A spine pain specialist diagnoses and treats pain that comes from the spine, from the neck down to the lower back. Dr Liu is a pain physician with over 20 years of experience (more about Dr Liu). He looks for the source of your pain in the discs, joints and nerves of the spine, and treats it with medicines, exercise guidance and image-guided, minimally invasive procedures.
Most spine pain can be managed without an operation. Care usually starts with simple measures and moves to targeted procedures when they are needed.
Spine pain has many possible sources, and more than one can be involved at the same time.1
Consider an assessment if:
Seek urgent medical care if you lose control of your bladder or bowels, have numbness between your legs, or have weakness that is getting worse quickly.
Diagnosis starts with your history and an examination. Scans such as X-ray, CT or MRI are used when they will help guide treatment, because findings on a scan do not always explain pain. Nerve tests, or injections that numb a suspected source of pain to confirm it, may be used for some people.
Most spine pain improves with simple measures. The right plan depends on the cause and how long the pain has lasted.
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At your consultation, Dr Liu will ask about your pain and how it affects your daily life, examine you and review any scans or reports you bring. He will explain what he thinks is causing your pain and the options available, so you can decide on a plan together.
MOH accredited Pain Specialist and Medical Director of Alleviate Pain Clinic at Farrer Park Hospital. He completed an interventional pain fellowship at the University Health Network in Toronto and was previously a Senior Consultant in Pain Medicine at Singapore General Hospital.
Read more about Dr LiuThis page gives general information and is not a substitute for medical advice. Please see a doctor about your own symptoms and treatment options.
A spine pain specialist diagnoses and treats pain that comes from the spine, from the neck down to the lower back. Dr Liu is a pain physician who uses medicines, exercise guidance and image-guided, minimally invasive procedures when they are likely to help.
A spine pain specialist focuses on finding the source of spine pain and treating it with medicines, rehabilitation and minimally invasive procedures. A spine surgeon performs operations on the spine. Many people with spine pain never need an operation.
Consider an assessment if neck or back pain has lasted more than two weeks, keeps coming back, spreads into an arm or leg, or comes with tingling, numbness or weakness. Seek urgent medical care if you lose control of your bladder or bowels, have numbness between your legs, or have weakness that is getting worse quickly.
Not always. Most back pain does not need a scan at first. Imaging is considered when symptoms persist, when there are warning signs such as leg weakness, or when the result would change your treatment.
In most people, yes. Care usually starts with staying active, exercise and medicines, and may include injections or other minimally invasive procedures once the source of the pain has been identified. Surgery is generally kept for specific problems, such as significant nerve compression with worsening weakness.
Interventional pain procedures are covered by the Ministry of Health’s Table of Surgical Procedures (TOSP). They are therefore reimbursable by all Integrated Shield Plans and most corporate insurance plans. However, it is advisable to obtain preauthorisation from your insurer before the procedure. Our clinic staff will guide you through this process.
Effective pain solutions for a better living. Specialist pain management at Farrer Park Hospital, Singapore.
1 Farrer Park Station Road #08-14
Farrer Park Hospital (Connexion)
Singapore 217562
Mon–Fri 9am–5pm
Sat 9am–1pm · By appointment
