I currently don’t accept or bill medical insurance directly. If you found me listed as in-network for your insurance, I apologize for the confusion. I was previously in-network with a few plans when I worked with Karen Sulger at Acupuncture Continuum in Encinitas. I’m no longer at that office and am no longer in-network with any insurance providers.

If you have out-of-network coverage for acupuncture, I’m happy to provide you with a superbill that you can submit to your carrier for reimbursement. If you’d like to use your in-network coverage, Karen at Acupuncture Continuum can provide you with excellent care and direct-billing.

You’ll want to stay in regular treatment until you reach your goal. Some conditions are simple to diagnose and respond very quickly to treatment - new muscle injuries, for instance, can usually be improved in a few treatments and resolved in a few weeks.

Chronic pain and internal disorders usually have multiple layers of dysfunction and can take several months to improve and possibly longer to resolve completely.

Fertility treatment can last from 3 months up to 3 years depending on the complexity of your case and the intensity of your treatment plan.

These are general time frames and the length of your unique treatment plan will depend on multiple factors.

You can learn more about how to improve your treatment outcomes below.

Like the length of your treatment plan, how often you should get acupuncture depends on the nature and complexity of your condition. For new muscle injuries, acupuncture two or more times per week to start is ideal if that fits into your schedule.

For chronic pain or internal disorders (digestive issues, respiratory conditions, skin problems, etc.) it’s ideal to have acupuncture sessions 2 or more times per week for a couple of weeks and then space your treatments out further as your condition responds and you begin to feel better.

For fertility treatment, how often you should receive acupuncture depends on the complexity of your case, whether or not you’re taking herbs, and how aggressively you want to approach your treatment. Frequency of treatment can range from once a week to targeting specific phases of your ovulation cycle.

There are lots of ways you can support and amplify the effects of acupuncture in your day to day life.

The first is to recognize that acupuncture alone can help you feel better and improve your condition, but by being open to and committing to making changes in the way you eat, exercise, and rest, and by adding herbal medicine, you’ll improve the rate that your condition improves and the likelihood that these improvements will be permanent.

Traditional East Asian Medicine and modern holistic medicine have many treatment methods to choose from and it’s ideal to address your condition - which is likely the result of multiple factors - using a multi-layered approach.

The best clothes for acupuncture are loose fitting, comfortable pants that can easily and comfortably be pulled up above your knees and a loose comfortable shirt with sleeves that easily allow access to your arms and belly.

If you can’t dress specifically for your acupuncture appointment, I suggest that you bring loose, comfortable clothes to change into, or I’m happy to provide sheets to keep you comfortably covered if you need to remove any clothes to allow access to the necessary points.