Back (with and without leg pain)

Is your back pain ONLY relieved when lying down?

Thank you for using the symptom checker

We are unable to complete the self-management symptom checker because of the features of your back pain.

Please contact your GP for further advice and guidance.

Have you ever been diagnosed with osteoporosis (softening / thinning of the bones)?

Thank you for using the symptom checker

We are unable to complete the self-management symptom checker because of the features of your back pain and your history of osteoporosis. 

Please contact your GP practice for further advice and guidance.

Are you on long-term oral or inhaled steroid medication?

Thank you for using the symptom checker

We are unable to complete the self-management symptom checker because of the features of your back pain and your long-term steroid use. 

Please contact your GP for further advice and guidance.

Do you have difficulty passing or controlling urine since your back pain started?

Do you have ANY of the following?

• Loss of feeling or pins and needles between your inner thighs and genitals, numbness in or around your back passage or buttocks
• Altered feeling when you use toilet paper to wipe yourself
• Increased difficulty when you try to urinate, leaking or difficulty when you try to stop or control the flow of urine
• Not knowing when your bladder or bowel or are full or empty
• Loss of sensation when you pass urine or stool
• A change in ability to achieve erection or ejaculation, or loss of sensation in your genitals during sexual intercourse

This video is a useful guide on when to seek urgent help for back pain.

Thank you for using the symptom checker

We are unable to complete the self-management symptom checker because of your symptoms, which may indicate cauda equina syndrome (CES).

CES is a rare but serious back condition which can lead to permanent damage or disability. Please contact NHS 111 immediately for further advice and guidance.

Click here to continue the symptom checker

Do you have numbness, tingling or loss of feeling around your genitals, inner thigh, back passage or buttocks since your back pain started? This might include an altered feeling when using toilet paper to wipe yourself.

Do you have ANY of the following?

• Loss of feeling or pins and needles between your inner thighs and genitals, numbness in or around your back passage or buttocks
• Altered feeling when you use toilet paper to wipe yourself
• Increased difficulty when you try to urinate, leaking or difficulty when you try to stop or control the flow of urine
• Not knowing when your bladder or bowel or are full or empty
• Loss of sensation when you pass urine or stool
• A change in ability to achieve erection or ejaculation, or loss of sensation in your genitals during sexual intercourse

This video is a useful guide on when to seek urgent help for back pain.

Thank you for using the symptom checker

We are unable to complete the self-management symptom checker because of your symptoms, which may indicate cauda equina syndrome (CES).

CES is a rare but serious back condition which can lead to permanent damage or disability. Please contact NHS 111 immediately for further advice and guidance.

Click here to continue the symptom checker

Have you noticed a loss of bowel control since your back pain started?

Do you have ANY of the following?

• Loss of feeling or pins and needles between your inner thighs and genitals, numbness in or around your back passage or buttocks
• Altered feeling when you use toilet paper to wipe yourself
• Increased difficulty when you try to urinate, leaking or difficulty when you try to stop or control the flow of urine
• Not knowing when your bladder or bowel or are full or empty
• Loss of sensation when you pass urine or stool
• A change in ability to achieve erection or ejaculation, or loss of sensation in your genitals during sexual intercourse

This video is a useful guide on when to seek urgent help for back pain.

Thank you for using the symptom checker

We are unable to complete the self-management symptom checker because of your symptoms, which may indicate cauda equina syndrome (CES).

CES is a rare but serious back condition which can lead to permanent damage or disability. Please contact NHS 111 immediately for further advice and guidance.

Click here to continue the symptom checker

Have you noticed a loss of sensation in your genitals during sexual intercourse since your back pain started?

OR, for MALES only, have you noticed a loss of the ability to achieve an erection or ejaculate since your back pain started?

Do you have ANY of the following?

• Loss of feeling or pins and needles between your inner thighs and genitals, numbness in or around your back passage or buttocks
• Altered feeling when you use toilet paper to wipe yourself
• Increased difficulty when you try to urinate, leaking or difficulty when you try to stop or control the flow of urine
• Not knowing when your bladder or bowel or are full or empty
• Loss of sensation when you pass urine or stool
• A change in ability to achieve erection or ejaculation, or loss of sensation in your genitals during sexual intercourse

This video is a useful guide on when to seek urgent help for back pain.

