VERONA ISLAND - Who isn't stressed out these days? There is a small group of Mainers who have discovered how to truly unwind thanks to acupuncture. E. Marie Arnberg is a licensed acupuncturist who works at DownEast Community Acupuncture on Verona Island. It's one of only two full time community acupuncture clinics in the state.

"You don't understand how good acupuncture is until you get acupuncture," Arnberg said. "I treat people between 8 and 82 years of age for stress, allergies, to help them quit smoking. But the most common ailment that I treat is back pain. Often people have lingering misalignments from stress or sitting behind a computer too much, and one way to rectify it is to relax."

Arnberg said one of the misconceptions people have about acupuncture is that it is expensive. But that's where community acupuncture comes in. At DownEast Community Acupuncture, patients are seated in recliners in a large room together with bamboo dividers between the chairs. Treating more than one patient at a time allows Arnberg to offer acupuncture on a sliding pay scale. A session costs between $15 and $35.