Total Pain Specialist Clinic

25/09/2025

One of the most heartbreaking things I hear in clinic is: “I guess I’ll just have to live like this forever.”

That belief is common, but it is not true. Chronic pain does not mean permanent pain. It means the system has learned a pattern. And patterns can be retrained.

The shift begins with reframing:
🔹 From cure → control
🔹 From pain score → life score
🔹 From all-or-nothing → stepwise
🔹 From fear → familiarity
🔹 From passive → partnered

With the right plan (rehab, pacing, and targeted procedures where needed), pain can become quieter, more predictable, and less disruptive.

I have seen patients go from years of low back and leg pain to hiking again with their families. Not because pain vanished, but because it stopped being the boss of their lives.

If you feel stuck, that is not failure. It is simply a sign to try a different approach.

👉 Reach out to me, let’s explore your options and find a path forward together.

25/09/2025

Neuromodulation is one of the most powerful tools we have for nerve-driven pain, but many patients have never heard of it.

It’s not brain surgery. It’s not permanent. It’s not only for “end-stage” cases.

Instead, it’s a safe, reversible way of calming overactive pain signals with gentle electrical pulses. Think of it like turning down the “volume dial” on pain before it overwhelms your life.

I usually discuss neuromodulation when:
🔹 Pain has a strong nerve component (sciatica, diabetic neuropathy, post-surgical nerve pain).
🔹 Medications and injections only give partial relief.
🔹 Surgery isn’t needed, or hasn’t helped.
🔹 Pain is limiting daily life, work, or sleep.

Every patient starts with a short trial; if it helps, we proceed. If not, we stop. No harm done.

In the right patient, I have seen it reduce pain by more than 50%, improve sleep, lower reliance on medications, and restore confidence to move again.

Neuromodulation is not a magic fix, but it can be life-changing.

👉 If you are living with stubborn nerve pain and wondering if this could help, reach out to me. Let’s explore your options together.

24/09/2025

Many people only seek help when pain becomes unbearable; when sleep is disrupted, daily tasks feel impossible, or movement is severely limited.

But you don’t have to be in crisis to get pain help.

I often hear:
“It’s not bad enough yet.”
“I’m afraid I’ll be pushed into surgery.”
“I’m too busy caring for others.”

The truth is, early intervention is not about rushing into drastic treatments. It’s about acting before pain becomes entrenched. Even simple, targeted steps, like a joint injection, nerve block, or guided rehab, can prevent months or years of chronic suffering.

When patients wait too long, the nervous system often adapts in unhealthy ways. Recovery takes longer, requires more complex care, and is harder on the body.

If pain has lasted more than a few weeks, interrupts your sleep, or limits everyday tasks, it is already “bad enough” to deserve attention.

The best outcomes often come from acting early, before pain takes over.

👉 If you have been waiting, wondering if it is time, reach out. Early care makes all the difference.

24/09/2025

Burning, shooting, stabbing. Or sore, tight, and crampy.

Not all pain is the same and knowing whether it comes from a nerve or a muscle can completely change your treatment plan.

I often meet patients who were told they had a “strain” or “tendon problem,” when in fact the pain was nerve-related. Others were prescribed nerve medicines, when their issue was purely muscular. The result? Months of frustration, little progress, and unnecessary suffering.

The truth is:
🔹 Nerve pain travels, burns, and often comes with tingling or weakness.
🔹 Muscle pain stays local, feels stiff or knotted, and usually improves with movement or warmth.

Sometimes, both overlap; a tight muscle can irritate a nerve, or a grumpy nerve can make muscles spasm. That’s why the right diagnosis matters so much.

When pain lingers, spreads, or keeps you from living fully, don’t just guess.
The earlier we find the real source, the faster we can act, and the better the outcome.

If you are not sure whether your pain is nerve, muscle, or both, reach out. Clarity is the first step toward relief.

02/09/2025

As doctors, we often give the advice we don’t always follow ourselves.

Several years ago, I ignored persistent shoulder pain, convincing myself it was “just a strain.” What could have been solved with early rehab turned into months of more complex recovery.

That experience changed how I see pain — both my own and my patients'.

Too often, people wait until pain takes away something important: sleep, movement, work, or the activities they love. By then, the body has often adapted in unhealthy ways, making recovery harder.

Early intervention does not always mean rushing into surgery. It means listening to pain as a signal, not an inconvenience, and acting before it becomes chronic.

