By Susan Elise Campbell<\/p>\n
When he was in his teens, Jacob Laurent picked up books at Crandall Library about acupressure, massage, and therapies that help relieve people of pain. Years later Laurent would apply what he had researched about the science of acupuncture along with his own experience, and a new career path formed.<\/p>\n
That path lead to Saratoga Springs Community Acupuncture, which opened the end of last year at 18 Lake Avenue in downtown Saratoga. The occasion was marked by a ribbon cutting with Saratoga Chamber of Commerce in December.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was already adjacent to the industry because my wife, Lauren Burke, is a massage therapist,\u201d he said. \u201cShe had been considering a transition from massage to acupuncture for a few years, so we decided to enroll in a masters program and do it together.\u201d<\/p>\n
Laurent and Burke scouted out educational opportunities and chose the three-year program at New England School of Acupuncture, the nation\u2019s oldest accredited acupuncture college. They graduated two years ago, passed the board exams, and obtained their state licenses.<\/p>\n
Acupuncture is a treatment of choice worldwide for growing numbers of sufferers of back pain, migraines, or even a minor sports injury, as well as stress and anxiety. It provides a pain-free way to get results and avoid harsh drugs and ultimately surgery without side effects, Laurent said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI am passionate about helping people through the power of traditional Chinese medicine,\u201d he said. \u201cAcupuncture is based on the ancient method of harmonizing internal networks, or meridians.\u201d \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But the business model Laurent and Burke chose for their practice is quite contemporary and, according to him, a growing trend.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span>\u201cA group of acupuncturists who had been practicing for decades on the west coast in the early 2000s realized their business model could look more like physical therapy clinics, where all get treated in the room together,\u201d he said. \u201cYou really don\u2019t have to disrobe much to receive acupuncture.\u201d<\/p>\n This group coined the term \u201ccommunity acupuncture\u201d and became People\u2019s Organization of Community Acupuncture, said Laurent. The non-profit\u2019s stated mission is \u201cto work cooperatively to increase accessibility to and availability of affordable group acupuncture treatments.\u201d<\/p>\n Some community acupuncturists set up their spaces for high volume with a circle of recliner chairs open to one another. But Laurent said they limit their workload to five patients per hour and these lie on massage tables separated by privacy curtains.<\/p>\n Part of the treatment may also involve cupping, infrared heat lamps and high-quality topical herbs and ointments, so in this regard as well, Laurent and Burke\u2019s practice is a bit different from those of other community acupuncturists.<\/p>\n The cost savings for patients can be considerable. Saratoga Spring Community Acupuncture charges $60 for the first visit, which includes an initial consultation and evaluation, and $45 thereafter. The price for a private visit elsewhere can range from $75 to $250 for a separate room.<\/p>\n Pricing is comparable to a co-pay under an individual\u2019s health plan, Laurent said. More and more insurance plans are covering acupuncture treatment, and although his practice is not accepting insurance, patients may have the option of turning in receipts for reimbursement.<\/p>\n \u201cThe idea is to be affordable so people can pay out of pocket,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s one of the concepts COPA was working with 20 years ago to get people into the door for the help they need.\u201d<\/p>\n Acupuncture requires frequency, said Laurent. Sessions can be weekly for six to eight weeks or more, depending on the condition.<\/p>\n \u201cIf the cost over time is too high, most people won\u2019t be able to see if acupuncture could treat the condition they are worried about,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Treatments involve tiny needles that people are naturally curious about. The experts say some may experience a momentary sensation \u201csimilar to a mosquito bite\u201d as a needle is inserted, although most feel nothing at all.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Laurent\u2019s first experience with acupuncture was at a community practice in Glens Falls. The clinic was offering a complimentary treatment for new patients and at the time he was a laborer suffering knee pain, \u201cprobably stemming from all the skateboarding and snowboarding\u201d when he was younger.<\/p>\n He said \u201cit really worked\u201d and that \u201cthe experience really solidified going into community acupuncture as a business model.\u201d<\/p>\n Saratoga Springs Community Acupuncture has started at a time when acceptance toward acupuncture is trending higher than ever. New England School of Acupuncture where Laurent and Burke trained is responsible for getting acupuncture within hospitals in the Boston area, he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat college was purchased by Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, so I actually went to a western medical college that purchased an acupuncture program because they believe in the future of the integration.\u201d<\/p>\n There is still a lot of education that needs to be done to help ordinary people understand what acupuncture is and how it works, especially in regard to how it can integrate with more traditional therapies, according to Laurent.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cPeople are looking for options outside of the pharmaceutical realm,\u201d he said. \u201cA lot of times we can show that, if given a shot before committing to a pharmaceutical or a surgery, we can treat many conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAt least we can keep symptoms down so the patient doesn\u2019t have to take a treatment plan they don\u2019t really want,\u201d he said. \u201cThere are thousands of research studies showing acupuncture can treat almost anything under the sun.\u201d<\/p>\n Laurent and Burke develop a customized plan for relief from each patient\u2019s conditions and for achieving their personal health goals. Acupuncture, \u201cthe heart and soul\u201d of their clinic, can increase circulation, reduce inflammation, release endorphins, lower stress hormones, support immunity, and influence pain processing in the brain.<\/p>\n Other services include cupping for stress relief and muscle damage, buccal massage for treating TMJ, light and other therapies for facial reparation, and massage for its many physical and mental health benefits, Laurent said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe are here to support you in feeling your best,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Visit saratogaspringscommunityacupuncture.com for more infomation about services and to book an appointment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Susan Elise Campbell When he was in his teens, Jacob Laurent picked up books at Crandall Library about acupressure, massage, and therapies that help relieve people of pain. Years later Laurent would apply what he had researched about the science of acupuncture along with his own experience, and a new career path formed. That […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":89,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-40495","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-business-news"],"yoast_head":"\r\n