Thank you for using the symptom checker

We are unable to complete the self-management symptom checker because of your symptoms, which may indicate cauda equina syndrome (CES).

CES is a rare but serious back condition which can lead to permanent damage or disability. Please contact NHS 111 immediately for further advice and guidance.

Click here to continue the symptom checker

Do you have numbness, pins and needles, or weakness in one or both legs that is getting worse since your back pain started?

Do you have a previous history of cancer?

Thank you for using the symptom checker

We are unable to complete the self-management symptom checker because of your symptoms, which could be an indicator of malignant spinal cord compression (MSCC).

If you are still under the care of the oncology service, please contact the department urgently today for further advice.

If you have been discharged from the oncology service or are unsure, please contact NHS 111 immediately and mention to the call handler that you have a previous history of cancer.

Click here to continue the symptom checker

Have you noticed any recent problems with your balance, co-ordination or walking due to heaviness, unsteadiness or weakness in your legs since your back pain started?

Do you have a previous history of cancer?

Thank you for using the symptom checker

We are unable to complete the self-management symptom checker because of your symptoms, which could be an indicator of malignant spinal cord compression (MSCC).

If you are still under the care of the oncology service, please contact the department urgently today for further advice.

If you have been discharged from the oncology service or are unsure, please contact NHS 111 immediately and mention to the call handler that you have a previous history of cancer.

Click here to continue the symptom checker

Do you have numbness, pins and needles or weakness in one or both arms that’s getting worse since your back pain started?

Do you have a previous history of cancer?

Thank you for using the symptom checker

We are unable to complete the self-management symptom checker because of your symptoms, which could be an indicator of malignant spinal cord compression (MSCC).

If you are still under the care of the oncology service, please contact the department urgently today for further advice.

If you have been discharged from the oncology service or are unsure, please contact NHS 111 immediately and mention to the call handler that you have a previous history of cancer.

Thank you for using the symptom checker

We are unable to complete the self-management symptom checker because of your back pain symptoms

Please contact your GP practice for further advice and guidance.

Have you noticed any clumsiness or loss of dexterity in your hands since your back pain started?

Do you have a previous history of cancer?

Thank you for using the symptom checker

We are unable to complete the self-management symptom checker because of your symptoms, which could be an indicator of malignant spinal cord compression (MSCC).

If you are still under the care of the oncology service, please contact the department urgently today for further advice.

If you have been discharged from the oncology service or are unsure, please contact NHS 111 immediately and mention to the call handler that you have a previous history of cancer.

Thank you for using the symptom checker

We are unable to complete the self-management symptom checker because of your back pain symptoms

Please contact your GP for further advice and guidance.

Did you have a fever around the time your back pain started?

Do you have a previous history of cancer?

Thank you for using the symptom checker

We are unable to complete the self-management symptom checker because of your symptoms, which could be an indicator of malignant spinal cord compression (MSCC).

If you are still under the care of the oncology service, please contact the department urgently today for further advice.

If you have been discharged from the oncology service or are unsure, please contact NHS 111 immediately and mention to the call handler that you have a previous history of cancer.

Do you have ANY of the following symptoms?

1. Confusion, slurred speech or difficulty making sense / being understood
2. Blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue (on brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet)
3. A rash that does not fade when you roll a glass over it, the same as meningitis
4. Difficulty breathing, breathlessness or breathing very fast

Symptoms of sepsis

Thank you for using the symptom checker

We are unable to complete the self-management symptom checker because of your symptoms, which need further medical assessment to rule out infection or sepsis.

Please contact 999 immediately for further advice and guidance.

Thank you for using the symptom checker

We are unable to complete the self-management symptom checker because of your back pain symptoms

Please contact your GP practice for further advice and guidance.

Does your back pain spread from your back in a band around your body?

Do you have a previous history of cancer?

