Doctor Ervolino's Community Acupuncture of the Treasure Coast
Providing Low-Cost Integrative Care for the Treasure Coast Community

1. How does a community acupuncture clinic work?
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.

Community acupuncture clinics represent a return to 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. Many patients prefer a community setting because they find it more relaxing; or, as one patient put it,

"I'm not sure why I ever spent $100 to put on a hospital gown and lie in a cold little cubicle. Acupuncture is acupuncture, and it works wherever you do it. I like having other people around; you can feel the healing energy in the room."

2. Is community acupuncture the same as public health?
No. Public health clinics rely on some combination of grants, government subsidies, and/or donations. Community acupuncture clinics rely on fees charged to the patients: a classic private sector practice. In addition public health clinics are strictly non-profit entities. Community acupuncture clincs can be either non-profit or for profit companies. In practice, most are for profit.

3. What days is the Community Acupuncture Clinic open and where are you located?
We are open Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Address is: 1320 South Federal Highway, Suite 203, Stuart, FL 34994 (see map below)

4. Are there after-work hours for people who work?
Initially we will start with one day a week for after-work hours. That day is Wednesday. If need be we will schedule more time for after-work treatment.

5. What are the costs of treatment?
Patients are charged on a sliding scale from $25-$40 per half hour session. The patient chooses a level of payment which they can afford.

6. Do you use herbs and supplements at the Community Acupuncture Clinic?
Yes we do. If you want an herbal consult then you schedule time for that and pay an additional fee that matches the fee you choose for your acupuncture. If you prefer to just have an herbal consult then you choose the fee you can afford.

7. Why is the treatment time 15-20 minutes in Community Acupuncture?
In the Chinese medical classic called "The Yellow Emperor" which is generally regarded as the oldest volume on the subject in existence and also called "The Nan Jing", there is a discussion on treatment time in chapter 23. The conclusion in chapter 23 is that treatment time should be 15-20 minutes in length. It was discovered through Daoist meditation practices that Qi and Blood move through the meridians at the rate of six cun* for each complete inhalation and exhalation. The total length of the Meridians and Collaterals equals 1620 cun (Nan Jing, Chapter 23). 1620 divided by 6 equals 270, so it is said that 270 breaths are required for Qi to make one complete cycle through the body. However, this number could vary based on a person's breath rate. If a person breathes 14 times/minute, it will take 20 minutes (270/14) for Qi to make a complete cycle. If a person breathes 18 times/minute, only 15 minutes (270/18) will be needed for Qi to make the complete cycle. Therefore, according to the Nan Jing, treatment time can be calculated around 15-20 minutes.
*Cun is a Chinese proportional unit of length; pronounced "chun".

8. How do I make an appointment?
You can make an appointment by going to www.dr-er.com and choosing the appointment tab on the home page. There you will see a calendar. Once you have chosen a date scroll down the page and choose your time. Then fill out the patient information. You will be sent an e-mail reminding you of your appointment. You may call Dr. Ervolino at 772-341-0326 and make an appointment as well but realize he is often busy and may not be available.

Dr. Ervolino's Community Acupuncture Clinic is a part of a growing community acupuncture concept, which has the goal of making acupuncture more affordable and accessible to more patients. Dr. Ervolino will see up to five patients at a time for a 30-minute acupuncture treatment. 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. The fee will be based on a sliding scale of between $20 and $45 per treatment, depending on the person's ability to pay. In comparison, an individual appointment costs $120 for the first visit and $90 thereafter for each one hour session.
Dr. Ervolino graduated from Bastyr University with a doctorate in naturopathic medicine and a master's degree in acupuncture. He has been practicing on the Treasure Coast since 1999, and has also worked at the Mind/Body Institute at Jupiter Medical Center. He has served as chairman of the Florida State Board of Acupuncture and senior research editor for Better Nutrition magazine.