You Need To Consider Doing This If Your Lower Back Pain Is Not Improving With Acupuncture

Lower back pain is one of the most common health issues that many people experience. Whether it’s caused by muscle strain, poor posture, injury, or age-related wear and tear, lower back pain can severely affect your mobility and quality of life. The pain can range from a dull ache to sharp, shooting discomfort that makes it difficult to sit, stand, or even sleep comfortably.

Chronic lower back pain can limit your ability to perform everyday tasks, engage in physical activity, or participate in social activities. It can also lead to frustration and emotional stress, especially when the pain seems persistent despite efforts to manage it.

Acupuncture: A Popular Approach to Treating Lower Back Pain

Acupuncture, a key component of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), is widely used as a treatment for lower back pain. This technique involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the body to stimulate energy flow (qi) and promote natural healing. Many individuals turn to acupuncture as a way to alleviate lower back pain, as it is known to help reduce inflammation, improve circulation, and relax the muscles.

While acupuncture can be an effective solution for many, there are times when it may not provide the relief you need, especially if the underlying cause of the lower back pain has not been properly diagnosed. Without a clear understanding of the source of the pain, treatments may only offer temporary relief instead of addressing the root cause.

Why Getting a Clear Diagnosis Is Crucial

Lower back pain can arise from several underlying causes. Here are five common causes of lower back pain:

  1. Muscle Strain – Overuse, poor posture, or sudden awkward movements can strain the muscles in the lower back.
  2. Herniated Disc – A bulging or ruptured disc can press on nerves, causing pain, numbness, or weakness in the lower back or legs.
  3. Degenerative Disc Disease – As spinal discs lose their cushioning ability with age, they can cause discomfort and stiffness in the lower back.
  4. Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction – Misalignment or inflammation of the sacroiliac joints can cause lower back pain that radiates to the hips and legs.
  5. Spinal Stenosis – A narrowing of the spinal canal can put pressure on the nerves and lead to pain and numbness.

In addition to these common causes, there are two less common but potentially serious causes of lower back pain:

  1. Fractures – A spinal fracture can cause severe pain and limit mobility in the lower back.
  2. Infections or Tumors – Infections or tumors in the spine can cause chronic pain and may require immediate medical attention.

The Need for Imaging to Get a Precise Diagnosis

It’s important to recognize that lower back pain cannot be accurately diagnosed through physical symptoms or a physical examination alone. To obtain a clear diagnosis, imaging techniques such as X-rays, MRIs, or CT scans are often necessary. These imaging methods help healthcare providers identify the root cause of the pain, whether it’s related to muscles, discs, joints, or bones.

The Pain Relief Clinic: Your Partner in Finding a Clear Diagnosis

At The Pain Relief Clinic, we have over a decade of experience helping individuals with lower back pain. We offer a comprehensive, non-invasive approach to diagnosing the root cause of your pain and developing a customized treatment plan. If you’re dealing with lower back pain and haven’t found lasting relief, we can arrange for affordable scans, typically within one working day. Medisave can often be used to cover the cost of these scans, making the process more affordable.

We also assist with insurance claims, including accident insurance, travel insurance, and company insurance, ensuring that you can access the care you need without added financial stress.

Once we have a precise diagnosis, we can provide targeted treatments to address the root cause of your lower back pain, helping you recover and restore your mobility.

Ready to take control of your lower back pain? Send us a message today to arrange an appointment and begin your journey toward lasting relief from lower back pain.

What To Expect When I Visit The Pain Relief Clinic

A typical visit will involve our doctor first understanding your medical history, concerns and previous experience with other pain treatments.

For patients who have consulted many people but have yet to receive a clear diagnosis, selecting an affordable imaging scan might be recommended to confirm the cause of your pain..

Some patients have already done scans with other doctors for their pain condition but are still not clearly told what they suffer from.

Dr Terence Tan is happy to offer you a second opinion and recommend how best to manage your condition.

We also see patients who already have a confirmed diagnosis from specialist pain doctors, but are "stuck” because treatment options offered are not practical or acceptable.

We can help by discussing options that you might have potentially never been told of.

A common experience is when a patient has already consulted a specialist doctor for pain management and is told to consider orthopaedic surgery which they find too aggressive.

Or they may have seen doctors for their pain and were prescribed painkillers with potential side effects which made them feel uncomfortable.

Many of our patients have also first tried complementary treatments or acupuncture with traditional Chinese pain doctors.

They look for a second opinion after finding any relief experienced from other treatments to be temporary or requiring repetitive treatments, which add up to time and cost.

Especially in such situations, we emphasize using non-invasive medical technology you likely have not been told about .

This can make a big difference to your results.