Would going to A+E be wrong?

[UndertheBoredWalk]

I have got intense pain in my neck and shoulders, it started on Mon and I presumed i'd slept funny, but it got worse through the day. Tues I went and had a massage, it feels like muscular pain so thought that would help, it did relieve it a little but by the evening it was back to how it had been. This morning it is worse than ever, now I can't move my head, lift my arms etc at all. So decide I have to see Dr. Our GP does the call at 8:30 for app thing, so called couldn't get through, missed all apps for this morning. They're closed this pm and I was put through to out of hours people. Dr on phone says I need to be seen but OOH clinic doesn't open until 8pm and earliest I can be seen is 8:30pm.
I don't drive so will have to get cab there, and of course the chemists are all closed apart from one miles away at that time so won't be any good if I get a prescription for something.
Am vaguely wondering if it would be really bad for me to just go and get the bus to A+E now?
What do you think? I feel like it's not an emergency so shouldn't, but am in pain and seem to have no access to a Dr any other way atm. Am dithering, and need someone to tell me!

Go to A&E.

Sorry you're suffering. In my non qualified opinion I think you should see a doctor sooner rather than later.

What about a local walk in centre, if you have one nearby ?

They will refer you else where if needed and give you prescriptions etc and the waiting time is likely to be much better than A&E's up to 4 hours.

Good luck

I think the out of hours centre are usually able to dispense most medicines needed. They are open when chemists are closed after all.

Thanks everyone, I think I'll try that inzidoodle, see what NHS direct say. We don't have any walk in centres near babies, we did have one in walking distance but they have helpfully decided to knock that down and rebuild it I have a feeling they're going to want to x-ray me anyway which they can't do at the next closest walk in.

Shall ring NHS and hopefully get something more helpful from them

Thankyou!

Ours doesn't Darcy, the OOH service here is just one of the GP's clinics with locum Dr's working the late hours. No provision at all for medication.

On phone to NHS now

it sounds like a torticollis so i doubt very much you'll need an xray.
go to nearest walk in
you might also want some emregency physio (which wil have to be prviate i'm afraid)

Ok, NHS Direct as useful as a chocolate teapot, "take some paracetamol and ibuprofen" Yes I've been doing that since yesterday it's not helping at all. "try them, it will definitely help"

I think I shall go to walk in centre next and see what they say then, if they say I need to see a Dr then they can send me on can't they?

I hate being ill in any way!

There isn't much you can do for torticollis/ wry neck. I have had it several times and it better by itself in about a week. It is the muscle in the side of the neck going into spasm. The doctor may prescribe diazepam to relax it if it doesn't start to get better of it's own accord.

I just take painkillers. I find the first 2 days really bad, then it starts to improve and you forget about it until you move again and it's usually completely better.

You should see a gp first to rule out anything else and you shouldn't have physio because it is not wry neck it could cause more damage.

Just on point of info - your practice should be "open" till 6.30pm - even if the building is closed (say for staff training or whatever) they are still responsible for you until 6.30pm and if you tell them it's an emergency and you need to be seen they are obliged to see you or arrange for someone to see you. You really shouldn't have to go to A&E or phone NHS Direct in the middle of a working day.
Does sound like torticollis/wry neck which can be excruciatingly painful but doesn't need an X-ray - just strong analgesia and neck exercises (if you don't move it you just end up with a stiff, painful neck instead of just a painful one!).

NHS direct is really really crap ime.

I would get the bus to A&E. You can't lift your arms sounds quite serious to me.

how are you now !

Thanks everyone, just got back from walk in centre, think I may aswell have gone to A+E the waiting times in there!
Saw nurse and by luck he managed to catch a Dr from the practice leaving, he said it's whiplash. Which I'm finding a bit bizaare because I haven't done anything.
But he's given me some lovely codeine and info on what to and not do. If it's not gone in a week I'm to go see GP.

So shall see how I get on I suppose.

Thanks for all the help