Jordan Loewenstein, D.C. | La Jolla Chiropractor
New patients
Your first visit, explained.
Here is exactly what happens when you walk in, what it costs, and how many visits most problems actually take. No mystery, no pressure.
- 45-minute first visit
- Treatment the same day, in most cases
- In-network with most major plans
- Same-day openings, including Sundays
What happens when you come in
Four parts, about 45 minutes, and you leave treated, not just evaluated.
Check-in
Intake forms are online if you want to do them ahead of time, or on paper when you arrive; either is fine. Bring your insurance card and a photo ID. I verify your benefits before you come in, so you know your copay before you sit down.
We talk
Where it hurts, when it started, what makes it better or worse, what you have already tried, and what you want to get back to: the run, the surf, a full workday without the headache. That last part shapes the plan more than anything.
The exam
Range of motion, orthopedic and neurological tests, and with you face down, a look at how your pelvis and spine are sitting. The exam is designed to find the cause, not just name the symptom. If an X-ray or MRI would change the plan, I refer you for it; most of the time the exam gives me everything I need to start.
Treatment, same day
If the exam is clear, you get treated right then: heat and e-stim as needed to settle the muscles, soft tissue work, and the adjustment, with flexion-distraction on the table for disc and sciatica cases. If a stretch or two will help between visits, I show you. Before you leave I tell you what I found and what I recommend, and afterwards I send you a short page with what to do tonight and how to book the next visit.
How many visits will I need?
The honest answer depends on two things: how long it has been there, and how far it has spread.
Something recent that stays in one spot, a strain from lifting or a stiff neck from a bad week at the desk, usually settles in a handful of visits. Something that has been building for months or years, or that travels down an arm or leg, takes a lot more, because the joints and muscles around it have adapted to it and that takes longer to unwind than the original injury did.
Either way, pain is the first thing to leave and the last thing to trust. It fades when inflammation settles, well before the joints and muscles underneath have recovered, which is why the early visits are closer together and spread out as the improvement starts holding between them.
At least once a week. Twice a week is better. Three times a week for the first stretch if it is severe. Once you are better, a visit every four to six weeks is something I recommend as self-care, because most people go straight back to the desk, the training or the couch that caused the problem. That part is your call, never a condition of being my patient.
I do not pressure anyone to keep coming. My goal is to get you better, not to have you coming in forever. I reassess as we go, and if the numbers have not moved after the first few weeks, the plan changes or I refer you to the right specialist. I would much rather you finish care happy and send your friends than feel obligated to keep a standing appointment.
What to bring
I will have verified your benefits already; the card confirms the details at check-in.
Driver’s license, passport or state ID.
Recent X-ray or MRI reports if you have them. Helpful, not required.
Athletic wear is ideal. No gown; you keep your clothes on, so wear something you can move in.
Cost and insurance
With insurance, you pay your copay once your deductible is met. Without it, the rates are flat.
Exam plus full treatment, about 45 minutes.
About 30 minutes. Heat and e-stim, soft tissue work and the adjustment.
In-network with Aetna, Blue Shield, Anthem Blue Cross, UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, Health Net, Medicare and VA Community Care. HSA and FSA cards accepted. Not sure what your plan covers? Send me a photo of your card and I will check before your visit, or read the full pricing and insurance breakdown.
Finding the office
5151 Shoreham Place, Suite 175, San Diego, CA 92122. Inside the Head, Neck & Spine Center of San Diego, just off the 805 in UTC, less than two miles from UCSD and an easy drive from La Jolla, Sorrento Valley and Clairemont.
Free parking in the lot, no meters or validation. Suite 175 is on the first floor at the end of the courtyard, on the left.
Common questions
How long does the first visit take?
About 45 minutes: the conversation, the exam and in most cases your first treatment. Follow-ups are about 30 minutes because the intake work is already done.
Will I be treated on the first visit or just evaluated?
Treated, in most cases. The only exception is if the exam turns up something that needs imaging or another opinion first, and if so I tell you exactly why and what the next step is.
Does an adjustment hurt?
Most people feel pressure and a brief sensation, then relief. Mild soreness the next day is common, like after a workout you have not done in a while. If anything feels uncomfortable, say so; the technique can always be modified.
How many visits will I need?
It depends on how long the problem has been there and how far it has spread. Recent, local problems often settle in a handful of visits. Long-standing problems, or pain that travels down an arm or leg, take more. I will tell you what I expect after the exam, and if it is not working after the first few weeks, the plan changes.
Can I stop once the pain is gone?
Yes, any time; there is never an obligation. What I will tell you is that pain fades before the joints and muscles underneath have recovered, so stopping at the first good week is the most common route to a repeat episode. Your decision, made with the full picture.
Do I need a referral?
No for most PPO plans; you can book directly. UC SHIP for UCSD students requires a referral from Student Health Services, and Kaiser plans require an ASH referral from your PCP. I confirm any requirements when I verify your benefits.
What if I do not have insurance?
A new-patient visit is $100 and follow-ups are $75, flat. HSA and FSA cards are accepted.
Ready to get started?
Book online or call the office. I verify your insurance before your appointment, so you know exactly what to expect. New patients are usually seen the same day, including Sundays.
Dr. Jordan Loewenstein, D.C.
5151 Shoreham Place, Suite 175 · UTC, San Diego