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

Neck pain is a common condition that many people experience, often due to poor posture, muscle strain, or stress. It can manifest as a dull ache, sharp pain, or stiffness, and can make simple movements like turning your head or looking down uncomfortable. In some cases, neck pain may also radiate to the shoulders, arms, or head, leading to additional discomfort.

The impact of neck pain can be significant, affecting your ability to perform everyday tasks, engage in social activities, or even get a good night’s sleep. It can hinder work performance, especially for those who spend long hours at a desk, and contribute to stress or frustration due to the persistent discomfort.

TCM: A Popular Approach to Treating Neck Pain

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a widely used treatment option in Singapore for managing neck pain. TCM therapies such as acupuncture, herbal remedies, and tui na massage are commonly employed to alleviate pain, reduce inflammation, and restore balance to the body. Many individuals turn to TCM for relief, hoping to address the root causes of their neck pain and improve their overall health.

While TCM can be helpful for many, there are times when it may not provide the lasting relief you need, particularly if the underlying cause of your neck pain has not been properly diagnosed. Without an accurate understanding of what is causing the pain, treatments may only address the symptoms temporarily rather than providing a permanent solution.

Why Getting a Clear Diagnosis Is Crucial

Neck pain can be caused by several factors. Here are five common causes:

  1. Muscle Strain – Poor posture, sleeping in an awkward position, or sudden movements can strain the muscles in the neck, leading to discomfort.
  2. Cervical Disc Issues – Herniated or degenerated discs in the neck can compress nerves and cause pain, tingling, or numbness.
  3. Cervical Spondylosis – Age-related wear and tear on the neck’s bones and discs can lead to stiffness and chronic pain.
  4. Whiplash Injury – Sudden jerking of the neck, often from a car accident or sports injury, can strain the muscles and ligaments in the neck.
  5. Nerve Compression – Conditions such as a herniated disc or bone spurs in the spine can pinch the nerves in the neck, causing pain and discomfort.

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 and may require immediate medical attention.
  2. Tumors – Rare tumors in the spine or neck can lead to pain and may cause more severe symptoms.

The Need for Imaging to Get a Precise Diagnosis

It’s important to understand that neck pain cannot be accurately diagnosed through physical examination or symptoms alone. A precise diagnosis requires imaging techniques such as X-rays, MRIs, or CT scans. These tools help healthcare providers identify the cause of the pain, whether it’s related to muscles, bones, nerves, or discs, and allow them to recommend the most effective treatment.

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

At The Pain Relief Clinic, we have over a decade of experience helping people with neck pain. We provide a non-invasive approach to diagnosing and treating the root cause of the 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. You can also use Medisave to cover the cost of these scans, making the process more affordable.

We also help 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 clear diagnosis, we can create a customized treatment plan to target the root cause of your neck pain, helping you find relief and regain mobility.

Ready to get started? 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.