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Questions about stopping, feeling faint, periods or pregnancy affect your comfort and choices. There is no need to save them until treatment is over.

No question is too small

Can I ask to stop partway through? What if I feel faint? Does my period or a pregnancy change things? Questions like these affect your comfort and your decisions, and there is no need to save them until treatment is over. Raising them early helps the session start on the right footing.

People who are used to massage, where the experience is familiar, sometimes feel awkward asking about needles. Asking is part of the process, not an interruption to it.

Preparing a short list

Before seeing Dr Christine Shen, Acupuncturist, jot down a few questions and note any changes since your last visit, such as new medicines, a pregnancy or a recent illness. Useful topics include:

• what sensations to expect and which to report;
• how to signal that you want to pause;
• how the number and spacing of sessions will be decided for you;
• what follow-up advice to expect.

Do not assume a fixed schedule suits everyone; frequency should be discussed, not presumed. If you are pregnant, Christine has undertaken further study in pregnancy support and can talk through how this affects the plan, alongside your midwife or maternity team.

Separating the symptom from the goal

Write the problem on one line and the change you would value on the next. Sensible targets might be an easier walk to the station, a firmer grip on what is happening, or knowing when a referral elsewhere is sensible. Ask how acupuncture will be reviewed and which signs would lead to a change of plan.

Making appointments easier to approach

A session feels more manageable when the plan, the likely sensations and follow-up advice have all been talked through plainly. Keep your list on your phone and add to it as questions arise between visits to the Lane Cove clinic, so nothing important is forgotten once you are on the table.