To choose a pain clinic in Bangkok, ask eight questions before any injection: who the doctor is, whether the clinic is licensed, how the pain source is diagnosed, whether procedures are image-guided, and what the written plan, risks, follow-up, and limits are. At YOUNIFY Clinic in Silom, Bangkok, we aim to answer each one in writing.
Draft awaiting physician review and approval. Not yet published.
Contents
Key Takeaways
- Verify the doctor's license on the Medical Council of Thailand doctor search, and ask separately about pain medicine training.
- A licensed healthcare facility displays its license number.
- Diagnosis comes before any procedure, and spine and nerve injections are normally image-guided.
- Ask for a written plan and a written quotation before paying any deposit.
- A clinic that tells you when a procedure is unlikely to help is showing sound clinical judgment.
What should I check when choosing a pain clinic in Bangkok?
Check the people and the premises: a licensed doctor trained in pain medicine, working in a licensed healthcare facility. The same eight questions apply to any pain management clinic in Bangkok, including ours at YOUNIFY Clinic, a Healthy Aging & Wellness Center based in Bangkok, Thailand.
1. Is the doctor a qualified pain medicine physician?
Ask for the doctor's full name, their training or board certificate in pain medicine, and whether that doctor will perform your procedure. You can confirm a current Thai medical license on the Medical Council of Thailand doctor search. A license confirms registration; training is a separate question.
2. Is the clinic a licensed healthcare facility?
A licensed clinic displays its healthcare facility license number on its premises and website. If you cannot find it, ask before you book. YOUNIFY Clinic shows its license number on every page of this website.
What should happen before any injection or procedure?
A diagnosis, an image-guided plan, and a written quotation should all be in place before you pay a deposit or accept a procedure date.
3. Will the pain source be diagnosed before a procedure?
Diagnosis rests on your history, a physical examination, and a review of your imaging, and an abnormal scan is not always the source of pain. Where the source is uncertain, a diagnostic nerve block (a small dose of local anesthetic next to a specific nerve) helps confirm it. UK national guidance advises radiofrequency denervation for low back pain only after a positive diagnostic medial branch block. See what pain medicine is.
4. Are procedures image-guided?
Spine and nerve injections are normally performed under fluoroscopy (live X-ray) or ultrasound, so the physician can see the needle position before any medicine is given.
5. Will I receive a written plan and a written quotation before any deposit?
You should see in writing the diagnosis, the proposed procedure, what it can and cannot do, and an itemized price. A website starting price is a guide; the written quotation is what you agree to.
What should a clinic tell me about risks, follow-up, and saying no?
A clinic should explain your personal risks, how complications are handled, what follow-up looks like, and when a procedure is not worth doing.
6. What are the risks for me, and how are complications handled?
Needle-based procedures can cause soreness or a short flare of pain and, less often, bleeding, infection, or nerve irritation. Your risk depends on your medicines (especially anticoagulants), diabetes, allergies, and pregnancy. Ask whom to contact afterwards. See interventional pain safety and recovery.
7. What is the follow-up plan, including rehabilitation?
Many procedures reduce pain for a period rather than change the underlying condition. A sound plan sets review dates, a way to measure relief, and an exercise or physiotherapy program alongside.
8. Will the clinic tell me when a procedure is not a good idea?
The benefit of several common spine procedures for chronic pain is debated, and a 2025 guideline in the BMJ questioned their value. A clinic that is comfortable saying no, and suggests rehabilitation or another opinion instead, is showing sound clinical judgment.
The 8 questions at a glance
| Question | Why it matters | What a good answer sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Qualified pain medicine physician? | Spine and nerve procedures call for specific training | "Here is the doctor's name and training; check the license on the Medical Council site." |
| 2. Licensed healthcare facility? | Licensing sets standards for premises, staff, and records | "Our license number is displayed at reception and on our website." |
| 3. Diagnosis before a procedure? | Treating the wrong structure wastes time and money | "We take a history, examine you, review imaging, and use a diagnostic block if needed." |
| 4. Image-guided? | You need to know where the needle is | "We use fluoroscopy or ultrasound, depending on the procedure." |
| 5. Written plan and quotation before a deposit? | You can compare and decide without pressure | "You receive both in writing; no deposit until you agree." |
| 6. My risks and complication handling? | Risk depends on your medicines and health | "These are your risks, what we check beforehand, and whom to call." |
| 7. Follow-up and rehabilitation? | Relief varies; rehabilitation supports it | "We review you at set points, with an exercise program alongside." |
| 8. Will you say when a procedure is not a good idea? | Not every pain problem needs a needle | "Yes, and we will tell you what we suggest instead." |
What are the red flags when choosing a pain clinic?
