YMCA adds free acupuncture services at 2 Twin Cities locations, no membership needed
ST. PAUL, Minn. – It's an alternative medicine that's growing in popularity.
Acupuncture is known to help heal pain without pills. Now, you can try it out for free every week at the YMCA Midway St. Paul and the Blaisdell Avenue Minneapolis locations.
In this holistic, ancient Chinese practice, an acupuncturist places dozens of thin needles into different points of each person's body to help them heal.
"I feel pretty chilled out," said Bill Wells, who tried out the first day of the free service at the Midway location on Monday morning. "I think my aches and pains are better."
Mary Iverson also came in to try the service, and she wanted to focus her healing around her knee.
"I was in the Dominican Republic about 3.5 weeks ago and capsized in a kayak, and the kayak slammed into my knees, and as a result I tore my MCL," said Iverson. "Acupuncture is my go-to for healing."
Sally St. John is the vice president of whole-person wellbeing at the YMCA. She says this is a unique treatment because it's casual and comfortable. And there's no undressing, like you would in a traditional massage treatment.
"You can actually treat the whole body from the ear, the hand or the foot," said St. John.
She says this natural approach can be used to address ailments, ranging from pain, stress, sleep and even digestive issues.
"Bare minimum, if you're receiving acupuncture, you're definitely going into a meditative state," said St. John.
"It seems to induce like a profound physiological effect. It just induces relaxation," said Iverson.
St. John says you're able to relax with needles in your skin because you can barely feel them.
"The needles are the size of a piece of hair, so you really don't even feel them when they're getting inserted," said St. John.
The goal of this service was to offer it for free so that no one has any financial barriers from receiving this type of treatment.
"I've talked to a couple friends here at the Y, and the reason they haven't gone is because it costs money, so I plan to let them know there's a free clinic here," said Iverson.
This service is walk-ins only at both locations, and you do not need to have a YMCA membership.
Ten walk-in appointments are available each day, but not guaranteed. Each session is around 20-30 minutes.