Red Flags: When to seek urgent help
Recognising Serious Symptoms
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- Red Flags
Call 999 or go to A&E urgently if:
- Sudden weakness in an arm/leg, face droop, speech problems.
- Major trauma (fall/accident) with severe pain or deformity.
- Suspected fracture/dislocation.
- Severe pain with chest pain, breathlessness, or collapse.
Seek urgent same-day medical advice if you have back pain with:
- New problems controlling bladder or bowel function.
- Numbness around the genitals/inner thighs (“saddle” area).
- Rapidly worsening weakness in the legs.
- Fever, severe night sweats, unexplained weight loss.
- History of cancer, steroid use, or immunosuppression with new severe symptoms.