Meet Dr István Lukács: A Different Approach to Pain Management

If you are living with ongoing pain, you may feel you have tried everything and are still no closer to real answers. At Costa Health, Dr István Lukács offers an integrative, doctor-led approach that brings together medical assessment, advanced manual treatment and functional rehabilitation. His aim is to understand why your pain has developed, then create a realistic, personalised plan to help you move more comfortably and improve your quality of life.

Meet Dr István Lukács

Many people arrive at Costa Health after months or even years of appointments, scans, medications and short-term treatments. They have often been told that nothing more can be done and that they will need to “learn to live with” their symptoms.

For some of these patients, this is where their work with Dr István begins.

Dr István is a Western trained medical doctor with more than 15 years of experience in pain management and musculoskeletal medicine. He combines conventional medical knowledge with university-level training in manual medicine and functional rehabilitation. This means he can assess patients from a broader perspective than is usually possible in a single appointment or within a single profession.

More Than a Diagnosis

Traditional medicine has a vital role in healthcare. A medical doctor is trained to diagnose disease, interpret investigations, prescribe medication when appropriate and identify serious underlying conditions that must not be missed.

Physiotherapists also play an essential part in restoring movement, improving strength and guiding rehabilitation after injury or surgery.

Dr István does not try to replace either of these disciplines. Instead, he brings them together in one consultation.

His assessments combine medical evaluation with a detailed understanding of how the body’s muscles, joints, fascia, nervous system and movement patterns interact to influence pain and function. This integrated approach helps him develop highly individualised treatment plans that address not only where the pain is, but also the likely reasons it has developed and persisted.

Quick Tip: Before your appointment, make a brief list of when your pain started, what makes it better or worse and which treatments you have already tried. This can help you and your clinician use the consultation time more effectively.

Looking Beyond the Pain

Pain is rarely linked to a single structure or a single cause. During your assessment, Dr István considers a wide range of contributing factors, including:

• Medical history and existing diagnoses
• Specific pain patterns and symptom behaviour over time
• Muscle tension, weakness and imbalance
• Fascial restrictions and tissue quality
• Joint mobility and control
• Posture in daily activities and at work
• Movement compensations and altered movement habits
• Sensitivity of the nervous system
• Stress levels and emotional load
• Sleep quality and recovery
• Lifestyle factors, such as activity levels and work demands
• Functional limitations in everyday tasks, exercise or sport

By looking at the whole person rather than only a painful area, he can often identify factors that may have been missed in shorter or more narrowly focused consultations.

Experience with Complex and Long-standing Pain

Throughout his career, Dr István has worked extensively with patients who have persistent or complex pain conditions. Many have already undergone multiple investigations or tried various treatments without lasting benefit.

Although no clinician can promise a cure, particularly in long-standing or multifactorial cases, his clinical aim is always to:

• Improve comfort and reduce pain where possible
• Restore and maintain practical function
• Increase mobility and confidence in movement
• Support a better quality of life, even when symptoms cannot be fully resolved

For many patients, gaining a clearer understanding of the true drivers behind their symptoms is an important first step towards meaningful and realistic improvement.

Seek urgent medical help if: You develop sudden, severe pain after a fall or accident, experience loss of bladder or bowel control, new weakness or numbness in your legs or arms, chest pain, shortness of breath, or any symptoms that feel very different from your usual pain. These can be signs of serious conditions that require immediate medical assessment.

An Integrative, Doctor-led Approach

What makes consultations with Dr István different is the combination of medical expertise with advanced hands-on treatment and rehabilitation planning, all delivered by a medical doctor with a musculoskeletal focus.

Where clinically appropriate, your treatment plan may include:

• Advanced manual therapy to improve joint and soft tissue function
• Dry needling for selected musculoskeletal conditions
• Medical cupping therapy
• Collagen injections where indicated and supported by evidence
• Soft tissue techniques for muscle and fascial tension
• Joint mobilisation to support movement and comfort
• Individual rehabilitation programmes that are practical for your lifestyle
• Guidance on lifestyle, ergonomics and movement habits

Medication remains an important tool in modern medicine and is considered whenever clinically indicated. However, where possible, Dr István favours evidence-based, minimally invasive and drug-free approaches that help patients build confidence in their bodies and develop long-term self-management strategies.

Quick Tip: Wear comfortable clothing that allows you to move easily for your appointment. This makes it easier to assess posture, movement and functional tasks such as bending, lifting or walking.

Working Alongside Your Healthcare Team

Dr István’s approach is designed to complement, not replace, conventional medical care provided by your GP, specialist or other therapists.

He works closely with physiotherapists, rehabilitation professionals and other healthcare practitioners at Costa Health and externally when required. This collaborative style helps ensure that you receive care that is coordinated and appropriate for your specific condition.

This is particularly valuable for patients with:

• Persistent or recurrent pain
• Complex musculoskeletal problems involving several areas of the body
• Symptoms that have not responded as expected to previous treatment
• A mix of physical and lifestyle factors contributing to their pain

Why Patients Choose Dr István at Costa Health

Patients usually seek out Dr István when they are looking for more than short-term symptom relief. They want clear explanations, a structured plan and support that respects both the medical and functional aspects of their condition.

His combination of medical training, advanced musculoskeletal expertise and whole-person clinical assessment provides:

• A deeper understanding of what is driving their pain
• Realistic discussions about prognosis and expectations
• A personalised, step-by-step pathway that fits their daily life
• Access to a wider range of evidence-based treatment options in one place

Whether you are managing chronic pain, recovering from injury or simply looking for a fresh perspective after previous treatments have not helped as much as you hoped, consultations with Dr István are designed to be thorough, collaborative and tailored to your individual needs.

Booking a Consultation

If pain is affecting your work, your hobbies or everyday activities, you do not have to accept that nothing more can be done. An in-depth assessment can often highlight new options, even when a complete cure is not possible.

To arrange an appointment with Dr István Lukács at Costa Health in Riviera del Sol, please contact our reception team, who will guide you through the next steps and advise which type of consultation is most appropriate for you.

Costa Health - Feel Better. Move Better. Perform Better.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of pain conditions does Dr István see?

He commonly sees people with back and neck pain, shoulder and hip problems, joint pain, muscle and tendon issues, sports-related injuries, persistent or recurrent pain, and complex musculoskeletal complaints that have not fully responded to other treatments. Each case is assessed individually.

Do I need a referral to see Dr István?

In most cases you do not need a referral and can book directly. If you have recent scans, medical reports or referral letters, bringing them along can be very helpful, but they are not essential to arrange an initial consultation.

Will I receive treatment in the first session?

Where it is safe and clinically appropriate, you will usually receive some form of treatment or self-management advice in your first session. In more complex cases, the initial appointment may focus on detailed assessment, explanation and planning, with hands-on treatment and rehabilitation following as part of an agreed plan.

Can I continue seeing my physiotherapist or GP?

Yes. Dr István’s approach is designed to sit alongside your existing care, not replace it. He can work together with your GP, physiotherapist and other healthcare professionals to help ensure that everyone involved has a clear picture of your condition and your treatment plan.

How many sessions will I need?

The number of sessions varies depending on your condition, how long you have had it and your goals. Some people benefit from a short course of treatment, while others with long-standing or complex problems may need a more gradual, longer-term approach. After your assessment, you will discuss a plan and review it as you progress.