Acupuncture · San Diego
Acupuncture in San Diego, from Doctors, not a day spa
Acupuncture at Saffron & Sage is provided by Doctors of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine who are part of our medical team, alongside our Naturopathic Doctors and other Licensed Providers, just north of Little Italy.
Stress, sleep, pain, fertility, digestion, headaches: whatever brings you in, every session is built around you and your goals, and each visit builds on the last. Sessions use one medical credit, and your first appointment is $250.
- Doctors of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine
- East meets West: Chinese medicine with modern diagnostics
- Root-cause driven healthcare
- Testing and treatment under one roof
- Collaborative care model
- HSA, FSA and LSA welcome, always gratuity-free
- Session
- About 60 minutes
- Cost
- 1 medical credit · first visit $250
- Practitioners
- Doctors of Acupuncture (DACM)
- Payment
- HSA, FSA and LSA welcome
- Where
- 2555 State St, San Diego
New patients
How much does acupuncture cost? Two ways to start
Acupuncture is paid for with a medical credit. Start with a single first appointment, or add a consultation so your practitioner can take a fuller history and review your labs, if you have them.
1 medical credit
Your first acupuncture appointment
- About 60 minutes with a Doctor of Acupuncture
- Personalized treatment and a plan for what’s next
- Any of the focus areas on this page
Medical credit + consultation
First appointment + consultation
- Your first acupuncture session
- A full consultation and health history, a $300 value, included
- Lab review if you bring recent results
New patients. Through November 26, 2026. HSA, FSA and LSA welcome. We are direct pay and do not bill insurance; superbills are available on request.
After your first visit
Book visits as you need them with medical credits, or save with a monthly plan from $275/month. See monthly plans
Not sure acupuncture is right for you?
Talk it through on a free discovery call first. Book a discovery call
Why patients book
Why our patients book acupuncture
Our patients come to us from across San Diego for stress and sleep, pain and recovery, fertility, digestion, headaches and more. These are some of the most common reasons. Your practitioner will tell you honestly whether acupuncture is a good fit, or whether something else should come first.
Stress
Feeling wired, on edge or unable to switch off: jaw clenching, tight neck and shoulders, racing thoughts, irritability, a knotted stomach and tension headaches.
Signs your nervous system needs support →Sleep
Trouble falling or staying asleep, waking at 3 a.m., nightmares, night sweats, teeth grinding, and waking up tired after a full night.
Why more rest isn’t always better →Mental health
Anxiety and panic, depression and low mood, burnout, overwhelm, grief and emotional exhaustion. We help calm and regulate your nervous system, working with your therapist or our counseling team, never in place of them.
How acupuncture supports mental health →Headaches and migraines
Tension headaches, migraines, and hormonal or stress-related headaches. We treat the patterns behind them, from neck and jaw tension to sleep and stress, so you have fewer, milder headache days.
Acupuncture for migraines →Back, neck and joint pain
Discomfort that keeps coming back, old injuries and stiffness.
Trigger point acupuncture, explained →Digestion
IBS, GERD, acid reflux and heartburn, Crohn’s disease, bloating and irregularity.
Acupuncture for IBS and acid reflux →Menstrual cycle
Painful, irregular or heavy cycles, PMS, PCOS, endometriosis, perimenopause and menopause.
Perimenopause, explained →Fertility
Trying to conceive, unexplained infertility, PCOS-related fertility, IUI and IVF cycles, and male fertility.
Fertility support at Saffron & Sage →Pregnancy and postpartum
Morning sickness, back and pelvic pain, sleep, breech presentation and birth prep, then postpartum recovery, mood and milk supply.
Prenatal acupuncture by trimester →Oncology support
Whole-person care from diagnosis to preparing your body for treatment, easing side effects like nausea, fatigue, neuropathy, hot flashes and pain, supporting sleep, appetite, energy and emotional wellbeing, and helping you rebuild afterward, coordinated with your oncology team.
Oncology support →Autoimmune conditions
Hashimoto’s, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis and IBD: we help calm flares, ease fatigue and joint pain, and address inflammation as part of your integrative care plan.
Autoimmune care →Neurological conditions
Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and memory changes, MS, neuropathy, stroke recovery, Bell’s palsy and vertigo, working in conjunction with your neurologist.
Acupuncture for Parkinson’s →
The basics
What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a treatment from Traditional Chinese Medicine in which a licensed practitioner places very fine, sterile, single-use needles at specific points on the body to support balance and whole-person wellbeing.
