A first chiropractic appointment is a conversation before it is anything else. You tell us what is going on, we ask a lot of questions, and you should ask plenty back. Patients who come in with a few questions in mind get more out of the visit, and the plan we land on fits them better.
This post covers both sides: what Dr Nick will ask you at Capel Sound Chiropractic and why, and the questions worth asking him before your first adjustment. If you want the step-by-step of the appointment itself, read what happens at your first visit.
The questions we'll ask you
None of these are box-ticking. Each one changes what we look at in the examination and how we approach your care. It helps to think about your answers before you come in.
What's bothering you right now?
We start with the problem that made you pick up the phone. Expect questions like:
- Where exactly is the pain or stiffness? Does it spread anywhere?
- What does it feel like: dull, sharp, burning, aching, tingling?
- When did it start, and was there a moment it began, or did it creep up?
- What makes it better or worse: sitting, walking, bending, time of day?
- Is it getting better, worse, or staying the same?
Be as specific as you can. "My back is sore" tells us far less than "it's worst first thing in the morning and eases once I've been moving for half an hour". Patterns like that point to different things, and they shape the tests we do next.
We'll also look beyond the sore spot. A stiff neck often involves the upper back and shoulders, and low back pain frequently links to how the hips are moving. The body works as a chain, so we ask about the links either side of where it hurts.
Your health and injury history
Before any hands-on care, we need the background:
- Any surgeries or hospital stays?
- What medications are you currently taking?
- Any falls, car accidents or sports injuries, even old ones?
- Any joint, spine or nerve problems that run in the family?
Old injuries matter more than people expect. A rolled ankle from twenty years ago, or a car accident you "got over", can still change how you load your hips and back today. Your history also tells us which techniques suit you. Some patients do better with a gentler approach, and we would rather know that up front than find out on the table.
What have you already tried?
If you've seen a physio, massage therapist or another chiropractor, tell us what helped and what didn't. Was the relief short-lived or did it stick? This saves time. There is no point repeating something your body has already shown it doesn't respond to.
What does a normal day look like?
Your daily routine often explains why a problem keeps coming back. We'll ask:
- What work do you do: desk, physical, or a mix?
- How long do you sit for at a stretch?
- Do you exercise or play sport? How often?
- How do you sleep, and what position do you wake up in?
- Do you do much lifting, gardening or repetitive work?
Down here on the Peninsula, the answers are often things like a weekly round at Rosebud Country Club, long hours in the car, or a weekend spent in the garden. A tradie who kneels all day and a retiree who walks the foreshore every morning can have the same sore back for very different reasons. None of this is about judging your habits. It's about matching the care to how you actually live.
What do you want to get back to?
This might be the most useful question we ask. "Less pain" is fair, but a specific goal is better: playing 18 holes without stiffening up on the back nine, picking up the grandkids, sleeping through the night, getting through a shift without a sore neck.
We'll also ask what you're hoping for from care: quick relief from a flare-up, or longer-term change in how you move. Clear goals give us a direction and a way to measure whether things are improving.
The questions worth asking us
Good care is a two-way conversation. These are the questions we'd encourage any new patient to ask.
What's your training and background?
You should know who is treating you. Dr Nick Ruffin studied chiropractic at RMIT and has been practising since 2018. He is TPI Level 1 Certified through the Titleist Performance Institute, which covers how physical limitations affect the golf swing, so golfers get questions about their game as well as their back. Dr Creina Hogg also practises at the clinic. Ask about the kinds of problems we see most often and whether yours is one of them.
What do you think is going on?
After the examination, you should get a plain-English explanation of what we found and what it means. If something doesn't make sense, ask again. You should leave knowing what is likely driving your symptoms, not just where it hurts.
What will treatment involve, and why that approach?
Most of the care at Capel Sound Chiropractic is built around chiropractic adjustments: specific, controlled movements to joints that aren't moving well. Not every adjustment is the classic hands-on approach people picture. Depending on your age, comfort and what we find, we may use:
- Hands-on chiropractic adjustments to the spine or other joints
- Activator instrument, a small handheld tool that delivers a light, quick impulse, often a good fit for older patients or anyone nervous about being adjusted
- Drop-piece table, where a section of the table drops slightly as the adjustment is made, so less force is needed
- Soft tissue work on tight muscles around the problem area
- Exercise rehab so you have something to do between appointments
Ask why we've chosen a particular approach for you. If you're uneasy about having your neck adjusted, or you don't like the idea of hearing a click, say so. There are gentler options, and we'll explain each one before we use it. You can read more about each method on our techniques page.
How will we know it's working?
Ask what progress should look like for you. Usually we track a few things: how your symptoms are changing, how far and how comfortably you can move, and whether you're getting back to the goal you told us about at the start. We repeat parts of the first examination along the way so the comparison is real, not guesswork. If things aren't changing as expected, we change the plan.
What should I do between appointments?
What you do outside the clinic counts. Ask about:
- Which exercises or stretches to do, how often, and how to tell you're doing them right
- Whether to use heat or ice if you're sore after an adjustment
- Changes to your desk, car seat or pillow that might take load off the problem area
- Whether to rest from anything, like heavy lifting or a round of golf, for a day or two
Some people feel a little sore after their first adjustment, much like after a session at the gym. Ask what's normal for you and what to do if it happens.
What about fees, health funds and care plans?
It's fine to ask about costs before you start. Health fund rebates are available if you have chiropractic extras cover, and patients with a Medicare care plan (GP Chronic Disease Management plan) are welcome. Our FAQs cover the common practical questions.
Before you come in
Jot down a few notes: when the problem started, what makes it better or worse, what you've tried, and what you want to get back to. Wear comfortable clothes you can move in. Bring your questions. Nothing you ask will be a silly question, and the more you ask, the better the plan fits you.
Book your first visit
We're at 1639 Point Nepean Road, Capel Sound, between the Capel Sound Newsagency and Sound Bar, with free street parking and wheelchair access. We see patients from Rosebud, Rye, Dromana, Sorrento and across the southern Peninsula. Book your first visit online, or call the clinic to arrange a free phone consultation with Dr Nick if you'd like to talk it through first.