If pain is affecting your daily life, don’t wait. The earlier we act, the more options you have, and the better the outcome.

👉 Reach out if you would like clarity on your next step.

29/08/2025

I trained in Ireland and the UK alongside some of the most established pain management teams in the world.
There, I learned that pain is not just a physical issue, it is personal, complex, and requires more than medication or quick fixes.

I came back to Singapore not just to apply those methods, but to adapt them to our culture, our healthcare system, and our patients’ lives.

At Total Pain Specialist Clinic, we combine global standards with local understanding.

That means:
– Advanced techniques like radiofrequency ablation and neuromodulation
– Clear explanations in plain language
– Support that respects your values, responsibilities, and pace of life

You should not have to choose between professional care and care that feels familiar. You can, and should, have both.

If you are ready to explore a more precise, more personal approach to pain care, reach out. We would be happy to help.

27/08/2025

“My scan is normal… but I am still in pain.”

This is one of the most common, and misunderstood, frustrations I hear in clinic.

Many people assume that pain always equals damage. That if nothing shows up on an MRI or X-ray, the pain must be exaggerated, imagined, or untreatable.

That simply is not true.

Your nervous system can become overactive or sensitised, especially after long-term stress, injury, or trauma. In these cases, pain can persist even when tissues have healed, not because you are imagining it, but because your system is still “on high alert.”

This is called central sensitisation, and it is a real, biological process.

Understanding this does not mean ignoring physical care, it means taking a more complete approach to your recovery.

So if you have been told “everything looks fine” but you still do not feel fine, reach out. You deserve a plan that addresses the whole picture, not just the scan.

25/08/2025

When scans don’t explain the pain, we need better tools.

One of the most important, and often overlooked, is the diagnostic injection.

It is not meant to treat the pain, but to pinpoint it. By numbing a specific joint, nerve, or soft tissue structure, we can observe how the pain responds in real time.

If there is a significant drop in pain, even for a few hours, we have likely found the source. If there is no change, we avoid unnecessary procedures.

This approach is especially useful when:
– Scans show multiple abnormalities
– Pain persists despite normal imaging
– The source of pain is still unclear after other treatments

It surprises many patients how precise this can be, and how often it leads to the first real breakthrough in their care.

If you have been told “everything looks fine” but you are still in pain, reach out.
There may be more clarity than you have been offered so far.

22/08/2025

In pain care, two people can have the same scan and completely different experiences. Why?

Because pain is not just physical; it is shaped by your story, your stress, your beliefs, your sleep, your support system.

When someone walks into my clinic, I don’t just want to know where it hurts.

I want to know:
🔹 What can’t you do right now?
🔹 How is it affecting your life?
🔹 What are you afraid of?

Pain does not happen in a vacuum and it should not be treated in one.

That is why I take a biopsychosocial approach to pain management. Yes, I use evidence-based interventions.

But I also take time to understand the person behind the pain — and build a plan that fits them.

👉 If you are looking for a more human, whole-person approach to pain care, feel free to reach out.
I would be happy to help.

20/08/2025

“I have tried everything and nothing works.”

It is something I hear often, and I take it seriously.
Not as an exaggeration but as a sign of frustration and fatigue.
By the time many patients reach me, they have seen multiple providers, tried medications, physiotherapy, alternative therapies, and still live with pain.

But in many cases, “everything” does not include the more targeted options:
Diagnostic nerve blocks, radiofrequency ablation, image-guided injections, or neuromodulation techniques. Tools designed for precision, not just symptom relief.

These are not extreme measures. They are simply not offered early enough.

If you are in pain and feel like you have run out of options, you may not need to start over; just in a more focused direction.

If that is where you are, reach out. I would be happy to help.

18/08/2025

One of my earliest patients had normal scans and had tried multiple treatments, but her pain persisted.
Only when she spoke about her stress, exhaustion, and caregiving responsibilities did things start to make sense.

That moment shifted how I understood pain.

Our bodies and minds are deeply connected. Chronic stress, burnout, and emotional strain can amplify physical pain, even when tests appear “normal.”

In Singapore's ""fast-paced culture"", I see this every day: tension headaches, tight shoulders, fatigue that painkillers can't help.

Pain is not always a mechanical issue. Sometimes, it is a message.

If you have been holding too much for too long, and your body is starting to speak, reach out.

17/08/2025