Pause before you commit if you notice any of these:
- Pressure to book or pay on the same day
- A final price, or a deposit request, before any assessment and written quotation
- No named doctor, or a doctor you cannot verify
- A promise that the pain will disappear completely or never return
- A single treatment offered for every problem
When to see a doctor urgently
Go to an emergency department, rather than a clinic, if back or neck pain comes with:
- New weakness in an arm or leg
- Loss of bladder or bowel control
- Numbness in the saddle area (between the legs or around the buttocks)
- Fever with back pain
- Pain after a major fall or accident
- Unexplained weight loss
When we may advise against a procedure
- Anticoagulant or antiplatelet medicines not yet managed with the prescribing doctor
- An active infection, in the body or at the injection site
- Pregnancy, for X-ray guided procedures
- Uncontrolled diabetes, where a corticosteroid would be used
- A pain source that has not been confirmed
- Expectations the procedure cannot meet
Physician perspective
[รอ approve] At our clinic, the question we spend the most time on is number 3: where the pain is really coming from. Scans and symptoms do not always match, so we compare the history, the examination and the images before recommending anything, and we use a diagnostic nerve block when the answer is still unclear. Only then do we write the plan, with its risks, follow-up and rehabilitation, together with the quote. If the most useful next step is physiotherapy, a medication review or a surgeon's opinion, that is what the plan says. We encourage you to ask these eight questions at every clinic you compare, including ours.
An illustrative example
Illustrative example, not a real patient: a person with several months of low back pain sends an MRI report showing a disc bulge and asks for an injection. On review, the pain pattern points more toward the facet joints than the disc. The written plan proposes a diagnostic block as the next step, with a quotation, and explains that radiofrequency ablation would be considered only if the block gives clear, short-term relief.
What happens next
1. Send your X-ray or MRI report and a short history.
2. Our pain medicine physician reviews them.
3. You receive a written plan and a written quotation before any deposit.
4. If suitable, the procedure is image-guided, and most patients go home the same day.
5. Follow-up and rehabilitation continue as planned.
Send your imaging and a short history by WhatsApp (+66 81 556 9696, https://wa.me/66815569696) or LINE (https://lin.ee/5MIGher) for a physician review, or read about our chronic pain services.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check if a doctor is licensed in Thailand?
Use the Medical Council of Thailand doctor search and enter the doctor's name as the clinic lists it. The result confirms that the doctor is registered to practice medicine in Thailand. It does not describe pain medicine training, so ask the clinic which training or board certificate the doctor holds.
Is a pain clinic the same as a physiotherapy clinic?
No. A pain medicine physician diagnoses the source of pain, reviews medicines, and performs image-guided procedures when appropriate. A physiotherapist leads exercise-based rehabilitation. Many people with chronic pain benefit from both, which is why a good pain clinic builds rehabilitation into its follow-up plan.
Should I get an MRI before visiting a pain clinic?
Not always. Many people can be assessed from their history and examination, and existing X-ray or MRI reports are helpful if you have them. The physician will suggest imaging when the result would change the plan, and an abnormal scan must match your symptoms before it is treated.
How much does a pain clinic visit cost in Bangkok, and will insurance pay?
The consultation fee is confirmed when you book. Our procedure prices are starting prices, for example a diagnostic medial branch block starting from THB 22,000, confirmed in a written quotation. We prepare the medical reports and receipts for your own insurance claim; see pain treatment and insurance in Thailand.
Can I get a second opinion on a procedure I have been offered?
Yes, and it is a reasonable step. Send the written plan you received, your imaging reports, and a short history. Our physician will review whether the diagnosis and the proposed procedure match, and will tell you plainly if a different approach, or no procedure, seems more appropriate.
What should I bring to a pain clinic consultation?
Bring your imaging reports, a list of all your medicines (including blood thinners and supplements), and notes on where the pain is, what changes it, and what you have already tried. This helps the physician reach a diagnosis sooner and plan the next step with you.
References
- Busse JW et al. Commonly used interventional procedures for non-cancer chronic spine pain: a clinical practice guideline. BMJ, 2025.
- Low back pain and sciatica in over 16s: assessment and management (NG59). National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), 2016 ปรับปรุง 2020.
- Patel K, Chopra P, Martinez S, Upadhyayula S. Epidural Steroid Injections. StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf ปรับปรุง 2024.
- Interventional Spine and Pain Procedures in Patients on Antiplatelet and Anticoagulant Medications (Second Edition). ASRA Pain Medicine, Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, 2018. · DOI 10.1097/AAP.0000000000000700
Medical Note
This article is for general information and does not replace medical examination, diagnosis, or treatment. If symptoms are severe, changing quickly, or urgent, seek medical care promptly.
Individual results may vary. Please consult a doctor before treatment.
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