Should I go to A&E for this?

[Simplestateside]

Posting for traffic. Yesterday I twisted my leg awkwardly as I stood up and felt an immediate pulling sensation in my knee which caused immediate pain and made me feel sick/dizzy. I'm almost certain I've torn the meniscus in my right knee.

There's no instability but there's pain and a horrible clunking/ locking sensation when I bend or straighten my knee and I can't bend it past 90 degrees. I know that the advice is to attend A&E for an MRI scan for a suspected meniscal tear, but I feel like a fraud at the idea of using A&E when I can weight bear on it and I'm not in agonising pain with it. However, I know that my GP wouldn't be able to order an MRI if I attended primary care instead, so I'm at a bit of a loss for what I should do.

I'm tempted to leave it a bit longer and see if it improves on its own, but I'm worried that I don't know what's going on inside the joint and whether there's anything that could need a surgical repair for me to get normal range of movement back. If it doesn't improve what service would be best for me to attend?

I'd go because you could cause more damage by leaving it. Some things are easier to fix if treatment starts early.

Yes go.
When I went to the GP after hurting my knee & he thought it was MT he sent me to A&E anyway.

I wouldn't as its not an emergency.

I would phone 111 to ask for advice.

Have you got a minor injuries unit near you?

Could you get an emergency private physio appt to see what they say?

would a&e do an mri for this there and then? Or are they more likely to tell you to go to your gp to refer you to orthopedics to get seen and referred for an mri? I don’t know.

Bit silly to leave it until the weekend. You should have went this morning. Could you wai

Until Monday, or do you need to mobilise?

If over the counter medication isn't bringing any relief you should go for pain management if you can't wait until tomorrow

It's Friday tomorrow you can go to the GP if the pain is stable and you can mobilise. If no to either of those then A&E

I would go to GP and they can refer on to ortho/mri

Thank you all so much for taking the time to comment.

I'm leaning more towards GP, as I'm wondering if A&E would want a referral to ortho before doing an MRI anyway. Minor injuries is a good should so I might see if they're open tomorrow, although I think you may have to attend our local one via 111, and they wont be able to MRI it, but could refer to ortho/A&E. I could pay for a private physio, but I think they would agree it's a meniscal tear and tell me to go to A&E, but I know some physios can order MRI's for may be worth doing.

No criticism of healthcare workers, I know it's the system . . but when did accessing basic healthcare become such a minefield?? 🙃

Please go. I didn’t. I’ve been in pain for 18 months. I’m sure I fucked it more by ignoring it.

Sorry I thought I'd mentioned in my OP, but the pain is fairly mild now, which is another reason I feel guilty at the thought of going to A&E, it's just more of a horrible sensation that remains now if that makes sense, and pain/ limited movement bending it or straightening it too much.

I think I’d call 111 for advice.

If there’s a minor injuries unit / urgent treatment centre near you then that might work as an alternative to A&E, but 111 would be able to tell you the best place to go.

Can your GP refer you to ortho ? Or go to minor injuries - they might call ortho and discuss - ideally in hours.

I’m fairly sure lack of normal mobility needs A&E

Go and see gp. He can order MRI.

Op. What was the outcome of this? Did you go to A&E and was it torn??

I had surgery for a meniscus tear back in September - that was a year after my mri to diagnose the meniscus tear. If you can weight bear, I'd go to the go and request a referral. My gp referred me directly for mri & ortho as the physios have strange rules in my area so the gp said he'd do it to speed things up.

I've torn my MSC and it swelled up like a balloon and the knee went off at an angle. I couldn't walk at all. I was in a full cast for 6 weeks but was OK after. Definitely go to A&E as it may not need operating but needs a cast. If there is a minor injuries nearer to you i guess go there, but they will end up referring you to hospital if it is torn. Take lots of painkillers and get someone to take you or get a taxi with someone to help you.

Zombie