Thank you for using the symptom checker

We are unable to complete the self-management symptom checker because of your symptoms, which could be an indicator of malignant spinal cord compression (MSCC).

If you are still under the care of the oncology service, please contact the department urgently today for further advice.

If you have been discharged from the oncology service or are unsure, please contact NHS 111 immediately and mention to the call handler that you have a previous history of cancer.

Click here to continue the symptom checker

Is your back pain constant and so severe that you are unable to sleep?

Do you have a previous history of cancer?

Thank you for using the symptom checker

We are unable to complete the self-management symptom checker because of your symptoms, which could be an indicator of malignant spinal cord compression (MSCC).

If you are still under the care of the oncology service, please contact the department urgently today for further advice.

If you have been discharged from the oncology service or are unsure, please contact NHS 111 immediately and mention to the call handler that you have a previous history of cancer.

Thank you for using the symptom checker

We are unable to complete the self-management symptom checker because of your back pain symptoms

Please contact your GP practice for further advice and guidance.

This question relates to your gender assigned at birth.

Are you currently pregnant? (females only)

Did your back-related problems start or get significantly worse during this current pregnancy? 

You are likely to be experiencing pelvic girdle pain in pregnancy.

Pelvic girdle pain is common in pregnancy. It affects 1 in 5 women and birthing people and is usually more common in second or further pregnancies.

Symptoms will usually go away after you have given birth, but you can manage the condition yourself during your pregnancy.

Pelvic girdle pain guidance

Pelvic pain in pregnancy

You should access help early by discussing your symptoms with your midwife. If appropriate, they may recommend your GP or consultant refers you to physiotherapy for further advice and support.

Thank you for using the symptom checker

We are unable to complete the self-management symptom checker because of your back pain symptoms

Please contact your midwife to discuss your symptoms. They may decide to refer you to the Physiotherapy service.

Where is your main pain?

Have you been experiencing back pain for less than 6 weeks?

You are likely to be experiencing an episode of acute low back pain.

Acute low back pain is very common and most people will experience an episode at least once in their lives. Although it can be very painful and cause distress, it is usually not a sign of a serious problem. Most periods of acute low back pain settle within 2 to 6 weeks.

Acute low back pain is best managed with an active approach, which includes relative rest (resting just enough to allow symptoms to settle but staying active to maintain your movement and strength) along with movement, exercise, pain relief (if required) and addressing lifestyle factors such as weight loss, poor sleep, quitting smoking and seeking help for any problems with mental health or poor sleep.

Find further self-help advice and suggested exercises for acute low back pain

(You will need to enter 2025 where asked to 'Enter your year of birth')

Unfortunately, acute low back pain can become persistent, which is complex and harder to treat. Persistent pain is complex and can be associated with lifestyle or psychological factors.

Find tips and advice on how to improve your overall health and wellbeing and reduce your risk of developing persistent pain on the NHS Better Health website.

Further information on managing back pain

Have you been experiencing back pain for more than 3 months?

Did your back pain start before the age of 45?

How many of the following statements are true for you?

1. My low back pain started before the age of 35
2. My back pain is waking me up in the second half of the night
3. I have tendon problems or have had them in the past (i.e. enthesitis, tennis elbow, achilles tendon problems or plantar fasciitis)
4. I have arthritis (joint pain with stiffness) or have had it in the past
5. I have psoriasis or have had it in the past
6. I have a close relative (parent, child, brother, sister) with spondylarthritis
7. My symptoms quickly improve (within 48 hours) when taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (e.g. ibuprofen, naproxen or diclofenac) but return again when I stop taking the medication
8. My back pain improves significantly with movement and worsens significantly when I am resting
9. I have alternating buttock pain

You are likely to be experiencing persistent low back pain.

Persistent low back pain is pain that lasts longer than 3 months and unfortunately is very common.

Most injured tissues (e.g. muscle strain or ligament sprain) heal within 6 to 8 weeks and persistent pain is a pain which has continued long after an injured tissue has healed. This type of pain is no longer an accurate reflection of ongoing injury or tissue damage and often is a result of a sensitised pain system.

