Back pain can interrupt sleep, work and the ordinary jobs you usually do without thinking. At The Recovery Room, we help you understand the problem and work towards the activities that matter to you. The first step is knowing whether you need medical help or a routine muscle and joint assessment.
When to seek urgent medical help
Call 999 or go to A&E for back pain with new bladder or bowel changes, loss of feeling around the genitals or anus, symptoms in both legs, or new changes in genital sensation or sexual function. Back pain with chest pain or following a serious accident also needs emergency assessment. Do not drive yourself to A&E.
Seek urgent GP or NHS 111 advice for sudden severe or rapidly worsening pain, or pain with fever, shivering or feeling unwell. These symptoms should not wait for a routine clinic appointment.
What should you tell us about the problem?
Start with when it began and which activities have become difficult. Tell us about leg symptoms, changes in feeling or strength, previous episodes and relevant medical information. Include how the pain affects sleep and normal activity.
Bring any previous reports or advice. You do not need to recreate a painful movement or arrive with a diagnosis such as a disc problem before seeking help.
What happens at an assessment?
We listen to your history and select appropriate movement and function checks. We will explain what the findings suggest, what remains uncertain and whether further medical advice is needed. It is not always possible or necessary to identify one exact tissue as the source of back pain.
Make the plan fit your day
The NHS generally encourages keeping active rather than prolonged bed rest for back pain. What that looks like should fit your circumstances and any restrictions from a medical team.
Choose a task you want to regain, such as a short walk, a work activity or gardening. We can discuss manageable steps, suitable exercises and how to review the response. There is no single perfect posture or lifting technique that guarantees you will never have back pain.
What should happen between visits?
- Know what activity and exercises have been agreed.
- Keep a short note of what became easier or harder.
- Tell us if the instructions are unclear or impractical.
- Know which changes need contact or medical assessment.
Hands-on treatment may be included where suitable, but it should support a plan you understand. If progress stalls or symptoms change, we can discuss whether the explanation or approach needs reviewing.
Book a back assessment
If a non-urgent back problem is limiting your day, book an assessment at our Southampton clinic. Tell us what you want to get back to so we can discuss appropriate next steps.
Book a back pain assessment
