Singapore’s public hospitals are broadening the role of acupuncture within acute care, offering this traditional Chinese medicine option to patients with lower back pain, stroke, cancer symptoms, and other conditions alongside their standard treatments.
- Acupuncture offered in emergency short-stay units for acute lower back pain
- Expanded use in stroke rehab, neurological care, and cancer symptom management
- Integration aims to complement, not replace, conventional medical treatment
What happened
Singapore General Hospital and Changi General Hospital have introduced acupuncture services in their emergency department short-stay units to help patients with acute lower back pain. Patients first receive conventional assessments and treatments, including painkillers, before being offered acupuncture as an additional pain relief option when pain remains significant. Since early 2026, about 60 patients at SGH have experienced substantial pain reduction following acupuncture treatments.
Beyond emergency care, acupuncture's role is expanding into inpatient settings, including stroke rehabilitation wards and cancer care centers. Treatments are being offered directly at patients’ bedsides to improve accessibility and facilitate collaboration among medical teams. This expansion reflects a broader Ministry of Health initiative to explore integrating selected traditional Chinese medicine therapies within Singapore’s public healthcare system.
Why it feels good
Acupuncture provides a complementary approach that can help relieve pain and improve mobility when conventional treatments alone may not be enough. Patients experiencing intense lower back pain have reported a more than 50% decrease in pain after receiving a single acupuncture session during their hospital stay. This helps patients regain movement and accelerate discharge from the hospital, enhancing overall patient experience.
Additionally, by integrating acupuncture into stroke rehabilitation and cancer supportive care, hospitals are addressing symptoms like pain, insomnia, and anxiety from multiple angles. This holistic care approach can improve patients' comfort and quality of life during critical recovery periods, nurturing both physical and emotional healing in tandem with Western medical treatments.
What to enjoy or watch next
Patients and healthcare professionals may look forward to further research and broader availability of acupuncture and other traditional Chinese medicine treatments in public hospitals. Continued monitoring of outcomes will provide deeper insights into how these approaches best complement conventional care, potentially leading to expanded protocols for diverse conditions beyond pain relief.
For those interested in exploring acupuncture as a treatment option, public hospitals like Singapore General and Changi General serve as accessible points of care. Outpatient acupuncture services remain available for follow-up treatments after discharge, supporting ongoing recovery. As the integration of TCM and Western medicine evolves, patients can anticipate a growing menu of holistic and patient-centered options within Singapore’s healthcare landscape.