Private Spinal Surgery in Manchester: What to Expect From Your First Consultation

Deciding to seek a private spinal consultation is a significant step. For many patients, it comes after months or years of living with pain — trying physiotherapy, pain management, and conservative treatments that have not provided lasting relief. By the time they sit down with a consultant spinal surgeon, they want answers.

This article explains exactly what happens at a first private spinal consultation with Mr Muhammad Dherijha, Consultant Complex Spinal Surgeon, at his clinics across Greater Manchester, Cheshire, and Lancashire.

Before Your Appointment: What to Bring

Gather any imaging you have had — MRI, CT, or X-ray — along with any written radiology reports. Write down when your pain started, where it is located, whether it radiates, and how it affects your daily life. Bring your medication list and insurance details if applicable. A GP referral is not required for private care, but bring one if you have it.

The Consultation: A Step-by-Step Guide

The consultation begins with a detailed history of your symptoms — when the pain started, its character, whether it radiates, any neurological symptoms, and how it affects your daily activities. This history is the foundation of the assessment.

Mr Dherijha will then conduct a physical examination: inspecting the spine, assessing range of movement, and testing neurological function including reflexes, sensation, and muscle strength. Specific tests such as the straight leg raise or Spurling's test help localise nerve root compression.

If you have brought imaging studies, Mr Dherijha will review them during the consultation and explain what the images show, correlating findings with your symptoms. Imaging findings must always be interpreted in the context of your clinical picture.

By the end of the consultation, you will have a clear diagnosis, an explanation of your condition, and a structured treatment plan — including both surgical and non-surgical options with realistic outcome expectations.

Treatment Options: Surgery Is Not Always the Answer

Surgery is recommended only when it is likely to produce a better outcome than conservative management. Non-surgical options include structured physiotherapy, nerve root injections, epidural steroid injections, and activity modification. When surgery is appropriate, Mr Dherijha specialises in minimally invasive techniques — smaller incisions, less blood loss, reduced post-operative pain, and faster recovery.

Accessing Private Spinal Care in the North West

Mr Dherijha holds private clinics at Alexandra Hospital (Cheadle), Spire Manchester (Didsbury), Spire Regency Hospital (Macclesfield), and Beardwood Hospital (Blackburn). Appointments are available within days. No GP referral is required. All major private health insurers are accepted, and self-funding patients are welcome.