Persistent pain is best managed with an active approach, which includes relative rest (resting just enough to allow symptoms to settle but staying active to maintain your movement and strength) along with movement, exercise, pain relief (if required) and addressing lifestyle factors such as weight loss, poor sleep, quitting smoking and seeking help for any problems with mental health or poor sleep.

Find further self-help advice and suggested exercises for persistent low back pain

(You will need to enter 2025 where asked to 'Enter your year of birth')

Persistent pain is complex and can be associated with lifestyle or psychological factors. 

Find tips and advice on how to improve your overall health and wellbeing and reduce your risk of developing persistent pain on the NHS Better Health website.

Further information on managing back pain

Thank you for using the symptom checker

You have reported some symptoms which can be associated with a condition called axial spondyloarthropathy (inflammatory back pain).

Please contact your GP practice to book an appointment. This could be with a first-contact physiotherapist. The clinician will assess your symptoms and give you advice about next steps.

Axial spondyloarthropathy is a type of arthritis that affects the spine and causes back pain and stiffness. It is not very common but it still affects around 1 in 100 people. It is linked to the immune system and can affect many other body systems including nails, skin, eyes, bowels, tendons and joints.

IMPORTANT: you have not been diagnosed with axial spondyloarthropathy but we recommend further advice from your GP practice because you have mentioned some of its symptoms.

In the meantime, exercise is a very important part of managing all types of back pain, including axial spondyloarthropathy. 

Find further self-help advice and suggested exercises for persistent low back pain

(You will need to enter 2025 where asked to 'Enter your year of birth')

You are likely to be experiencing persistent low back pain.

Persistent low back pain is pain that lasts longer than 3 months and unfortunately is very common.

Most injured tissues (e.g. muscle strain or ligament sprain) heal within 6 to 8 weeks and persistent pain is a pain which has continued long after an injured tissue has healed. This type of pain is no longer an accurate reflection of ongoing injury or tissue damage and often is a result of a sensitised pain system.

Persistent pain is best managed with an active approach, which includes relative rest (resting just enough to allow symptoms to settle but staying active to maintain your movement and strength) along with movement, exercise, pain relief (if required) and addressing lifestyle factors such as weight loss, poor sleep, quitting smoking and seeking help for any problems with mental health or poor sleep.

Find further self-help advice and suggested exercises for persistent low back pain

(You will need to enter 2025 where asked to 'Enter your year of birth')

Persistent pain is complex and can be associated with lifestyle or psychological factors. 

Find tips and advice on how to improve your overall health and wellbeing and reduce your risk of developing persistent pain on the NHS Better Health website.

Further information on managing back pain

You are likely to be experiencing subacute low back pain.

Subacute low back pain is common, with around 8 out of 10 people experiencing it at some point in their lives.

Subacute low back pain is pain that lasts between 6 and 12 weeks, and although it is painful, it is rarely a sign of a serious issue. Most episodes of low back pain settle within 2 to 6 weeks but around 2 in 10 people will experience continuing pain for up to 3 months.

This type of pain is best managed with an active approach, which includes relative rest (resting just enough to allow symptoms to settle but staying active to maintain your movement and strength) along with movement, exercise, pain relief (if required) and addressing lifestyle factors such as weight loss, poor sleep, quitting smoking and seeking help for any problems with mental health or poor sleep.

Find further self-help advice and suggested exercises for subacute low back pain

(You will need to enter 2025 where asked to 'Enter your year of birth')

Unfortunately, subacute low back pain can become persistent, which is complex and harder to treat. Developing persistent pain can be associated with lifestyle or psychological factors. 

Find tips and advice on how to improve your overall health and wellbeing and reduce your risk of developing persistent pain on the NHS Better Health website.

Further information on managing back pain

Do you have any tingling, pins and needles or numbness in your leg or foot which have begun since your back problem started?

Are you still able to perform the test shown in this video, despite pain?

Are you still able to perform the test shown in this video, despite pain?

Are you still able to perform the test shown in this video, despite pain?

Click here to continue the symptom checker

Thank you for using the symptom checker

We are unable to complete the self-management symptom checker because of your back pain and leg weakness. 

