Classical Acupuncture for Chronic Pain
You've Tried Everything
Physical therapy. Chiropractors. Massage. Pain medications. Injections. Maybe even surgery.
The pain improves temporarily, then returns. Or it never really leaves; it just becomes your new normal. You've learned to function despite it, but you're exhausted from managing symptoms no one can seem to fix at the root.
You're not imagining it. And you're not out of options.
Why Standard Acupuncture Often Disappoints
Most acupuncture in the U.S. uses simplified TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine). Think cookbook-style point formulas that treat "back pain" or "neck pain" the same way in virtually every patient.
The problem? Your pain isn't generic. It has a unique pattern, a specific root cause, and a particular channel pathway showing constraint.
Nine people could walk in with low back pain. The causative factors are all different. The common acupuncture points many TCM practitioners rely on (their "favorite" go-to points for back pain) might not address your specific root issue.
The "Too Many Needles" Problem
Many acupuncturists use far too many needles in one session. Stimulating 10, 20, even 30 different points across multiple primary channels.
Here's what happens: The body receives competing instructions simultaneously. One channel says "release heat." Another says "tonify qi." A third says "move blood." The message gets muddled. So does the healing response.
It's like trying to listen to five people giving you directions at once. You freeze. You don't know which way to turn.
The Depletion Factor
Chronic pain patients are often depleted from years of pain, poor sleep, and stress. Many practitioners don't assess a patient's available resources before treatment. They don't understand what the body is capable (or incapable) of doing in any one session.
Without a clinical healing priority, they throw everything at the wall and hope something sticks.
The Missing Channels
Standard TCM only treats the Primary Channels. But chronic, stubborn pain often lives in the Complement Channels like the Sinew Channels, Divergent Channels, or Eight Extraordinary Channels.
These are sophisticated systems that most acupuncturists never truly understand. TCM schools don't teach them in depth. Some programs mention them briefly, but few practitioners know how to activate them correctly in treatment.
This is why you might have tried acupuncture before and gotten minimal or temporary results.
How Classical Acupuncture Treats Pain Differently
My intention is not to wholly discredit TCM, it is bringing acupuncture to the forefront of modern complementary medicine, but sadly to get to this scale it sacrificed acupuncture’s depth and elegance. I practice Classical Chinese Medicine, a timeless channel-based approach that treats the complete channel system. Not just the Primary Channels. All five channel classes.
This is the highest caliber of acupuncture available and what I strive to offer you every treatment.
When pain becomes your constant companion, conventional medicine often falls short. Classical Chinese Medicine offers a different path.
What This Means for Your Pain
Complete Channel Diagnosis
I don't guess. I use Classical diagnostic methods to identify exactly which channel system holds your pain pattern.
Acute muscle injury? Sinew Channel.
Chronic joint degeneration? Divergent Channel.
Pain with grief or anger? Perhaps Luo Channel.
Acute organ-related pain or discomfort? Primary Channel.
Treat the Root Cause
Your back pain might stem from your Bladder Sinew Channel. Your migraines might be Liver Luo excess. Your sciatica might be latent cold emerging from the Gallbladder Divergent Channel after years of dormancy.
I trace the pattern back to its source and treat that.
Precision Over Protocols
Every treatment is tailored to your unique presentation. Same condition, different patient? Completely different channel prescription.
The points aren't the magic. The channels are.
When I activate several points along the same channel, the body hears a single, clear voice. A coherent signal building in strength. Not competing directives from nine different channels, but one unified therapeutic message. Powerful healing demands clarity.
What to Expect
Initial Session (80 minutes | $225)
Comprehensive pain history and movement assessment
Classical pulse and tongue diagnosis
Channel palpation to locate blockages
Same-day treatment tailored to your specific pattern
Clear explanation of your diagnosis and treatment plan
Lifestyle and movement guidance
Follow-Up Sessions (55 minutes | $180)
Continued channel-based treatment
Adjustments based on your body's response
Ongoing lifestyle and movement guidance
Timeline
Acute pain (recent injury) often resolves faster (1-3 treatments). Chronic pain (3 months or longer) typically requires more sessions for lasting results.
This is medicine for people who want to heal, not just manage.
What Patients Say
"Diego is fantastic and he did a stellar job addressing my pain. He helped me find the root of my pain. I can now work out with heavier weights and enjoy life without the tweaks and pains."
Christina G.
"I'm 90 years old and needed a hip replacement. The pain was so bad my next move was a wheelchair! After working with Diego things were better. I can't say enough or rate high enough!"
Robert C.
Over 30 five-star reviews on Google!Common Pain Conditions I Treat
Back pain (lower, mid, upper)
Neck pain and stiffness
Shoulder pain (frozen shoulder, rotator cuff, impingement)
Hip pain (bursitis, labral tears, arthritis)
Knee pain (arthritis, meniscus, ligament issues)
Sciatica and nerve pain
Headaches and migraines
TMJ and jaw pain
Plantar fasciitis and foot pain
Fibromyalgia and widespread pain
Post-surgical pain and recovery
Sports injuries and overuse pain
If your pain isn't listed, reach out. Classical Acupuncture treats any pain at the channel level, regardless of the label Western medicine has given it.
Investment
Initial Consultation & Treatment: $225 | 80 minutes
Follow-Up Sessions: $180 | 55 minutes
Six-Session Package: $1,035 (save $45)
Thirteen-Session Package: $2,160 (save $180)
Military & first responders receive 15% off all services
Payment: Cash, credit, HSA, FSA accepted
Insurance: Detailed superbills provided for reimbursement
Ready to Address the Root of Your Pain?
Text me to schedule a complimentary 10-15 minute consultation call. We'll discuss what's bringing you in and determine if Classical Acupuncture is right for you.
Text Me | Learn What to Expect | Book Now
Located in Hillcrest, San Diego
3636 5th Ave, Suite 101, San Diego, CA 92103
Get Directions
The Five Channel Systems
Each channel system has a distinct clinical function:
-Primary Channels: The 24/7 organ functions. Digestion, respiration, circulation, metabolism. The baseline hum of the body. (TCM stops here)
-Sinew Channels: The body's defense and warming layer. Inflammation, muscle tension, acute injuries, range of motion limitations. Surface-level pain.
-Luo Channels: Blood-level issues with an emotional component. Cysts, nodules, varicose veins, spider veins. Toxic accumulation. Anger trapped in tissue.
-Divergent Channels: Resource management. Fluid regulation. Chronic degenerative disease. Autoimmune conditions. Joint pain that won't quit.
-Eight Extraordinary Channels: Deep constitutional reserves. Early trauma. Late-stage degeneration. Identity and belief systems. The reservoir that feeds all other channels.