From Ancient Remedies to Modern Science

Humans have been searching for ways to relieve pain for thousands of years, from herbal remedies and opium in ancient civilizations to surgical techniques in the 19th century. But it wasn’t until the mid-20th century that pain was recognized as a specialty in its own right, rather than just a symptom.

The First Pain Clinic in the World

In 1961, Dr. John J. Bonica, an anesthesiologist at the University of Washington (USA), founded the world’s first multidisciplinary pain clinic.
He believed that pain should not be managed with medication alone, but through teamwork between anesthesiologists, neurologists, surgeons, psychologists, and physiotherapists.
His vision shaped modern pain medicine, making him known as the “father of pain management.”

Pain Medicine Becomes a Specialty

In the 1990s, pain medicine was formally recognized as a subspecialty of anesthesiology in the United States.

In the 1990s, pain medicine was formally recognized as a subspecialty of anesthesiology in the United States.

In the 1990s, pain medicine was formally recognized as a subspecialty of anesthesiology in the United States.

Pain Medicine Roadmap

Ancient Times
19th Century
1961
1990s
1990s
Early 2000s (UAE)
2010s
Today
Herbal & natural remedies
Surgery & opium relief
First Clinic (USA) – Dr. John J. Bonica, University of Washington
Specialty recognized – Pain Medicine as subspecialty of Anesthesiology
First Certification – American Board of Anesthesiology exam
First Clinics – Pain services established in Emirates
Growth of interventional techniques – RFA, SCS, endoscopic spine
Global Specialty – Advanced, evidence-based care worldwide

Pain Medicine in the UAE and Dubai

Pain medicine is relatively new in the UAE, but it has grown rapidly over the past 20 years:

  • The first dedicated pain clinics in the UAE were established in the early 2000s.
  • The Emirates Society of Anesthesia & Pain Management became the UAE’s official chapter of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP).
  • Today, patients in Dubai can access the most advanced interventional procedures, from targeted nerve blocks and endoscopic spine surgery to spinal cord stimulation and intrathecal pumps, directly through Dr. Babak at Armada Medical Center.

Why This History Matters?

Pain management is not an experimental idea, it’s a global medical specialty with more than 60 years of science, practice, and innovation behind it. In Dubai today, patients can benefit from the same cutting-edge techniques pioneered in the world’s leading centers.Pain management is not an experimental idea, it’s a global medical specialty with more than 60 years of science, practice, and innovation behind it. In Dubai today, patients can benefit from the same cutting-edge techniques pioneered in the world’s leading centers.