Singapore hospitals expand use of acupuncture
Singapore’s public hospitals are expanding the use of acupuncture alongside standard treatment for patients with lower back pain, during post-stroke rehabilitation, for neurological conditions and symptoms related to cancer treatment. At Singapore General Hospital and Changi General Hospital, the procedure is offered to selected patients in short-stay units linked to emergency departments.
As Channel NewsAsia reports, Singapore General Hospital considers acupuncture only after a medical assessment and standard treatment, including painkillers. Doctors assess whether the procedure is suitable for a patient, taking into account, among other factors, pregnancy, fear of needles, bleeding risks and an infection at the needle insertion site. Treatment is voluntary.
Acupuncture in short-stay units
Since March 2026, about 60 patients with lower back pain have undergone acupuncture in the 23-hour unit at Singapore General Hospital. According to the hospital’s head of acupuncture services, Geraldine See, a preliminary analysis of data from 30 patients showed that their pain scores fell by more than 50% on average after the procedure.
One session lasts about 45 minutes and is performed once during the patient’s stay in the unit. If necessary, after discharge the patient may be referred to an outpatient clinic for further treatment.
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Changi General Hospital has used acupuncture in its short-stay unit at the emergency department to manage pain and acute symptoms since May 2022. In January 2026, it was included in the care protocol for patients with lower back pain. According to senior acupuncturist Sim Ann Ling, a review of 43 patients who received the procedure in 2025–2026 recorded an immediate reduction in pain scores of up to 80%. Patients also reported improved mobility.
Rehabilitation and supportive care
Since March 2026, Singapore General Hospital has begun providing acupuncture directly at patients’ bedsides in its rehabilitation ward, where many people are recovering after a stroke. About 4% of the hospital’s acupuncture service patients receive treatment related to stroke. Since October 2024, the institution has also provided acupuncture at the National Cancer Centre Singapore, including as supportive care for patients with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.
From January to June 2026, Singapore General Hospital recorded about 4,800 outpatient and 390 inpatient acupuncture visits. Khoo Teck Puat Hospital said that its traditional Chinese medicine service, in addition to assisting with pain and musculoskeletal problems, supports patients with neurological conditions, cancer symptoms and treatment side effects.
Assessment of new areas
Singapore’s Ministry of Health is studying the possibility of a broader but cautious introduction of certain traditional Chinese medicine methods alongside Western medicine in public clinics and hospitals. Since February 2025, National University Hospital has offered weekly acupuncture to patients with chronic pelvic pain syndrome whose symptoms persist despite standard treatment. The hospital performs more than 12,000 acupuncture sessions annually.
