medicines are charged separately from acupuncture.
Chinese herbal medicine has been tested and proven effective by thousands of years of practice. Traditionally herbs are used to treat both the symptoms of the illness and the underlying root of the disharmony, according to individualized diagnosis. Herbs are usually combined into formulas that enhance their effectiveness.
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We sell a variety of herbal formulas in tablet form, as well as moxibustion supplies and other topical preparations. If none of the tablets we carry address your concerns, we can special order items for you, or you can schedule an Herbal Consultation and one of our acupuncturists will create a customized granule formula to meet your specific needs. To learn more about Herbal Consultations, email us.
Sliding Scale
We are a community-supported clinic with the goal to make acupuncture and related services accessible at affordable rates to as many people as possible because we believe price should not be a barrier to receiving healthcare. Our sliding scale allows you to decide what you can pay.
We accept cash, personal checks, cards issued by Visa, MasterCard, and Discover (including debit and HSA/FSA cards), and virtual wallets (e.g. Apple Pay and Google Pay). If you would like to save time, you can add your payment card to your profile in our secure scheduling system.
For a complete listing of our prices, click on "How much do you charge?" below.