Suffering from Neck or Back Pain? Unable to perform normal activities?
Seek assistance from our Spine Specialists at the Singapore Sports and Orthopaedic Clinic, where we'll effectively treat and alleviate your pain.
What type of spine problem are you currently experiencing?
Neck Pain
Severe pain from an injury, eg. car accident, a fall, etc. In such cases, bone fractures is what you need to beware of.
Shooting pain radiating to your shoulders or arms, or numbness and tingling in your fingers. Such pain may result from nerve irritation.
Weakness in the arms or legs, walking difficulties, urinary retention or incontinence, or change in bowel function may indicate injury to the spinal cord.
Neck pain hits in different ways – cramping, stabbing or intermittent. If the nerves are involved, it can result in numbness, tingling feeling, loss of sensation or weakness in arms or legs.
Muscle strain or sprain is usually easy to self-diagnose. They typically occure after a strenuous activity or prolonged incorrect posture, which puts excessive strain on the neck muscles. Such pain, however, usually improves within a few days. Consult Our Doctors if the pain does not let up within a week or two, or if you have symptoms above.
Lower Back Pain
Pain spreading into the buttocks and thighs.
Pain radiating from the buttock to the foot.
Back stiffness and reduced range of motion.
Muscle weakness in the hip, thigh, leg, or foot.
Sensory changes (numbness, prickling, or tingling) in the leg, foot, or toes.
Rarely, symptoms involve changes in bowel or bladder function. A large disc herniation that pushes straight back into the spinal canal can put pressure on the nerves that go to the bowels and bladder. The pressure may cause symptoms of low back pain, pain running down the back of both legs, and numbness or tingling between the legs in the area you would contact if you were seated on a saddle.
The pressure on the nerves can cause a loss of control in the bowels or bladder. If the pressure isn’t relieved, it can lead to permanent paralysis of the bowels and bladder. This condition is called cauda equina syndrome. Doctors recommend immediate surgery to remove pressure from the nerves.
Tail Bone Pain (Coccydynia)
- Severe localized pain and tenderness may be felt in the tailbone area.
- If the injury is traumatic, a bruise may be visible in this area.
- The pain is generally worse when sitting for prolonged periods of time, or with direct pressure to the tailbone area.
- Bowel movementsand straining are often painful.
- Tailbone pain or Coccydynia is a medical term meaning pain in the coccyx or tailbone area, usually brought on by sitting too abruptly. Direct trauma to the coccyx can result in coccyx fractures, dislocations, alignment abnormalities, etc.. Examples of trauma to the coccyx could include a fall onto the tailbone, pregnancy (and especially childbirth, which can put substantial pressure onto the coccyx as the baby moves down within the pelvis), prolonged sitting (especially sitting on a hard surface, or sitting on a narrow surface such as a bicycle seat, or increased sitting due to immobility because of an injury at a totally unrelated body region).
Prolapsed Intervertebral Disc
- Herniated disks is in your lower back
Feels intense pain in your buttocks, thigh, leg below the knee, and sometimes part of the foot - Herniated disks is in your neck
Feels intense pain in the shoulder and arm. Increasing pain when you cough, sneeze or move your spine into certain positions - Numbness or tingling sensation
- Muscle weaknesses
Slipped Disc / Herniated Disc – Slipped Disc or also knowned as Prolapsed intervertebral disc is the sudden or slowly progressing movement of one intervertebral disc backwards into the spinal channel.
Common spinal conditions
Whiplash Injury
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The most common cause for whiplash is a motor vehicle accident. Whiplash injury often results from a rear-end collision. Nevertheless it can occur as a result of a collision in any direction. Other causes for whiplash injury include amusement park rides for example roller coasters, assault involving being punched, shoved, or shaken and also from a fall of significant impact.
- Whiplash Injury – Whiplash injury occurs when there is a sudden jolt to the head and neck for example in a car accident, which causes either a forward, backward, or sideways movement of the head that is beyond the normal range of motion.
Scoliosis
There is no definite cause but most are due to developmental problems. A rib “hump” or a prominent shoulder blade caused by rotation of the ribcage in thoracic scoliosis can be detected on physical examination. It is more prominent when the patient is bent forward. A special X-ray film called a scoliosis film will confirm the diagnosis.
Scoliosis – Scoliosis is a medical condition in which a person’s spine is curved from side to side, shaped like an “s” or “c”, and the spine may also be rotated.
Some other conditions of Spine Problem :
- Spondylolisthesis – is a condition of the spine whereby one of the vertebra slips forward or backward compared to the next vertebra.
