Serious Spinal Conditions

When you should seek urgent help for your back pain:

If you have the symptoms described in the video above or the leaflets below, please attend immidiately at your local hospital’s Accident & Emergency Department (A&E).

Find your local A&E HERE

Cauda Equina Syndrome Warning Signs:Cauda Equina Syndrome Warning Signs card. Many patients have a combination of back pain, leg pain, leg numbness and weakness. These symptoms can be distressing for you but don't necessarily require emergency medical attention. A rare but serious back condition, Cauda Equina Syndrome, can lead to permanent damage or disability and will need to be seen by an Emergency Specialist Spinal Team. Warning signs of Cauda Equina Syndrome: *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 intercourseTo see in other languages or download, see: 
macpweb.org/learning-resources/cauda-equina-information-cards

Myelopathy Early Warning Card: