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Acupuncturist Tess Bois relieves some of the effects Vincent Tata feels after undergoing oral surgery by giving him regular treatments in his arms and hands. PRIDE PHOTO/ CAROLINE KERAS Irene LeBlanc was tired of chronic pain in many areas of her body, but she was not ready to undergo back surgery yet again. As time kept passing, however, her other options were becoming seemingly more limited.

"They kept sending me to different doctors and trying different things, but nothing was working," she said.

In a last ditch effort to avoid going under the knife, LeBlanc decided to try acupuncture.

Her research brought her to Tess Bois, acupuncturist, and the owner of One World Community Acupuncture in Fitchburg.

Like many of Bois' clients, LeBlanc was drawn to the reasonable price of a treatment. She charges between $15 and $35 per treatment, depending on what the client can afford. After their appointment is finished, the patient puts cash or a check into a drop box that is collected later by Bois. Bois never knows how much was given in by each person.

Because most patients respond most positively to acupuncture when they have a minimum of three sessions a week at the start of an acupuncture regimen, treatments at traditional medical practices can become very costly, very quickly.

"We haven't really made it accessible to the common man, but the common man really needs it," said Bois. "We want to separate money from care."

The cost of Bois' treatments was also a draw for Stephanie, one of Bois' patients, who had tried treatments with another doctor, but was forced to stop because it was getting too expensive.

As soon as she arrived at One World, though, she knew that she had finally gotten her treatment right.

"I walked in and said, 'Yup, I'm in the right place,'" said Stephanie.

The dim lighting and smooth background music immediately put Stephanie at ease, allowing her to focus on her treatment, although that it not always on the forefront of her mind.

"Once you get the pins in you, you just want to relax," said Stephanie.

The zero-gravity chairs that patients sit in during a session do not hurt their ability to relax either. Many patients fall asleep for two or three hours at a time.

"I have had some patients with back pain go home and buy one," said Bois.

Although Bois can be rotating her time between up to ten patients in a given time block, none of her patients feel their privacy is jeopardized.

"You don't feel like you don't have privacy," said Stephanie.

In those private discussions, Bois either asks for a few more details of her client's aliments, based on what was put in a medical disclosure sheet that is required before receiving treatment, or asks a returning client how they are feeling after their last session. The course of treatment may be tweaked a bit each session, because acupuncture is not an exact science.

"We may not place a needle on the site of pain but on the ends of its energetic pathways, most often found on the patients' arms and/or legs," according to the Web site for One World.

According to Bois, many patients find at least a bit of relief for such aliments as premenstrual syndrome, migraines, toothaches, constipation, depression, and arthritis after determining which of the 12 energy pathways needs to be treated.

"A lot of my clients are pleasantly surprised about their response to acupuncture," said Bois.

Between 60 and 70 percent of her clients come to her after being referred by someone else who receives acupuncture.

Those who are nervous about needles get over it after their first visit, according to Bois.

"Most people aren't as afraid as they think they are," said Bois.

Because of the recent popularity of acupuncture, Bois has seen her practice grow dramatically since she opened the clinic a few years ago.

"I saw about three people on my first day, and now I see about 75 to 80 people every week," said Bois.

For those who are still a little leery about acupuncture, Bois is giving away a free session on Saturday, May 1, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the One World Community Acupuncture office, located at 244 Walton St. in Fitchburg.

"To give away acupuncture is also a way to educate about acupuncture," said Bois.

One World Community Acupuncture is open from 9 until 11 a.m. and 2 until 7 p.m. on Tuesday, 11 a.m. until 1:45 p.m. on Wednesday, 9 a.m. until noon on Thursday, 2 until 7 p.m. on Friday, and 3:30 until 6:30 on Sunday. For questions about services, or to book an appointment,

Additional information:

Acupuncture in the Treatment of Depression
Amazon.com: Acupuncture in the Treatment of Depression A Manual
Acupuncture and Depression Treatment
Acupuncture found effective against depression during pregnancy
Acupuncture in the Treatment of Depression Elsevier
Acupuncture for Depression Video Series eHow Videos
Can Acupuncture Cure Pregnancy-Related Depression Healthy
Studies investigate usefulness of acupuncture in treating clinical
Acupuncture May Help Alleviate Depression During Pregnancy On
Acupuncture may help to alleviate depression
http://www.fitchburgpride.com/...

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