- Sciatica – Sciatica is pain resulting from irritation of the sciatic nerve. The pain of sciatica is naturally felt from the low back to behind the thigh and radiating down to below the knee.
Cervical Spondylosis – Cervical spine is made up of bones (vertebraes) with cushions (discs) between them. As we grow older, the bones and the discs will degenerate.
Cervical Radiculopathy – A nerve root injury is sometimes referred to as a “pinched” nerve. The medical term for this condition is cervical radiculopathy.
Singapore Sports and Orthopaedics Clinic
We provide guidance & education on lifestyle adjustments aimed at alleviating knee pain related to diagnosed conditions.
How do doctors diagnose your medical condition?
Radiological Imaging
Radiological imaging tests help your doctor see the anatomy of your spine. There are several kinds of imaging tests that are commonly used.
X-rays
X-rays show problems with bones, such as infection, bone tumors, or fractures. X-rays of the spine also can give your doctor information about how much degeneration has occurred in the spine, such as the amount of space in the neural foramina and between the discs. X-rays are usually the first test ordered before any of the more specialized tests.
MRI Scans
The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan uses magnetic waves to create pictures of the lumbar spine in slices. The MRI scan shows the lumbar spine bones as well as the soft tissue structures such as the discs, joints, and nerves. MRI scans are painless and don’t require needles or dye. The MRI scan has become the most common test to look at the lumbar spine after X-rays have been taken.
How do doctors alleviate your symptoms?
Physical Therapy
In addition to other nonsurgical treatments, doctors often ask their patients to work with a physical therapist. Therapy treatments focus on relieving pain, improving back movement, and fostering healthy posture. A therapist can design a rehabilitation program to address a particular condition and to help the patient prevent future problems. There is a great deal of scientific proof that exercise and increased overall fitness reduce the risk of developing back pain and can improve the symptoms of back pain once it begins.
Surgery
Only rarely is lumbar spine surgery scheduled right away. Our doctor may suggest immediate surgery if you are losing control of your bowels and bladder or if your muscles are becoming weaker very rapidly.
For other conditions, doctors prefer to try nonsurgical treatments for a minimum of three months before considering surgery. Most people with back pain tend to get better, not worse. Even people who have degenerative spine changes tend to gradually improve with time. Only one to three percent of patients with degenerative lumbar conditions typically require surgery. Surgery may be suggested when severe pain is not improving.
There are many different operations for back pain. The goal of nearly all spine operations is to remove pressure from the nerves of the spine, stop excessive motion between two or more vertebrae, or both. The type of surgery that is best depends on that patient’s conditions and symptoms.
Injections
Spinal injections are used for both treatment and diagnostic purposes. There are several different types of spinal injections that our doctor may suggest.
Some injections are more difficult to perform and require the use of a fluoroscope. A fluoroscope is a special type of X-ray that allows the doctor to see an X-ray picture continuously on a TV screen. The fluoroscope is used to guide the needle into the correct place before the injection is given.
Why choose Singapore Sports Orthopaedic Clinic for spine problem?
- Conveniently Located at Gleneagles Medical Centre, Central Part of Singapore.
- Provide same day appointment and Xray/MRI prior advanced arrangement.
- Have in-house physiotherapist who are working closely with our doctors.
- Our Doctors believe NOT every patient needs surgical treatement.
- Solutions for all age groups including children and elderly.
- Specialist Orthopaedic Clinic with Emphasis on Knee Injuries.
- Accredited Specialist Clinic. E-filing facility is available.
- We are closely working with more than 35 Insurance companies companies for cashless payments.
Spine (Neck, Back) Treatment FAQ
- Medications: Managing pain with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), muscle relaxants, and analgesics can provide relief from discomfort associated with C5 and C6 conditions.
- Cervical traction: This involves applying gentle, controlled force to the neck.
Dr Kevin Yip
Orthopaedic Surgeon
MBBS (UK), FRCS (Edin), FAM (Singapore) FHCOS (Orthopaedics)
Special Interest in Knee and Shoulder Pain, Injuries, Fracture, Common Orthopaedic Problems, Arthroscopy Surgery for Adult & Children
Dr Kevin Yip is a senior orthopaedic surgeon and a professor who specialises in orthopaedic trauma surgery. He has published close to 100 research articles.
When Dr Kevin Yip sees you, he will take a detail history and will then examine you. He uses various methods to diagnose your condition. He will then take you through the results by showing you pictures, on screen, of your tendon, ligaments, nerve or bone and will discuss your treatment options.
Schedule an appointment to alleviate your discomfort today!
We’ll address your pain and guide you through lifestyle changes tailored to alleviate knee discomfort associated with diagnosed conditions.