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The most helpful first-visit questions are usually simple ones. Here is a practical set to bring to your first acupuncture appointment with Christine in Freshwater.

Simple questions, useful answers

People sometimes assume they need technical knowledge before an acupuncture appointment. In reality, the questions that help most are plain and practical. Dr Christine Shen, Acupuncturist, welcomes them, and she would rather you ask too many than too few.

Here are a few to consider writing down:

• What will the assessment involve?
• Which sensations might I notice during treatment?
• What other options could I consider instead?
• What happens if I start to feel faint?

Going a little deeper

Once you are comfortable, you might also ask why particular points are being chosen for you and when the plan will next be looked at together. These questions help you understand the reasoning, not just the routine.

It is equally important to share information that might seem unrelated. Let Christine know if you are pregnant or trying to conceive, which medicines you take and whether you have any implanted device such as a pacemaker. Please do not decide on your own that a detail is irrelevant; it is far simpler for Christine to hear it and set it aside than to miss something important.

Honest information, not promises

A good treatment discussion gives you enough detail to make an informed choice. It should not claim that problems can never occur. Christine aims to be clear about what is involved and what to watch for, so that your decision is genuinely your own.

Linking treatment to what you want

Try to separate the symptom that troubles you from the result you hope to reach. Easier movement during a favourite activity, a better grasp of what is going on, or knowing when a referral would be wise are all worthwhile goals. Ask how progress will be checked and what would make a change of plan sensible.

Your list, your appointment

When you come in to the Freshwater clinic for that first visit, bring your written questions with you. Working through them at the start often makes the rest of the appointment feel calmer and more familiar.