Post-Surgery Pain Management Singapore
by: Amanda Chua, TCM Physician, Regis Wellness
Last updated: November 29, 2025
It is common to feel pain after surgery and post-surgery pain control is important to speed up the recovery process and lower the risks of developing health complications after the surgery. Post-surgery pain should be expected and discussed with your doctor, but can sometimes become chronic, persisting even after a few months.
It is estimated that 1 out of 10 patients will develop chronic postsurgical pain, while 1 out of 100 patients will experience severe chronic postsurgical pain that will affect their lifestyle negatively.
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What is Post-Surgery Pain?
Post-surgery pain is common and needs to be treated correctly to avoid chronic pain, which can become increasingly challenging to manage. Your doctor and surgeon will work with you to create pain management strategies, which aim to minimise post-surgery pain and discomfort. Even prior to your surgery, consulting your doctor will help you understand what to expect after your surgical procedure, which will be helpful in managing your post-surgery pain.
It is important to understand the causes of your pain to ensure that it is not caused by other reasons unrelated to your surgery. Surgical pain can be caused by:
- Damage to your tissues at the incision
- The surgery itself
- The closing of the wound
Other causes of pain may include:
- Muscle pain due to lying on the operating table
- Throat pain, feeling sore or scratchy, commonly as a result of general anaesthesia.
- Pain when moving, especially at or around the site of incision.
Complications of Post-Surgery Pain
Failure to treat and manage post-surgery pain can lead to various health consequences, such as:
- A reduction in quality of life
- Prolonged rehabilitation
- Chronic pain
Working closely with your doctor during your post-operation recovery period to treat and manage your pain effectively is key to avoiding unwanted health consequences and ensuring that your body recovers fully.
Treating Post-Surgery Pain
Depending on your surgery and your needs, the treatment method for your post-surgery pain can differ. While pain-control treatment methods are generally safe, they are not completely free of risk and side effects. You may experience common side effects such as nausea, vomiting, itching, and drowsiness as a result of your pain-control treatment.
Intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (PCA)
The PCA is a computerised pump that allows you to deliver a small dose of pain medicine into your body with the push of a button when you feel like you need pain relief. The pain medicine is delivered into the intravenous (IV) line, usually in your arm. This device gives you full control over your pain management, only using the device when you require pain relief. It is important that you do not allow anyone else to press the button for you as this may cause you to be over sedated, resulting in breathing difficulties. In addition, you should only press the button when you require pain relief.
Patient-controlled epidural analgesia
This pain control method is commonly used during childbirth. A PCA pump is used, but with an epidural catheter (a very thin plastic tube) that is placed into your back. During and after your surgery, pain medications will be infused through this epidural catheter allowing you to relieve your pain whenever required.
Nerve blocks
A nerve block can be used to control post-surgery pain. It is more effective in treating pain isolated to a smaller area of the body. A nerve block controls pain by blocking off pain signals to the affected areas of the body by intentionally cutting or destroying certain nerves.
Oral pain medications
Oral pain medications may be prescribed by your doctor to help you manage your post-surgery pain. These may include:
- Paracetamol
- Anti-inflammatory medications (naproxen, diclofenac)
- COX-2 inhibitors (etoricoxib, celecoxib)
- Tramadol
Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation for Post-Surgical Pain Management
Physiotherapy plays a crucial role in post-surgical rehabilitation by managing pain, restoring mobility, and helping patients regain their quality of life. After surgery, many individuals experience reduced strength, stiffness, and difficulty performing daily activities. A physiotherapist guides patients through safe, structured exercises and treatments to support healing, reduce complications, and rebuild function.
Our physiotherapist will assess your strength, mobility, balance, posture, and any post-surgical limitations before designing a personalised rehabilitation plan. Post-surgical physiotherapy not only treats pain but also addresses muscle weakness, stiffness, poor circulation, respiratory issues, and confidence loss that may occur after surgery.
