Many people have a combination of back pain, leg pain, leg numbness and weakness. These symptoms can be distressing but don’t necessarily require emergency medical attention. However a rare but serious back condition, Cauda Equina Syndrome can lead to permanent damage or disability and does require urgent medical attention.
You should attend your nearest A&E department if you have Cauda Equina Syndrome symptoms with pain radiating down one or both legs and/or severe lower back pain (any combination, seek help immediately).
Attend your nearest A&E department urgently if you have any of these symptoms:
- Loss of feeling pins and needles between your inner thighs or genitals
- Numbness in or around your back passage or buttocks
- Altered feeling when using toilet paper to wipe yourself
- Increasing difficulty when you try to urinate
- Increasing difficulty when you try to stop or control your flow of urine
- Loss of sensation when you pass urine
- Leaking urine or recent need to use pads
- Not knowing when your bladder is either full or empty
- Inability to stop a bowel movement or leaking
- Loss of sensation when you pass a bowel motion
- Change in ability to achieve an erection or ejaculate
- Loss of sensation in genitals during sexual intercourse
- Further info can be found via this online video.
The staff physiotherapy service is unable to provide urgent care. If you are feeling unwell, have multiple/widespread joint/muscle pains or have uncontrolled pain then please contact your GP or seek help via 111 or A&E.
NHS 111 can help if you have an urgent medical problem and you’re not sure what to do. NHS 111 is available 24/7 and can be reached by calling 111 or visiting 111.nhs.uk (for people aged 5 and over only).
Self-care guides
If you are experiencing MSK symptoms, just follow our self-care guides and simply visit the relevant body parts you are experiencing pain to be taken to a full list of resources to help you.
For the best advice, guidance and exercises for your pain, simple visit the relevant body parts you are experiencing pain with below, to be taken to a full list of resources to help you.
These MSK self-management resources are supported by NHS England and NHS Improvement as part of the MSK leadership group which also includes The British Orthopaedic Association (BOA), The British Society for Rheumatology (BSR), The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP), Versus Arthritis and the Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance (ARMA).
Need further help?
If you need professional advice on how to manage your condition our staff physiotherapy service allows you to self-refer.