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A practical checklist for a first acupuncture visit on the Northern Beaches: the health details to share, the hygiene questions worth asking and how consent keeps going during the session.

Walking into a treatment room for the first time is easier when you already know what will be discussed. At the Freshwater clinic, the opening minutes of an acupuncture appointment are spent talking rather than needling, and that conversation is where safety really begins.

Details to share before any needle is used

Dr Christine Shen, Acupuncturist, will want a picture of why you have come and what else is going on in your health. Jot down the following before you leave home so nothing slips your mind:

• the concern you would like help with, in your own words
• prescription medicines, supplements and anything you take occasionally
• whether you are pregnant or trying to conceive
• any history of fainting, light-headedness or strong reactions to needles
• worries you have about the needles themselves

None of these points rules you in or out on its own. Together they help Christine judge whether needling suits you and how it might be adapted.

Hygiene questions you are welcome to raise

Asking about infection control is ordinary, not rude. You might ask how hands are cleaned between steps, whether every needle is sterile and used once only, and how the needles are counted and removed at the end. A practitioner should be comfortable answering each of these plainly.

Consent that continues on the table

Agreeing to start does not mean agreeing to everything that follows. You can ask Christine to pause, explain a step again or stop altogether. It also helps to hear what the alternatives to acupuncture are, so the choice to go ahead is an informed one.

Turning a symptom into a goal

Try to separate the problem from the result you are hoping for. Perhaps you would like an activity to feel less uncomfortable, or simply a clearer idea of what is happening and whether someone else should assess it. Ask how the plan will be checked and what would prompt a change of direction.

If you live on the Northern Beaches and would like to talk through a first visit, sitting down with Christine in Freshwater is a calm place to start; bring your list and any letters or results you already have.