Aches & Pains

When to see a doctor first

Please see your GP or a physiotherapist before booking if you have had cancer in the past, or if your pain:

• is new, or has lasted more than a few weeks without being checked
• is getting worse, stops you doing everyday things, does not ease with rest or is worse at night
• follows a fall or injury, is between your shoulder blades, or is worse when you cough or sneeze
• comes with pins and needles, numbness, weakness, a lump or swelling, or weight loss you cannot explain

Ask for an urgent GP appointment or call NHS 111 if your pain is severe and came on suddenly or is getting worse quickly, if you feel hot, shivery or generally unwell, if a joint is hot and swollen, or if one leg is painful, swollen and warm, usually in the calf or thigh. Call 999 or go to A&E if you have chest pain or difficulty breathing, very bad pain after a fall or accident, cannot walk or put weight on the affected leg, or a joint looks out of place. With back pain, also call 999 if you have pain, tingling, numbness or weakness in both legs, loss of feeling around your genitals or bottom, or changes in your bladder, bowels or sexual function. In many areas you may be able to refer yourself to NHS physiotherapy without seeing your GP.