Sharing healing options

Angela Sinnett and Andrea Allerton treat common health ailments with the one thing many people fear most — needles.

That's because they are trained and licensed acupuncturists.

"When people hear 'needles' they tend to think of a shot like they do at the doctor's office," Sinnett said. "But, the first thing they say afterward is, 'Oh, that was easy,' or 'I didn't even feel anything.'"

The duo have combined their practices, Sinnett's Magnolia Acupuncture and Allerton's Modus Acupuncture, to launch Community Acupuncture, a reoccurring event at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sundays at Studio Seaside, Corona del Mar.

The event aims to bring low-cost sessions — $25 for about 45 minutes — to those who otherwise could not afford it.

While Sinnett and Allerton accept insurance, many providers do not cover acupuncture. Both businesses' services normally run about $125 for the initial consultation and $80 for subsequent treatment sessions.

"There's so much available through acupuncture," Allerton said. "It's sad that it's limited only to the people that have the means to pay for it or insurance that covers it."

Most people have heard of acupuncture as a treatment for pain, but it is also used to treat a host of other health ailments, Allerton said.

Acupuncture is recognized as an effective treatment for adverse reactions to radiotherapy and chemotherapy, morning sickness, depression, hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis, sciatica and other health ailments, according to the World Health Organization website.

While the Community Acupuncture sessions are designed to be an introduction to acupuncture rather than treatment for a more complex health problem, attendees will still reap many immediate benefits from the meditative sessions, such as more energy, less stress and decreased minor pain, Allerton said.

The event will be done in two group sessions at the Corona del Maryoga and fitness studio, with attendees relaxing onyoga mats, but each session will be tailored to the individual.

For those who have never tried acupuncture before — or fear needles — the shared experience of the communal setting may put them at ease.

Other patients are less worried once they realize that the needles are sterile and disposed of after each treatment and that they are about the width of a fine strand of hair.

After that, acupuncture almost speaks for itself.

"The acupuncture calms people down pretty quickly," Sinnett said. "The first thing they notice is the stress relief and that they are more relaxed."

sarah.peters@latimes.com

Twitter: @speters01

If You Go

What: Community Acupuncture

When: 6 and 7 p.m. Sundays

Where: Studio Seaside, 3711 E. Coast Hwy., Corona del Mar

Information: (949) 612-7247 or tess@magnoliaacpuncture.com