Strongly Consider Doing This If Your TCM Treatments For Lower Back Pain Isn’t Working…
Lower back pain is one of the most common health issues faced by many people in Singapore. Whether it’s a sharp, sudden pain or a dull, persistent ache, lower back pain can affect your ability to do the simplest tasks like bending, sitting, or even standing for extended periods. This discomfort can disrupt your daily life, making it harder to engage in social activities, participate in sports, or even work effectively.
Living with lower back pain can take a toll on your emotional well-being as well. The constant discomfort and lack of relief can lead to frustration, irritability, and anxiety, affecting both your mental and physical health. It can make even the most routine activities feel like a challenge.
TCM: A Popular Approach to Treating Lower Back Pain
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is widely embraced in Singapore as a holistic approach to healing, especially for those suffering from conditions like lower back pain. TCM treatments such as acupuncture, herbal remedies, and tui na massage have been used for centuries to relieve pain, restore balance to the body, and promote healing.
While TCM can bring relief for many individuals, there are times when it may not provide the desired results, particularly if the underlying cause of your lower back pain hasn’t been accurately diagnosed. Without a clear understanding of what’s causing the pain, treatments may only address the symptoms, offering temporary relief without solving the actual problem.
Why Getting a Clear Diagnosis Is Crucial
Lower back pain can be caused by various factors. Here are five of the most common causes:
- Muscle Strain – Overuse, poor posture, or sudden awkward movements can strain the muscles in your lower back.
- Herniated Discs – The discs between the vertebrae in your spine can slip or rupture, leading to nerve compression and pain.
- Degenerative Disc Disease – As we age, the discs in our spine may wear down, causing discomfort and stiffness.
- Spinal Stenosis – A narrowing of the spinal canal that puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves, leading to pain and numbness.
- Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction – Misalignment or inflammation of the sacroiliac joints in the lower back can cause pain that radiates through the hips and legs.
In addition to these common causes, there are two less common but more serious causes of lower back pain:
- Fractures or Spinal Injuries – A fracture in the spine or a major injury can cause significant pain and should be diagnosed early.
- Infections or Tumors – Though rare, infections or tumors in the spine can lead to severe back pain and require urgent medical attention.
The Need for Imaging to Get a Precise Diagnosis
It’s important to note that you cannot determine the exact cause of lower back pain through physical examination or by relying on symptoms alone. A proper diagnosis requires imaging techniques such as X-rays, ultrasounds, or MRIs. These tools allow healthcare providers to pinpoint the root cause of the pain—whether it’s related to bones, soft tissues, or nerve compression.
The Pain Relief Clinic: Your Partner in Finding a Clear Diagnosis
At The Pain Relief Clinic, we’ve spent over a decade helping individuals with lower back pain. We take a non-invasive, technology-supported approach to diagnosis and treatment. If you’re struggling with lower back pain and haven’t found lasting relief, we can arrange for affordable scans—usually within one working day. Plus, Medisave can often be used to cover the cost of these scans, making it a cost-effective option.
We also assist with the necessary paperwork for insurance claims, including accident insurance, travel insurance, and company insurance, ensuring a seamless experience for our patients.
Once we have a precise diagnosis, we can offer targeted and customized treatments to address the root cause of your lower back pain, helping you recover and get back to your daily activities without the burden of pain.
Ready to find a solution? Send us a message to arrange an appointment today and take the first step 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.