SINGAPORE — A 46-year-old woman who visited a wellness centre in Serangoon hoping to ease years of shoulder and neck pain says she ended up struggling to stand after an unfamiliar treatment left large areas of her legs covered in dark purple bruises.
The incident has drawn attention not only because of the dramatic bruising, but also because of a key issue that emerged afterwards: how much should customers be told before agreeing to unfamiliar wellness or traditional treatments?
According to reports by Stomp and Shin Min Daily News, the woman, identified only as Ms Wu, visited a wellness centre near Block 254A Serangoon Central Drive at about 5pm on August 13, 2026. She had reportedly been suffering from persistent shoulder and neck discomfort for years and decided to try a promotional S$99 moxibustion treatment.
Moxibustion is a traditional therapy involving the burning of dried mugwort near selected areas or acupuncture points.
But after that treatment was completed, Ms Wu said a staff member recommended another procedure known as pai sha, explaining that it could complement the earlier session.
That was when the experience took an unexpected turn.
‘I Had No Idea What Pai Sha Was’
Ms Wu told Shin Min that she had never undergone pai sha before and claimed the procedure had not been properly explained to her beforehand.
She said a wooden implement was then used to repeatedly tap her legs.
Pai sha is related to traditional techniques such as gua sha, although the methods differ. Gua sha generally involves scraping or pressing the skin with a smooth-edged tool, while pai sha uses repeated tapping or striking motions intended to stimulate an area of the body.
Ms Wu described the experience as extremely uncomfortable and compared lying face-down during the procedure to a punishment scene from a period drama.
The pai sha session reportedly lasted around 10 minutes. Some reports initially described a longer tapping period, but both Stomp’s detailed account and Zaobao’s article state that the procedure itself lasted about 10 minutes.
When it ended, Ms Wu said her legs were painful and weak.
She told the Chinese-language newspaper that she could barely stand and said she would not have agreed to the treatment had she known what the aftermath might be.
Dark Purple Bruises Appeared Across Her Legs
The full extent of the reaction reportedly became clear only after she returned home.
Ms Wu said she discovered large patches of dark purple bruising across her legs. The pain allegedly made ordinary activities such as showering and bending her knees difficult.
She also said she wore long trousers despite Singapore’s hot weather because she wanted to conceal the marks.
Four days after the August 13 session, when she was interviewed on August 17, the bruising reportedly remained clearly visible.
The reports do not state that Ms Wu suffered permanent injuries, nor do they report a hospital diagnosis. The extensive bruising and difficulty moving are based primarily on her account and photographs published by the media.
Wellness Centre Says It Apologised
The centre’s manager, identified as Ms Jin, 45, acknowledged that the procedure had not been explained to Ms Wu before it began.
However, she said staff explained the treatment while it was being carried out and told Ms Wu that it was intended to address what they described as stagnant blood.
According to the manager, Ms Wu did not tell staff that she wanted the treatment stopped, so they continued.
Ms Jin said the business later contacted Ms Wu, apologised several times and offered complimentary follow-up treatments intended to help her recover.
That disagreement is central to the case.
Ms Wu’s position is that she did not understand what she was agreeing to before the treatment started.
The centre’s position is that an explanation was given during the procedure and that she did not object.
No finding of wrongdoing by a regulator or court has been reported.
Another Dispute Emerged at the Cashier
The bruising was not the only issue Ms Wu raised.
During the session, she said a therapist suggested applying a herbal treatment to her back. Ms Wu said she specifically asked about the price but interpreted the response as meaning it was another complimentary trial.
At checkout, she said she discovered an additional S$80 charge for the herbal application.
Together with the S$99 moxibustion session and an S$80 herbal foot-soak package, her total bill reportedly came to S$259.
The centre disputed Ms Wu’s account of the pricing discussion.
Ms Jin said the S$80 charge had been explained before the herbal treatment was applied, but acknowledged that there could have been a misunderstanding.
She added that Ms Wu did not object while paying and therefore staff believed she had accepted the price.
Following the complaint, however, the centre offered to refund the S$80 herbal-treatment fee.
TCM Physician: More Bruising Does Not Mean Better Results
The most important medical caution came from TCM physician Chen Mei E, who was interviewed by Shin Min Daily News.
Chen explained that pai sha can be viewed as an extension of techniques involving repeated stimulation of muscles and surrounding areas.
Some people may develop redness or purplish marks after treatment.
But she stressed that greater force, greater pain or more visible bruising does not automatically mean a treatment is more effective.
According to Chen, the intensity and duration of treatment should take into account factors including the person’s:
- physical constitution,
- age,
- skin condition,
- general health, and
- reaction during the procedure.
She said people should seek professional assessment if bruising becomes extensive or increasingly severe, is accompanied by pain or swelling, or does not substantially improve after one to two weeks.
People with certain clotting or platelet disorders, those taking anticoagulants, or those with conditions such as varicose veins or skin diseases may also be unsuitable for forceful tapping treatments, she said.
The Bigger Issue: Understanding a Treatment Before It Starts
The case also highlights a broader issue surrounding communication and consent.
Singapore’s Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board regulates registered TCM practitioners under the Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners Act. The Board says registered practitioners are expected to provide competent and appropriate care and to follow ethical and professional guidelines.
Singapore’s national training framework for TCM clinical practice also emphasises giving patients understandable information, obtaining consent before examination or treatment and giving patients opportunities to clarify concerns.
However, it would be inaccurate to conclude from the published reports alone that those specific professional rules necessarily governed the Serangoon centre or the individual who performed Ms Wu’s procedure. The reports reviewed do not establish whether the person carrying out the pai sha treatment was a registered TCM practitioner.
That distinction matters.
Singapore requires people practising prescribed areas of TCM to be registered with the TCMPB and hold a valid practising certificate.
A S$99 Treatment Became a Painful Warning
Ms Wu said she ultimately wanted her experience to serve as a warning to other consumers.
Before agreeing to an unfamiliar therapy, customers may want to ask exactly what will be done, how much it will cost, what discomfort or visible effects are normally expected, whether there are medical reasons they should avoid the procedure and who will actually be performing it.
For Ms Wu, what began as an attempt to relieve years of shoulder and neck discomfort reportedly ended with a S$259 bill, several days of painful bruising and a dispute over whether she had been sufficiently informed.
And perhaps the most consequential detail in the story is the simplest one: the wellness centre itself acknowledged that the pai sha procedure had not been explained to her before it began.
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