It has been practiced for more than two thousand years and is studied in hospitals and universities around the world. We don’t make promises about results. Your practitioner will tell you plainly what the evidence does and doesn’t say for your situation. Read what the research says
How it fits into integrative care here
Your Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine is part of our medical team, working side by side with our Naturopathic Doctors and other Licensed Providers under one roof. They see your full history, your labs and the rest of your care plan, so acupuncture builds on everything else you’re doing. Many patients pair it with massage, IV therapy, breathwork or nutritional therapy.
What it feels like
Does acupuncture hurt?
Acupuncture needles are about as thin as a strand of hair, far thinner than a needle for a shot or a blood draw. Most patients feel little or nothing as they go in. Some notice a dull ache, warmth or heaviness at a point, and it fades. Your practitioner checks in the whole time, and you can pause or stop at any point.
Many patients who were nervous before their first session fall asleep during it.
Prefer no needles?
Your first visit
Your first acupuncture appointment, step by step
Complete your intake
Complete your intake online to prepare for your session. Your Doctor of Acupuncture reviews it with our team before you arrive, so your time together starts focused on you.
Talk it through
In the treatment room, your practitioner takes time to hear your story and asks about your specific circumstances, so your treatment plan is built around you and the results you want.
Your treatment
Undress to your comfort level, settle onto a warm, comfortable table and receive your treatment. Your practitioner may add cupping or gua sha to enhance your results.
Your plan
You leave with recommendations for what to do at home, a treatment protocol and a recommended herbal formula if applicable.
Focus areas
What our patients use acupuncture for
Every acupuncture session is personalized to you. These are some of the focus areas our patients book, each using one medical credit (facial acupuncture uses two). You don’t have to choose: book your first appointment and your practitioner will build your session around what you need.
Most popular first visit · 1 medical credit
Peak Performance Acupuncture
A full Chinese Medicine session built around you: sleep, digestion, recovery and stress. The best first session if you’re not sure where to start.
Acupuncture for peak performance →1 medical credit
Stress, Sleep and Recovery
A slower session focused on winding down, often booked after a demanding stretch at work or when sleep feels off.
30 days to reset your nervous system →1 medical credit
Mental Health and Nervous System
Support for the body side of stress and mood, alongside, never in place of, care from a mental health professional.
How acupuncture supports the nervous system →1 medical credit
Orthopedic Acupuncture
Traditional acupuncture with a focus on muscles, joints and mobility, for back, neck, shoulder and knee discomfort and old injuries.
Trigger point acupuncture, explained →1 medical credit
Pain and Recovery
For acute or ongoing discomfort, or recovery after training, surgery or illness, coordinated with your physician or physical therapist.
Back, neck and joint pain relief →1 medical credit
Digestive and Gut Health
A targeted session for IBS, GERD, acid reflux, Crohn’s, bloating and digestive discomfort, often paired with nutritional therapy.
The Saffron Method for gut health →1 medical credit
Hormone and Cycle Balance
Support for painful or heavy periods, PCOS, endometriosis, perimenopause and menopause, coordinated with our medical team and your OB-GYN.
Perimenopause, explained →1 medical credit
Fertility Acupuncture
Supports reproductive health for women and men trying to conceive, including unexplained infertility and PCOS, timed with your cycle and your fertility doctor’s plan.
Fertility over 40 →1 medical credit
Acupuncture for IVF
Timed to complement an active IVF protocol, including sessions around transfer days, alongside your fertility clinic.
Beyond fertility →1 medical credit
Prenatal and Maternity
Gentle sessions adapted for each trimester, after the first trimester or with your prenatal provider’s approval.
Prenatal acupuncture by trimester →1 medical credit
Postpartum Acupuncture
Support for rest and recovery in the weeks and months after birth. Tell us if you’re nursing so we can plan around it.
Supporting your recovery after birth →1 medical credit
Immunity and Travel
Focused sessions before or after travel, or through a busy season. Often paired with IV therapy.
Staying well before and after a trip →1 medical credit
Scalp Acupuncture
A specialized technique using precise placement of fine needles on the scalp. Your practitioner will explain whether it fits your plan.
Scalp acupuncture, explained →2 medical credits
Facial Acupuncture
Very fine needles on the face and body, often combined with gua sha, within a skin and self-care routine.
About facial acupuncture →1 medical credit
Trauma-Informed Acupuncture
A slower, consent-forward session. You choose positioning, clothing and which points are used, and can pause at any time.
How trauma-informed acupuncture works →
Your practitioners
Meet our Doctors of Acupuncture
Our Doctors of Acupuncture hold doctorates in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine and practice as part of our medical team, alongside our Naturopathic Doctors and other Licensed Providers.
DACM, L.Ac, CMT
Dr. Scott McFarlane
Director of Clinical Excellence. Acupuncture, pain, herbal medicine and bodywork.
