Dr Christopher Liu is a Singapore pain specialist and Medical Director of Alleviate Pain Clinic at Farrer Park Hospital. He trained in anaesthesia and pain medicine at Singapore General Hospital and in Toronto, Canada, including Toronto Western Hospital and the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute.
He is a Visiting Consultant at the Singapore General Hospital Pain Management Centre and a Clinical Assistant Professor at Duke-NUS. His clinical interests include headache, facial pain and trigeminal neuralgia, nerve pain, musculoskeletal pain and cancer pain, and he serves as Pain Section Editor of the British Journal of Anaesthesia Education.
Clinical focus
Headache & facial pain.
Qualifications (as publicly listed)
BSc(Med), MBBS(Hons), MMed (Anaes), FAMS (Anaes).
Where they practise
- Clinic / practice: Alleviate Pain Clinic — Farrer Park
- Hospital / training affiliation(s): Singapore General Hospital (Visiting Consultant)
Getting to the clinic
Dr Christopher Liu is Medical Director of Alleviate Pain Clinic at Farrer Park Hospital, part of the Connexion development. The nearest station is Farrer Park MRT (NE8) on the North-East line, with exits leading almost directly to the hospital and the linked Connexion building, so the walk is short and largely sheltered. Several bus services run along Serangoon Road and the surrounding roads, and taxis or ride-hailing cars can drop you at the hospital entrance.
Farrer Park Hospital provides paid visitor parking on site, with lift access to the consultation floors, which is convenient if you are coming from outside the central area or carrying scans and records. If your pain makes walking difficult, a taxi or private-hire drop-off at the entrance is usually the easiest option, avoiding the walk from the station concourse. The location is well connected to the rest of the island via the North-East line and nearby expressways, so most patients find it straightforward to reach by either public transport or car.
What headache and facial pain care covers
Dr Liu’s clinical focus is headache and facial pain, including trigeminal neuralgia, alongside nerve pain, musculoskeletal pain and cancer pain. Facial pain conditions such as trigeminal neuralgia cause sharp, severe, often electric-shock-like pain in the face, sometimes triggered by everyday actions like chewing, talking or touching the skin. Chronic and complex headaches can have several causes and may overlap with neck and nerve problems.
As an anaesthesia and pain medicine specialist who has trained in Singapore and Toronto, his approach combines careful diagnosis with medication suited to nerve pain and, where appropriate, image-guided interventional procedures and nerve blocks aimed at the pathways involved. The aim is to identify what is driving the pain, reduce its severity and frequency, and limit its impact on eating, sleep, concentration and daily life. Because facial and head pain can be distressing and persistent, treatment is individualised and usually reviewed over time, often combining several approaches rather than relying on one alone.
What to expect at a consultation
A first visit focuses on understanding your pain thoroughly. Dr Liu will ask where the pain or headache is, how it started, what triggers or relieves it, how often it occurs and how it affects eating, sleep, mood and daily activities. For facial pain, the exact triggers and pattern are especially important in reaching a diagnosis.
A focused examination follows, and he may review existing scans or arrange further imaging or tests where these will change the plan. He will then explain the likely diagnosis and discuss options, which can range from medication and lifestyle measures to image-guided injections, nerve blocks or other interventional procedures. You will be able to ask questions and understand the benefits and limits of each option before agreeing on a plan.
Preparing for your appointment
- Photo identification, and a GP or polyclinic referral letter if available.
- Previous scans, films or reports of the head, face and neck, and any test results.
- A full list of current medicines and supplements with doses, including anything tried for the pain.
- A written list of symptoms and your most important questions.
- A pain or headache diary noting triggers, frequency, timing and severity.
- Details of allergies, blood-thinning medication and any past reactions to injections or anaesthetic.
After your consultation and follow-up
You should leave with a clear plan and an understanding of the next steps. If procedures or nerve blocks are recommended, the clinic will explain the timing, what is involved and any preparation needed. Results and progress are usually reviewed at follow-up visits, as headache and facial pain are typically managed over weeks and months while treatment is adjusted to your response.
Keeping a simple record of how symptoms change between visits helps guide treatment. Report any new or worsening symptoms promptly, and remember that seeking a second opinion is always your right. Seek urgent care for warning signs such as a sudden severe or unusual headache, headache with fever and neck stiffness, new weakness, numbness or visual changes, or facial pain following an injury.
Booking, referrals and fees
As a private specialist, Dr Liu can usually be seen without a formal referral, though a GP or polyclinic referral letter helps with continuity and may be needed for subsidised care elsewhere. For eligible procedures, MediSave, MediShield Life or an Integrated Shield Plan may help within set limits, while consultations are generally paid out of pocket. Confirm charges, claim eligibility and coverage directly with the clinic before proceeding.
Common questions
What is trigeminal neuralgia?
It is a condition causing sudden, severe, often electric-shock-like pain in the face, sometimes triggered by chewing, talking or touching the skin. It is assessed carefully to guide treatment.
Can chronic headaches really be treated?
Many chronic headaches can be helped once the underlying pattern and triggers are understood, using a combination of medication, lifestyle measures and, where suitable, targeted procedures.
Will I need injections or nerve blocks?
These are options where they fit your diagnosis. They are used alongside other measures rather than as the only treatment.
How soon might I improve?
This depends on the cause. Some treatments help within days, while overall improvement is judged over several visits as the plan is refined.
Related guides
Sources & verification
See also: our editorial directory of pain management specialists in Singapore and our shortlist of pain management clinics.
This is an independent, factual profile compiled from the public sources listed above — not a paid listing, advertisement or endorsement. Details can change; always verify a doctor’s current registration on the Singapore Medical Council public register and confirm specifics directly with the clinic. This page is general information, not medical advice or a recommendation of any individual practitioner. See our editorial policy.
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