Physiotherapy for post-surgical pain management typically progresses through the following treatment focuses:
- Pain Relief, Swelling Control & Early Mobility Phase
- Hot and cold therapy to ease stiffness, reduce inflammation, and relieve discomfort at the surgical site
- Electrotherapy to block pain signals and stimulate the release of natural pain-relieving chemicals
- Ultrasound therapy to increase circulation, reduce swelling, and accelerate tissue healing
- Gentle range-of-motion exercises to prevent stiffness and maintain mobility in affected joints
- Manual therapy techniques such as soft tissue release and joint mobilisation to improve comfort and movement
- Strengthening, Flexibility & Functional Recovery Phase
- Strengthening exercises to rebuild muscle strength lost during immobilisation or hospitalisation
- Stretching exercises to improve flexibility and reduce tension around the surgical area
- Balance and posture training to correct compensatory patterns and support safe mobility
- Deep tissue massage may be used only after incisions have fully healed, helping relieve chronic muscle tightness and scar tissue restrictions
- Breathing and circulatory exercises to reduce the risk of respiratory or circulatory complications
- Advanced Strength, Functional Training & Return-to-Daily-Activities Phase
- Progressive strength and conditioning exercises to restore endurance and overall physical ability
- Functional movement training to help patients safely return to walking, climbing stairs, lifting, or daily self-care tasks
- Gait retraining to correct walking abnormalities caused by pain or limited mobility
- Home exercise programs to maintain progress between sessions and support long-term recovery
- Guidance on safely resuming work, daily routines, and physical activities depending on the type of surgery
Our physiotherapist will monitor your progress closely, adjusting the rehabilitation plan as your pain decreases and mobility improves. With consistent physiotherapy, patients typically regain strength, reduce pain, and return to daily activities with confidence and independence.
TCM for Post-Surgical Pain
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) approaches post-surgical pain management by supporting the body’s natural healing processes, restoring balance, and improving circulation of Qi (vital energy) and blood. It can be used alongside conventional care and physiotherapy to help relieve pain, reduce stiffness, and promote recovery.
Treatment is individualised based on your overall health, type of surgery, and current symptoms. A TCM practitioner may combine acupuncture, herbal medicine, and cupping therapy to address pain, swelling, fatigue, and muscle tension that commonly occur after surgery.
TCM for post-surgical pain typically progresses through the following treatment focuses:
- Pain Relief, Swelling Control & Early Recovery Phase
- Acupuncture to help reduce pain, calm the nervous system, and improve local circulation without disturbing the surgical site
- Gentle cupping techniques (away from incisions) to ease muscle tension, reduce feelings of tightness, and support relaxation
- Early TCM-based advice on rest, positioning, and simple self-care to complement your medical and physiotherapy plan
- Healing Support, Circulation & Function Phase
- Ongoing acupuncture to promote Qi and blood flow, support tissue healing, and address residual pain or stiffness
- Individualised TCM herbal medicine to help reduce inflammation, support energy levels, and aid recovery, using herbs chosen for their analgesic and tissue-healing properties
- Cupping therapy where appropriate to relieve tightness in surrounding muscles (such as the back, neck, or limbs) that may have become strained from altered movement after surgery
- Integration with physiotherapy when relevant, to complement strengthening and mobility work while maintaining comfort and promoting smoother recovery
- Long-Term Balance, Comfort & Recurrence Prevention Phase
- Periodic maintenance acupuncture to support ongoing pain control, circulation, and overall wellbeing as activity levels increase
- Continued or adjusted herbal medicine where suitable, to maintain vitality and assist the body’s long-term healing response
- Lifestyle and dietary guidance based on TCM principles, including recommendations that support better sleep, digestion, and energy, important factors in recovery and pain control
- Education on self-care practices, such as gentle home acupressure or warm compresses (when appropriate), to help manage mild discomfort and support daily function
- Collaboration with your wider healthcare team to ensure TCM care remains safe and aligned with your overall post-surgical recovery plan
Our TCM physician will work closely with you to adjust treatments as your healing progresses, always taking into account your surgeon’s and physician’s recommendations. When used as part of a comprehensive recovery plan, TCM can help many individuals experience better pain control, improved comfort, and enhanced overall wellbeing after surgery.
Manage and relieve your post-surgical pain with Regis Wellness
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