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

Neck pain can feel like an unrelenting burden, constantly pulling at you and making every movement a struggle. Whether it’s a stiff, aching feeling or sharp, shooting pain, neck pain can interfere with nearly every aspect of your life—from sitting at your desk at work to simply lying down to sleep. The frustration of not being able to turn your head without pain can leave you feeling trapped in your own body, unable to function as freely as you once did.

The constant discomfort can create emotional stress and anxiety, as neck pain takes its toll on your overall well-being, leaving you feeling drained, restless, and searching for a way out.

Acupuncture: A Popular Approach to Treating Neck Pain

Acupuncture, a core practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), has been helping people manage neck pain for centuries. By inserting thin needles into specific points on the body, acupuncture aims to stimulate the body’s natural healing processes, reduce inflammation, and restore balance. Many individuals with neck pain turn to acupuncture in hopes of achieving relief without relying on medication, offering a non-invasive alternative to managing their discomfort.

While acupuncture can work wonders for many, there are times when it may not offer the lasting relief you need, especially if the root cause of the neck pain has not been properly identified. If the underlying issue is left unaddressed, treatments may only provide temporary comfort, rather than a long-term solution.

Why Getting a Clear Diagnosis Is Crucial

Neck pain can arise from a variety of sources. Here are five common causes:

  1. Muscle Strain – Overuse, poor posture, or sudden movements can strain the muscles in the neck, causing pain and stiffness.
  2. Herniated Disc – A ruptured or slipped disc in the cervical spine can put pressure on nerves, leading to sharp pain in the neck and shoulders.
  3. Cervical Spondylosis – Age-related wear and tear on the bones and discs of the neck can lead to stiffness, pain, and decreased mobility.
  4. Whiplash – A sudden jerking motion of the neck, often from a car accident or sports injury, can result in pain and muscle spasms.
  5. Nerve Compression – Pinched nerves in the neck due to herniated discs, bone spurs, or misalignment can cause radiating pain or numbness in the arms.

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

  1. Spinal Infections – Infections in the cervical spine can cause intense pain, swelling, and require immediate medical attention.
  2. Spinal Tumors – Tumors near the spine can lead to chronic neck pain and neurological symptoms that require urgent care.

The Need for Imaging to Get a Precise Diagnosis

It’s important to understand that neck pain cannot always be accurately diagnosed through symptoms alone. Physical examinations may not provide the full picture of what’s happening in your cervical spine. Imaging techniques such as X-rays, MRIs, or CT scans are necessary to determine the exact cause of your pain, whether it’s related to bones, muscles, discs, or nerves.

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

At The Pain Relief Clinic, we understand how neck pain can control your life, making every movement feel like a challenge. With over a decade of experience, we specialize in providing non-invasive, comprehensive diagnostic services that identify the root cause of your pain. If you’ve been struggling with neck 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 it easier for you to get the care you need.

We also assist with insurance claims, including accident insurance, travel insurance, and company insurance, so you can focus on your recovery without worrying about the financial burden.

Once we have a clear diagnosis, we can provide you with targeted treatments that address the root cause of your neck pain, helping you regain the freedom to move without discomfort.

Ready to break free from neck pain? Send us a message today to arrange an appointment and take the first step toward lasting relief from neck 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.