You Need To Consider Doing This If Your Slip Disc Is Not Improving With Acupuncture
Slip disc, also known as a herniated or ruptured disc, can be one of the most painful and debilitating conditions. The pain can radiate from your lower back down to your legs, making even the simplest tasks—such as standing, walking, or sitting—extremely difficult. The discomfort can be sharp, burning, or aching, and it often leaves you feeling trapped in your own body.
The frustration of living with slip disc is real. As you struggle with persistent pain that limits your movement, your daily life becomes affected. Work, exercise, and even social activities are put on hold, leaving you exhausted and emotionally drained.
Acupuncture: A Popular Approach to Treating Slip Disc
Acupuncture, a key component of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), has been used for centuries to alleviate pain and promote healing for various conditions, including slip disc. By inserting fine needles into specific points along the body, acupuncture helps stimulate energy flow (qi), reduce inflammation, and restore balance within the body. Many individuals with slip disc have found relief through acupuncture, as it helps to reduce pain and improve mobility, providing a non-invasive solution to manage discomfort.
However, while acupuncture can be effective for many people, there are times when it may not provide the lasting relief needed, especially if the root cause of the slip disc has not been accurately diagnosed. Without a clear understanding of the underlying issue, treatments may provide only temporary relief instead of addressing the problem at its source.
Why Getting a Clear Diagnosis Is Crucial
Slip disc can result from various factors. Here are five common causes:
- Trauma or Injury – Sudden movements, heavy lifting, or falls can cause a disc in the spine to slip or rupture, resulting in pain.
- Degeneration – As we age, the spinal discs lose their flexibility and cushioning ability, making them more prone to injury.
- Poor Posture – Prolonged sitting or improper posture can strain the spine and lead to disc problems over time.
- Repetitive Strain – Repeated twisting, bending, or lifting can increase pressure on the spinal discs, leading to a herniated disc.
- Obesity – Extra body weight places additional pressure on the spine, increasing the likelihood of disc herniation.
In addition to these common causes, there are two less common but potentially serious causes of slip disc:
- Spinal Tumors – Tumors in or around the spine can cause disc herniation and lead to severe pain.
- Infections – Infections that affect the spine can weaken the discs and cause significant pain and discomfort.
The Need for Imaging to Get a Precise Diagnosis
It’s essential to recognize that slip disc cannot always be accurately diagnosed through physical symptoms alone. Imaging techniques such as X-rays, MRIs, or CT scans are necessary to fully understand the condition of the discs in the spine and identify the cause of the pain. These methods provide a clear picture of the spine, allowing healthcare providers to determine the extent of the herniation and develop an effective treatment plan.
The Pain Relief Clinic: Your Partner in Finding a Clear Diagnosis
At The Pain Relief Clinic, we understand the impact slip disc can have on your life. With over a decade of experience, we specialize in offering non-invasive solutions for diagnosing the root cause of your pain. If you’ve been living with slip disc and haven’t found lasting relief, we can arrange for affordable scans, typically within one working day. Medisave can often be used to help cover the cost of these scans, making them an affordable option for you.
We also assist with insurance claims, including accident insurance, travel insurance, and company insurance, ensuring that you can access the care you need without additional financial stress.
Once we have a clear diagnosis, we can provide targeted treatments to address the root cause of your slip disc and help you regain your mobility and comfort.
Ready to take control of your slip disc? Send us a message today to arrange an appointment and begin your journey toward lasting relief from slip disc.
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.