What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is part of a comprehensive medical system from Asia, which has been used for thousands of years. Over the last 30+ years, acupuncture has become increasingly popular in the United States.
Most people use acupuncture as complementary medicine, in addition to their western medicine treatments. Acupuncture is used for pain, stress, anxiety, insomnia, digestive upsets and a variety of health conditions. It’s also used to promote health, vitality and longevity.
Acupuncture needles are solid and extremely thin - the width of 1-2 human hairs. They're made of high-quality surgical grade stainless-steel, and are sterilized and packaged individually or in packs of 5 or 10 needles. Once used, they are disposed of immediately. The needles are inserted under the skin and sometimes into the muscles. Most people report a little pinch or nothing at all during needle insertion. Some experience a brief warmth, aching or heaviness in the area for perhaps a minute. Most people find acupuncture deeply relaxing, and many take a nap during treatment.
How does acupuncture work?
Your body is designed to heal itself. If you've ever cut yourself, you've seen it happen.
You have natural healing substances that circulate in your blood. These include: anti-inflammatories, steroids, pain relievers (like endorphins), immune system regulators, stress relieving substances, hormones, and much more. You also have nutrients, oxygen & various blood cells that circulate in your blood to help make repairs when needed.
If your injure yourself, western medicine heals you by giving you man-made drugs that are copies of your own healing substances (anti-inflammatories, steroids, pain relievers, etc.)
Acupuncture heals you by stimulating blood flow and nerve conduction through painful, injured, or problem areas, bringing YOUR OWN healing substances to where they are needed most!
Acupuncture also calms an over-stressed nervous system, shifting you from the "fight, flight or freeze" stress response into the "rest, digest, and recuperate" state.
Access the healing power you already have within!
What is Community Acupuncture?
After acupuncture was brought to the west, it evolved into a spa-type treatment, provided in a private room on a massage table, with the cost being out of reach for most of us. In 2006, an acupuncture clinic in Portland Oregon came up with a way to make acupuncture affordable and accessible to everyone – a return to the traditional way acupuncture was practiced throughout most of the world- acupuncture provided in groups.
Working Class Acupuncture was created with an affordable sliding scale, and each person could decide what to pay within that scale. People got treatment in recliners in a big room with others. They loved it! Bloom’s acupuncturist first heard about community acupuncture while in acupuncture school in 2008. She met with the owners, Lisa and Skip, to understand how to open her own community clinic, and opened Annapolis Community Acupuncture (ACA) in January 2010.
Community Acupuncture provides treatment in a group setting. Because there are so many types of acupuncture, and so many acupuncture points, it is easy to provide acupuncture in a group setting. Acupuncture points on the lower arms and legs, and the head are some of the most powerful points on the body. This means they can be used to treat practically anything. Being able to remain fully clothed for your treatment makes community acupuncture possible. It makes it easy, comfortable, and safe. You can get treatment with family and friends. You can share the acupuncturist’s time with others so it costs you less. You don’t have to talk a lot. Just make an appointment, complete the online Intake/Consent form and show up in something comfortable, that can be rolled up above both elbows and knees.
On your first (New Patient) visit, your acupuncturist will review your completed Intake/Consent form and do a brief focused assessment. She'll ask if you have any other concern you want addressed; she may observe you move the painful or affected area; and find out when you need to leave. Your acupuncturist will do pulse diagnosis by feeling the 6 pulses in each wrist, and may look at your tongue. These are some additional diagnostic tools that help your acupuncturist identify the root causes of your concerns. Before we start your treatment, we will collect payment.
And then the needles are placed and all you have to do is relax. It’s that simple!
Mina Johns
MS, MAc, LAc, RN
Acupuncture
Owner and Licensed Acupuncturist
Mina has 49 years’ experience in healthcare, first as a Registered Nurse and since January 2010 as a Licensed Acupuncturist. Mina holds a Master of Acupuncture from the Tai Sophia Institute, now known as the Maryland University of Integrative Health. Mina also has a Master of Science degree in Human Resources from Chapman University. Her undergraduate degrees are a Bachelor of Arts in Health Services Administration from St. Mary’s College and Associates degree in Nursing from Wesley College. In 2014, Mina was certified by Dr. Richard Teh Fu Tan, as a Balance Method Practitioner, Silver level. Dr. Tan was an internationally known acupuncture expert, educator, author, and the creator of the Balance Method. Mina is also certified by several nationally known facial rejuvenation acupuncturists.
Mina strongly believes that everyone is entitled to high quality healthcare at a reasonable price. Her interest in acupuncture and complementary medicine began in 2006, after discovering first-hand that acupuncture relieved her severe knee pain that western medicine said only surgery could help. Acupuncture made it possible for her to continue to work as a Registered Nurse in Hospice and Palliative Care, and to delay knee replacement surgery for 13 years. Acupuncture helped her so much, that she chose to attend acupuncture school, so that she could bring affordable healthcare services through acupuncture to the people of Annapolis.
In January 2010, Mina opened her first affordable acupuncture clinic, Annapolis Community Acupuncture (ACA). And the next year, she opened a separate free clinic, providing acupuncture every Thursday to veterans and active duty, through her affiliation with Acupuncturists Without Borders. That free clinic was known as the Annapolis Veterans Acupuncture Clinic. In 2012 Mina integrated both clinics into ACA’s location, and all services were provided by ACA. In 2019, Mina opened a separate affordable facial rejuvenation clinic in the ACA space, just for ACA patients when ACA was not open. She felt strongly that facial rejuvenation acupuncture should be affordable too. When the pandemic occurred, she made the very tough decision to close ACA and relocate with her husband to Silver Spring to be close to their kids. While in Silver Spring, Mina opened an affordable house calls business, Bloom Mobile Acupuncture.
While it was great to be close to their kids, Mina and her husband missed Annapolis (their adopted hometown), and decided to return to their lives here. It took close to a year to find and renovate a space for Bloom Community Acupuncture. Bloom opened officially in May 2023. As always, Mina is committed to giving back to those who put themselves on the line to protect the people of Annapolis and the surrounding areas. At Bloom, free treatments are provided every Tuesday and Thursday to veterans, active-duty military, firefighters, paramedics and police officers.
In her free time Mina enjoys spending time with Ric (her husband of 49 years), their kids, their puppy Joy, and grand-pups Chewie and Neelix. Mina loves to learn, read, meditate, walk, garden and be surrounded by nature. Mina and Ric are passionate about animals and foster dogs. They’ve sponsored midshipmen from USNA since 2005.
During acupuncture school, Mina learned that it’s important to be focused and very clear about your intention for each day. That intention might differ from day to day, or be the same every day if the intention resonates strongly with you. Mina’s intention is expressed eloquently by the following quote from a renowned Buddhist monk, peace activist and poet:
“Waking up this morning, I smile. Twenty-hour brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully in each moment and to look at all beings with eyes of compassion”. __ Thich Nhat Hanh