Step 1
Medical History
Symptom onset, aggravating factors, work-related issues, past injuries, and daily impact are discussed to build a full picture before examination begins.
Back Pain Treatment in Dubai
Most Back Pain Has a Cause. Most Causes Have a Solution.
Back pain – whether acute, chronic, or radiating – is one of the most common reasons adults seek medical help, yet one of the most undertreated.
At Michael Spine Surgeon, every patient is seen by Dr. Antony Michael, a trusted back pain specialist who identifies the source and builds a personalised treatment plan around it.
What Is Back Pain & Lumbar Disc Disease?
The lumbar spine (the lower five vertebrae) carries the majority of the body’s weight through every movement of the day. Between each vertebra sits an intervertebral disc acting as a shock absorber.
When these discs degenerate, herniate, or compress the surrounding nerve roots, the result ranges from a dull ache in the lumbosacral spinal region to sharp radiating pain into the lower limbs.
Symptoms You Should Not Ignore
Back pain varies widely. These are the symptoms that should prompt a visit to a back pain clinic in Dubai:
Persistent Lower Back Pain
A constant dull aching pain in the lumbar region that does not ease with rest, worsening with prolonged sitting or standing.
Pain That Shoots Down the Leg
A burning or sharp sensation through the buttocks and into the leg. This is the hallmark of sciatica or lumbar radiculopathy.
Numbness or Tingling in Legs
Tingling sensations or loss of feeling in the lower limb, indicating nerve compression at the lumbar level.
Stiffness After Rest
Significant stiffness on waking or after long periods of inactivity, easing with movement but returning predictably.
Weakness in the Legs
Difficulty walking, climbing stairs, or rising from a chair, caused by nerve root involvement affecting muscle strength.
Loss of Bladder Control
Any change in bladder or bowel function alongside back pain is a surgical emergency and a potential sign of cauda equina syndrome requiring immediate attention.
What Is Causing Your Back Pain?
Lumbar Disc Herniation
The soft inner material of a lumbar disc ruptures through its outer casing and presses on a nearby nerve root, causing radiating leg pain, numbness, and weakness often worsened by coughing or sneezing.
Degenerative Disc Disease
With age-related degeneration, lumbar discs lose height and hydration, leading to wear and tear, bone spur formation, and chronic lower back pain that worsens with activity and prolonged sitting.
Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
Narrowing of the spinal canal compresses the nerve roots, causing leg pain, cramping, and heaviness typically worse when walking and relieved by bending forward or sitting.
Muscle Strain & Postural Dysfunction
Improper lifting techniques, poor posture, repetitive bending, or a sedentary lifestyle place excessive load on the lumbar muscles and ligaments, resulting in acute or chronic back pain that is common but frequently mismanaged.
How Is It Diagnosed?
Step 2
Physical & Neurological Examination
Posture, spinal mobility, muscle strength, reflexes, and sensation are assessed to identify nerve root compression, disc herniation, or myelopathy.
Step 3
Lumbar Spine X-Ray
A standing X-ray checks disc space height, spinal alignment, bone spur formation, fractures, and degenerative changes.
Step 4
MRI or CT Scan
An MRI images disc bulges, nerve roots, and soft tissues. A CT scan with 3D image acquisition and spinal neuronavigation is used for complex or surgical cases.
Back Pain Treatment in Dubai: Matched to You
The right treatment depends entirely on the cause. A multidisciplinary approach is taken at Michael Spine Surgeon, with every non-surgical option explored before surgery is considered.
Medication & Lifestyle Modification
NSAIDs, muscle relaxants, and activity modification manage acute flare-ups, while ergonomic counselling, posture correction, and lifestyle modification address the underlying contributors.
Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation
A structured rehabilitation programme of lumbar strengthening, core stability, motor control training, and postural correction, targeting the root cause and reducing recurrence risk.
Targeted Injections
Lumbar epidural steroid injections, facet joint injections, nerve blocks, or radiofrequency ablation (RFA) are used to reduce inflammation and deliver focused, lasting pain relief when physiotherapy alone is insufficient.
Lumbar Spine Surgery
When conservative treatment fails or when cauda equina syndrome, spinal stenosis, or a severely herniated disc is confirmed, options including microdiscectomy, laminectomy, spinal fusion, or minimally invasive spinal surgery (MIS) are performed with intraoperative neuromonitoring for maximum safety.
Why Dr. Antony Michael?
01
Specialist Back Pain Expertise
Every case is led by a fellowship-trained spine surgeon with dedicated expertise in lumbar disc disease, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, and sciatica.
02
The Diagnosis Comes First
Nothing is assumed. A full physical examination, imaging review, and neurological assessment ensures every recommendation is built on an accurate, evidence-based diagnosis.
03
Surgery Is Always a Last Resort
Physiotherapy, targeted injections, and pain management are applied with full commitment, because the majority of patients achieve lasting relief without ever needing surgery.
04
Transparent at Every Step
Every finding and every option is communicated clearly. Patients always know what has been found, what it means, and what comes next.
Four years of lower back pain, and I had convinced myself it was just something to live with. Dr. Michael found a herniated disc on the first scan and had a plan ready the same day. Three months later, the pain is completely gone.
The shooting pain down my right leg had become unbearable. After a lumbar injection at Michael Spine Surgeon, the relief was almost immediate. I avoided surgery entirely and was back at work within two weeks.
Another clinic told me surgery was my only option. Dr. Michael disagreed, and he was right. A structured physiotherapy programme resolved the problem completely. I'm incredibly glad I sought a second opinion.
The aftercare following my lumbar surgery was exceptional. Recovery timelines were set clearly from the start, and every follow-up felt genuinely thorough. I felt looked after well beyond the procedure itself.
I came in with sciatica so severe I couldn't sit through a meal. After two sessions of targeted treatment, the nerve pain began to ease. Within six weeks I was back to normal, something I didn't think was possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my back pain needs specialist attention?
If back pain has lasted more than 6 weeks, or is accompanied by tingling sensations, muscle weakness, or changes in bladder or bowel function, a back pain doctor in Dubai should be consulted without delay.
What is the difference between a slipped disc and a herniated disc?
They refer to the same condition. A herniated disc (also called a slipped or prolapsed disc) occurs when the disc's inner material ruptures outward, irritating a nerve root and causing radiating pain or neurological symptoms.
Is back pain always treated with surgery?
No. Most patients improve with physiotherapy, ergonomic counselling, and targeted injections such as facet joint injections or nerve blocks. Surgery is reserved for when conservative treatment is exhausted or a neurological emergency exists.
What is sciatica and how is it treated?
Sciatica is radiating pain from compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve, running from the lower back through the buttocks and into the leg. Treatment ranges from physiotherapy and lumbar epidural injections to microdiscectomy in resistant cases.
How long does back pain treatment take?
Most patients see meaningful improvement within 6 to 12 weeks of conservative treatment. After lumbar spine surgery, desk work is typically resumed in 2 to 6 weeks and full activity within 3 to 6 months.