Don't take that pain in the waist lightly. It could mean a slipped disc, which more Singaporeans are now prone to, said traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioner Lim Choon Huat.

The chairman and founder of Chien Chi Tow Healthcare, a TCM health-care group, said a slipped disc is a painful condition in which one of the discs connecting the bones of the vertebral column - or spine - becomes displaced and presses on a nerve.

He cautioned against taking slight pain lightly as it could become a bigger problem. It is important to seek early treatment for a slipped disc or the nervous system may be affected, causing numbness and pain in the lower legs.

Incontinence - lack of bowel and urinary control - could occur too.

Chien Chi Tow offers three treatment options for slipped disc. The first is tui na (traditional Chinese massage), which relaxes the muscles around the affected area. Tui na applied to the affected joints around the area also reduces stiffness.

Next, the affected area is repeatedly massaged to encourage blood flow and improve circulation. Accupressure points will also be massaged to reduce pain.

In TCM practice, it is believed hundreds of accupressure points along specific interconnected channels, known as meridians, carry the body's vital energy or qi. Pain can be caused by blockage of qi and massaging the accupressure points will help to clear the blockage.

Mr Lim said he also stretches the muscles, especially those in the legs, as they are usually more stiff.

The third treatment option involves pinpointing the affected area in the vertebral column so that it can be realigned to its correct position. Protruding discs can cause pain in the feet and thighs too.

Recovery speed depends on how bad the problem is, age and posture habits.

Recommending these options as an alternative to surgery, he said: "We have patients who choose tui na over surgery. Some of them have been pain free for over 10 years."

For inquiries on TCM treatment at Chien Chi Tow, call 6293-3933.

This story was first published in Mind Your Body, The Straits Times, on Sept 25, 2008.