A&e, doctors or wait it out?

OP if you are unsure call 111 - they can tell you if you need A&E

If they say go to A&E try and make sure you have some things with you to make the wait more comfortable.

A&e they need to test for cauda equina

Not true. Which is why giving unqualified medical advice is dangerous. My friend has had back pain for years. Suddenly got worse on holiday. She could barely get on the plane. Went straight to A&E on landing, and was treated as high priority due to cauda equina, which has the risk of paralysis if not treated urgently. She was admitted from A&E and operated on the following day. Don’t give medical advice if you don’t know what you’re talking about.

I had no issues with any of the above and I walked into a&e
It was still cauda equina and I said I thought it was to triage. Scanned and confirmed

I have slipped discs which frequently flare-up - the symptoms that the OP is describing are exactly the ones the consultant has told me to go to A&E for. This could very well be an emergency.

If OP can feel the genitals and area around the anus and pass urine then it will not be treated as causa equina.
She’ll lie in ED on a trolley , get some pain relief and be home in 24-48 hours. Think about these symptoms carefully OP. If passing urine is difficult then yes get yourself to hospital .

You have some red flags for cauda equina. You need A&E. At least call 111. Please mention the toilet difficulty.

I think the risk of not doing anything and it ends up being cauda equina outweighs the potentially long wait.

Just to say when this happened to me it was during surgery hours and they advised me to go to A&E. I did try the surgery first. So I wouldn't say this is misuse of A&E.

My daughter has just spent nearly three weeks in hospital with the same symptoms.

she had an infection in her spine and was on antibiotics the whole time

You have 2 out of 3 'red flags' to your back pain - change of sensation (the tingling) and difficulty going to the toilet. The third is change of sensation when you wipe yourself after going to the toilet? As much as you probably don't want to be sat in A&E you definitely need to be properly examined in the least to rule out something called cauda equina with potential scans depending on their examination findings.

Pain management is an A And E type of job

Call an ambulance right away. It might not even be related to your 15yr back problems.

I’ve been told in the past ( by dr) that is a definite sign to get immediate medical help.
List your symptoms exactly as @everybodystalking suggests.
Good luck.

Usually I am very much a wait and see kind of person but you don't fuck around with cauda equine symptoms. Off to the hospital with you!

Wishing you a quick wait x

Just my experience and another guy in A &E with me. Now I remember there was another guy too and his wife wheeled him in.
They left us all sitting there
Id had it for years as well, just like OP.

Ultimately it’s up to OP what she does but she will need to be prepared to wait
( unless her local A & E are lucky not to have to deal with too many life and death emergencies )

No, this lady has had 'back issues' for 15 years. She has had this acute problem, which can't be ruled out as extremely serious, for a short period of time. It really irritates me when people chant out 'A&E is for accidents and emergencies' when they have no idea what small details turn a situation into an emergency.

@autienotnoughty if you found it difficult to urinate, I would want to at least speak to 111. Can you feel your inner thighs and genitals? Do you have any numbness or tingling in that area?

You need to call an ambulance. Now.

@Icanthinkformyselfthanks it's not misuse

I had sciatica for years and years. One day I woke up and it felt different so I saw my GP and ended up on painkillers while waiting for a consultant
Then a few months later I was in bed and it felt like warm water running down my legs. I went to a&e
If I hadn't have gone, I wouldn't be walking now. It took them 5hrs for a neurosurgeon to sort out the mess in my back

That's like saying if you have angina and you suddenly have massively crushing different chest pain, don't go to a&e

A&E. If it's cauda equina it's serious. Go and get checked out.

Since you don't know what cauda equina is, go and google it. It can lead to permanent disability.

they did for Ds’s friend, she needed urgent surgery. Lets let the doctors make the assessment

Jesus Christ have you actually bothered reading the post? OP can't walk and has potential symptoms of cauda equine. In what world is that not an emergency? Just because she's had back pain for 15 years doesn't mean it can't get worse and become an emergency.

@autienotnoughty is it not more likely ro be sciatica. you may have had dehydrated lumbar discs over the last few years and perhaps one has slipped out of place. try tying two pairs of tights into loops to loop around your feet to lift them and walk. dont try to turn in bed but get hubby to roll you over. maybe he can sleep elsewhere tonight if his movements in bed are affecting you equilibrium/

A chiropractor? Are you joking?

I think you need A&E OP.