Read bio →
DACM, L.Ac
Dr. Kolin Durrant
Director of Clinical Operations. Digestive health, thyroid and autoimmune concerns, cupping and gua sha.
Read bio →Book online
Already have a medical credit? Pick your time
Scroll through every appointment type, then choose a practitioner and a time.
New to Saffron & Sage? Start with your first appointment for $250, normally $300.
Book now
Location
Acupuncture near Little Italy, San Diego
Saffron & Sage is in Mission Hills, just north of Little Italy, a short drive from Downtown, Bankers Hill, Point Loma and North Park. Many members come in before or after work.
Not in San Diego? Activate is our one-time virtual intro package: a full health deep dive and a 30-page personalized blueprint, all done online.
Questions
Acupuncture FAQs
Does acupuncture hurt?
Most patients find it comfortable and relaxing. The needles are about as thin as a hair. You may feel gentle pressure, warmth or a brief heaviness at a point. Your practitioner checks in throughout, and you can pause at any time.
How much does acupuncture cost in San Diego?
At Saffron & Sage, acupuncture is paid for with a medical credit. New patients can book a first appointment for $250 (normally $300) or a first appointment and consultation for $300 (normally $600). After that, book with medical credits or save with a monthly plan from $275 a month. HSA, FSA and LSA dollars are welcome.
Who provides acupuncture at Saffron & Sage?
Doctors of Acupuncture with doctorate-level training in acupuncture and Chinese Medicine (DACM), who are part of our medical team alongside our Naturopathic Doctors and other Licensed Providers. Your acupuncture team is Dr. Scott McFarlane and Dr. Kolin Durrant.
How do I book acupuncture?
New patients can book their first appointment online in a few minutes with the Book now button on this page, which uses a medical credit. Returning patients can choose a type, practitioner and time in the booking tool above. You can also call (619) 933-2340 or book a free discovery call.
Can I get acupuncture without needles?
Yes. Ask about acupressure, cupping, gua sha or moxibustion. Your practitioner will suggest what fits your plan.
Is acupuncture safe?
Every needle is sterile and single use, placed by a licensed Doctor of Acupuncture. Tell us at intake if you’re pregnant, take blood thinners, have a pacemaker or have a bleeding disorder, so your practitioner can plan around it.
How many acupuncture sessions will I need?
It depends on what you’re working on. Some patients come for a short series, others for regular maintenance. You’ll get a realistic outline at your first visit, not a package you have to commit to up front.
How often should I get acupuncture?
Many patients start with weekly sessions and space them out over time. Your practitioner will suggest a rhythm that fits your goals, schedule and budget.
How long is an acupuncture session?
Plan for about an hour. The exact timing of each part of your session depends on you and what you need that day.
What should I wear to acupuncture?
Whatever is comfortable. You’ll undress to your comfort level for treatment and stay draped throughout. Eat something light an hour or two before, and avoid coming in on an empty stomach.
Can I get acupuncture while pregnant?
Many of our patients do, with points chosen for pregnancy. We generally begin after the first trimester or with your prenatal provider’s approval. Tell us how far along you are when you book.
What’s the difference between acupuncture and dry needling?
Both use fine needles. Dry needling focuses on trigger points in muscle and is offered by some physical therapists and other providers. Acupuncture here is provided by Doctors of Acupuncture with doctorate-level training in Chinese Medicine, and it looks at the whole person as well as the area that hurts.
Can I combine acupuncture with other care?
Yes. Many patients pair it with massage, nutritional therapy or IV therapy here. If you’re under another provider’s care, keep them in the loop and tell us at intake.
Do I need to be a member?
No. You can always book à la carte. Membership unlocks preferred pricing, member-only offers and events, and other perks.
Does insurance cover acupuncture?
We’re a direct pay clinic and don’t bill insurance. HSA, FSA and LSA dollars are welcome for acupuncture; check eligibility with your plan administrator. On request, we provide a superbill you can submit for possible out-of-network reimbursement, plus a letter of medical necessity if applicable.
Where are you located?
2555 State St, San Diego, CA 92101, in Mission Hills just north of Little Italy.
Free guide
Tired all day, wired all night? Read this first.
Our free guide to an overworked stress response, for anyone who keeps performing while sleep and recovery slip. Clear, practical and honest about the evidence.
- Why tired and wired are not opposites
- The common patterns, and when to see a doctor
- A two-week log to bring to your first visit
Keep reading
More on acupuncture
Ready when you are
Book your first acupuncture appointment
Start with a single first appointment for $250, or add a full consultation for $300, normally $600. Not sure yet? Our team will listen, explain what a first session would look like for you and help you pick the right practitioner.
