Berkeley Acupuncture Project of California
Community Acupuncture * Sliding Scale $30-$50

COVID

We do not treat people with Covid symptoms or a positive Covid test. If you have any symptoms of Covid (cough, sore throat, fever, chills, runny nose, congestion, shortness of breath, body aches, muscle aches, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, loss of smell or taste, etc.) that are of recent onset, do not come in to the clinic.*

You are welcome to come if your symptoms have been present for more than fifteen days.

*If you have a chronic condition with any of the above symptoms, please email us before your visit so we can communicate about our policies and your symptoms. If you arrive with the above symptoms without having checked in with us, we may send you home (and you will not be charged).

How soon can I come after getting / testing positive for COVID?

You can come in 10 days after your symptoms started or you tested positive for COVID. We’d prefer you wait until you are testing negative, even if 10 days have passed. Thank you for not spreading COVID.

MASK POLICY

Staff are masked and all patients and visitors are required to wear masks over their nose and mouth when entering the building and during the duration of their visit at BAP. Masks cannot have valves. Make sure your mask fits snuggly around your face. Patients arriving without masks will be charged $2 for a mask that we provide (as long as our supplies last).

Patients are requested to bring their own masks because BAP cannot guarantee a consistent supply. We cannot treat you unless you are wearing a mask.

Because it is inadvisable for children under the age of 2 to wear a mask, they are not allowed to visit the clinic.

If you are uncomfortable with our mask policy, there are several community acupuncture clinics in the area with different policies. You can find them on our Resources page.

BAP staff are here to help. It is our personal and professional mission to support the health and well-being of our community. Please treat all staff, as well as your fellow patients, with the patience, kindness, and compassion you want to be treated with. While we make reasonable attempts to address problematic behavior, BAP reserves the right to discontinue services to people who disrespect, abuse or are inappropriate with staff or other patients or repeatedly violate our policies.

We strive to be fragrance free. Many of our patients and staff have sensitivities to fragrances resulting in nausea, migraines, and other uncomfortable symptoms. Please refrain from wearing any scented products prior to your appointment at BAP. This includes “natural” scents like essential oils and all scented laundry products. If we ask you about or mention that we detect a fragrance on you please don’t be offended! We understand that this conversation can be awkward, and we are NOT saying that you smell bad! We are just looking out for the staff and patients who may become sick or need to leave early because of exposure to fragrance. While we make every effort to minimize fragrance in our clinic, we can not guarantee a 100% scent free environment.

If you arrive late for your scheduled appointment, your practitioner may try to squeeze you in if they can. However, late arrivals who cannot be seen will be charged a $30 'No Show' fee to the credit card on file.

Arrive having used the bathroom at home (or with extra time to use the clinic bathroom and be ready at your appointment time) and make sure you are fed and hydrated. We do not provide snacks or water.

All patients are required to:

• Keep their belongings with them at all times.

• NEVER take out their own needles or get up and walk around with needles in.

• Arrive wearing a mask. Stay masked the entire time at BAP.

• Refrain from booking or arriving at BAP with signs of cold or flu.

• Cooperate with all staff instructions.

• Never approach or disturb other patients in treatment areas.

We cannot guarantee a treatment if you miss your appointment time. If you miss your scheduled appointment time and we are unable to fit you in, your credit card on file will be automatically charged $30.

All phones and mobile devices must be silenced before entering the clinic. We invite people to use earbuds to listen to music, meditations, or podcasts during their treatment if they choose. We do not police the silent use of phones and other mobile devices. Everyone enjoys acupuncture in their own way.

While we are constantly reminding people to whisper, this can be difficult for some people due to a variety of reasons including hearing or language issues. If you hear someone speaking louder than you like, please trust that our practitioners are handling the situation in an appropriate way and to the best of their ability. NEVER “shush” another patient!

If you find ambient noise bothersome, please bring earplugs or earbuds (and enjoy your own music, audiobook, or meditation) or noise canceling earbuds.

We send out monthly newsletters and post announcements around the clinic. Please read them! To remove yourself from our mailing list please click “unsubscribe”. Sign up for our newsletter here.

Acupuncture involves the insertion of special needles into particular points on the body. The purpose of this treatment is to prevent or reduce pain and to help your body function better. There are some risks to treatment, including the possibility of bruising of the skin and/or slight bleeding. Uncommon side effects may include weakness, fainting, and/or the temporary aggravation of symptoms existing prior to acupuncture treatment. Rarely, numbness can occur where the needle went in, which can last several minutes to several weeks. This can result from a needle touching, or being close to, a nerve. Very rarely, it can take several months to recover. There is little to no risk of infection when all needles are sterile. BAP uses only one-time use, sterile disposable needles. We do not reuse needles, even at different areas of the body for the same person.

BAP does not provide primary care, nor Western (allopathic) medical care. Please see your medical doctor for those services and for routine check-ups. If you are pregnant, have a bleeding disorder, pacemaker, high blood pressure, local infection, or have been prescribed anticoagulant medications like Coumadin, we can still safely treat you, but you should tell your practitioner about your history and/or condition.

Berkeley Acupuncture Project makes every attempt to make alternative health care, specifically acupuncture and Chinese medicine, available to as many people as possible, at the most affordable rates. In respect for our intention to offer high-quality health care at affordable prices, we ask for at least 24-hour advance notice if it is necessary to cancel an appointment. All appointments that are cancelled with less than 24-hour advance notice, and appointments missed without notice, will be charged $30 for that appointment. If appointments have been purchased in a package, the missed or cancelled appointment will be deducted from the number of remaining appointments in that package. We cannot always accommodate late arrivals. You are responsible for any bank fees if payment is declined by your bank for any reason.

Refunds:

BAP does not give refunds on herbs or treatments already received.

In accordance with HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) regulation and California Law, BAP takes the right to your privacy seriously. Therefore, we do not disclose any personal, health, financial, or any other information about you, or the services we provide to you to any third parties without your explicit request and written permission. This also includes online services we provide, including access to your appointment information, user-ID, or password.

As healthcare practitioners and administrators, we are also responsible for staying up-to-date with HIPAA regulations and for properly training all staff members and new employees to ensure that your personal health information is not compromised. If at any time you have a concern or complaint about your privacy, please contact BAP’s privacy officer, or the Office of Civil Rights of the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Berkeley Acupuncture Project is not responsible for lost or stolen goods. Please do not leave valuables unattended at the clinic.

Please email complaints to the Clinic Manager at info@bapnap.com.