Low Back Pain

Commonly, lower back pain occurs as a result of injury, such as muscle sprains or strains. This may occur due to sudden, rapid movements or poor body posture when engaging in high impact activities.

The incidence of lower back pain increases with age. As you age, the loss in muscle tone makes the back more susceptible to injury.

In addition, many patients who sit in an office chair for long hours without occasionally stretching, also complain of severe low back pain. This is likely to be a result of a concentration of loading stressors on the lower back, especially when seated.

Neck Pain

The neck is made up of vertebrae that runs from the skull to the upper torso. The ligaments and muscles present in the neck support your head motions.

Neck pain or stiffness is a common condition that can occur due to a strain. This often is a result of poor posture from sitting or hunching. Similar to low back pain, many patients who suffer from neck ache and stiffness often fail to stretch and move their neck often enough. This may be because they are deeply engrossed with the work on their computer screens.

In unfortunate cases, a bad accident can result in serious damage to the neck and cervical spine.

Oftentimes, neck pain or stiffness will resolve itself in a few days. However, if your neck pain is severe and persists for a prolonged period of time, it is advisable to seek medical care promptly.

Slipped Disc

A slipped disc occurs when the gel-like material within a disc in your spine shifts or herniates. This can result in compression of the nerve root and cause numbness, tingling sensations, pain or even weakness in the upper or lower limbs.

Sitting with poor posture, or exercising frequently with the wrong posture may put more pressure on your spine. Any high impact activity that engages the spine could result in a slipped disc. This may weaken the spine and contribute to a higher chance of developing a slipped disc.

A herniated disc can also be attributed to the wear and tear of your discs over time, resulting in the degeneration of disc elasticity.This makes the disc stiffer and less pliable, causing them to be more prone to damage.

Pain Relievers

Medications and pain relievers will also help reduce inflammation and ease your discomfort. Sometimes, applying a heat pack to the affected areas for 10-20 minutes may bring some relief.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is the treatment of injury and disease using non-invasive techniques. It focuses on improving your ability to move and function without pain, boosting your quality of life.

Exercises performed during a physiotherapy session aids in the strengthening of your back muscles to minimize stiffness and improve the mobility of your spine. The goal is to improve strength, increase endurance and to improve range of motion. It also helps to reduce the likelihood of future injuries.

Modification of Activities

For many neck and low back pain and stiffness conditions, it is often useful to do some self reflection and aim to improve sitting postures. More often than not, it takes effort to remind oneself to not remain still for long periods of time. It is important to do regular stretching to redistribute the stressors on the neck or back.

During this period of the pandemic, many of us work from home and may not have the optimal ergonomics of the office environment. We may also be staying seated or even slouching more in a home environment and not move around as much as we would have in the office. These are potentially areas where patient can look to improve.

Nerve Root Blocks

In certain conditions where nerve impingement and inflammation results in great discomfort to the patient, nerve root blocks under radiologic guidance may be suitable and can provide relief. As this is an invasive procedure, patients are well advised to discussed the process, risks and benefits with their doctor.

Surgical Options

At our clinic, we generally try to explore non-surgical treatment such as activities modification, physiotherapy and orthotics before recommending invasive intervention options.

For spine conditions, we offer the following surgical options:

• Surgical Spinal Decompression
• Surgical Fusion & Instrumentation

Surgery is a big decision to make. It is important to discuss your treatment plan thoroughly with your doctor, to ensure that you have the most comfortable treatment experience.

Is My Pain Serious Enough For A Visit To A Specialist Orthopaedic Surgeon?

When your back or neck pain becomes more persistent, the treatment options may be beyond your GP’s expertise. You should seek specialist medical advice from an orthopaedic surgeon if you experience any of the following:

Severe pain

Severe pain that affects the activities of daily living, makes walking difficult, or comes on very suddenly and even at rest, may require the attention of a spine specialist. Lower back and/or leg pain as well as neck pain and/or arm pain that does not resolve early should also be addressed by a specialist.

Experience muscle weakness, numbness, or tingling in the legs or arms

Severe numbness, weakness or tingling of the limbs could signal a medical emergency. Better to see a spine specialist early to prevent irreparable damage including incontinence or paralysis.

If your pain is affecting your quality of life and you cannot perform everyday activities, it is highly advisable to see an orthopaedic surgeon for a detailed diagnosis and advice.

What Can I Expect At My First Visit With An Orthopaedic Surgeon?

At your first appointment with Dr. Ong, he will evaluate your medical history and the pain you are experiencing.

Depending on the symptoms you have, he will likely perform some form of diagnostic imaging (e.g. X-Rays or MRI scans) to assess your condition accurately. X-rays and CT scans are useful to rule out bony problems, whilst an MRI scan is excellent at looking at soft tissue (e.g. tendons, ligaments, cartilage) problems.

After assessing your condition, Dr. Ong will recommend a personalised treatment plan, according to your specific needs. This may include surgical or non-surgical treatment options.

Will I Need Surgery To Treat My Back or Neck Pain?

After diagnosis, Dr. Ong will advise an individualised treatment plan that is customized to your specific needs. The treatment plan varies from patient to patient, and the condition you have.

For less severe problems, Dr. Ong may recommend a non-surgical management plan (such as painkillers and physiotherapy) to treat your condition initially. If your symptoms do not improve or even worsen over the course of this treatment, Dr. Ong will review the treatment protocol and may advise surgery.

Dr. Ong will only recommend surgical options when all other conventional non-surgical interventions have failed, or if non-surgical options will not work for your condition. For example, if you have a broken bone which is extremely painful and debilitating, you may benefit from immediate surgery.

What Modes Of Payments Do You Accept?

Consultation fees are charged based on length of consultation, and start from SGD 150 (within 30 minutes).

We accept the following modes of payment:

• Cash
• NETS
• PayNow & PayLah!
• All major Credit Cards

If you are insured and would like to use E-Filing or A Letter of Guarantee (LOG) from the major insurers in Singapore, please contact us, our friendly clinic staff will assist you and provide more information if required.