Please contact your GP practice urgently for further advice and guidance.

Thank you for using the symptom checker

We are unable to complete the self-management symptom checker because of your back pain and leg weakness. 

Please contact your GP practice urgently for further advice and guidance.

Thank you for using the symptom checker

We are unable to complete the self-management symptom checker because of your back pain and leg weakness. 

Please contact your GP practice urgently for further advice and guidance.

Do you have any weakness in your legs or feet since your back problem started?

Click here to continue the symptom checker

Does your leg pain worsen when performing the test shown in this video?

You likely are to be experiencing an episode of lumbar radicular pain.

This kind of pain is common, with 1 to 2 people out of every 5 experiencing it at some point in their lives. Although it can be very painful and cause distress, it is not usually a sign of a serious problem. Most episodes of lumbar radicular pain settle within 6 to 12 weeks.

It is best managed with an active approach, which includes relative rest (resting just enough to allow symptoms to settle but staying active to maintain your movement and strength) along with movement, exercise, pain relief (if required) and addressing lifestyle factors such as weight loss, poor sleep, quitting smoking and seeking help for any problems with mental health or poor sleep.

Find further self-help advice and suggested exercises for low back pain

(You will need to enter 2025 where asked to 'Enter your year of birth')

Unfortunately, lumbar radicular pain can develop into persistent pain, which is complex and harder to treat. Developing persistent pain can be associated with lifestyle or psychological factors. 

Find tips and advice on how to improve your overall health and wellbeing and reduce your risk of developing persistent pain on the NHS Better Health website.

Further information on managing back pain

Does your leg pain worsen when performing the test shown in this video?

You likely are to be experiencing an episode of lumbar radicular pain.

This kind of pain is common, with 1 to 2 people out of every 5 experiencing it at some point in their lives. Although it can be very painful and cause distress, it is not usually a sign of a serious problem. Most episodes of lumbar radicular pain settle within 6 to 12 weeks.

It is best managed with an active approach, which includes relative rest (resting just enough to allow symptoms to settle but staying active to maintain your movement and strength) along with movement, exercise, pain relief (if required) and addressing lifestyle factors such as weight loss, poor sleep, quitting smoking and seeking help for any problems with mental health or poor sleep.

Find further self-help advice and suggested exercises for low back pain

(You will need to enter 2025 where asked to 'Enter your year of birth')

Unfortunately, lumbar radicular pain can develop into persistent pain, which is complex and harder to treat. Developing persistent pain can be associated with lifestyle or psychological factors. 

Find tips and advice on how to improve your overall health and wellbeing and reduce your risk of developing persistent pain on the NHS Better Health website.

Further information on managing back pain

Look at the picture of the legs. In which location or locations do you feel your pain?

You likely are to be experiencing an episode of lumbar radicular pain.

This kind of pain is common, with 1 to 2 people out of every 5 experiencing it at some point in their lives. Although it can be very painful and cause distress, it is not usually a sign of a serious problem. Most episodes of lumbar radicular pain settle within 6 to 12 weeks.

It is best managed with an active approach, which includes relative rest (resting just enough to allow symptoms to settle but staying active to maintain your movement and strength) along with movement, exercise, pain relief (if required) and addressing lifestyle factors such as weight loss, poor sleep, quitting smoking and seeking help for any problems with mental health or poor sleep.

Find further self-help advice and suggested exercises for low back pain

(You will need to enter 2025 where asked to 'Enter your year of birth')

Unfortunately, lumbar radicular pain can develop into persistent pain, which is complex and harder to treat. Developing persistent pain can be associated with lifestyle or psychological factors. 

Find tips and advice on how to improve your overall health and wellbeing and reduce your risk of developing persistent pain on the NHS Better Health website.

Further information on managing back pain

Your back and/or leg symptoms could be a problem coming from your hip. 

Start the symptom checker for hip-related problems

Click here to continue the symptom checker

Thank you for using the symptom checker.

We are unable to complete the self-management symptom checker as this is for individuals aged 18 years and over only.

Please contact your GP or NHS 111 for further advice.