[Closed] Worth going to A+E over this or waste of time?

I had a bad fall three weeks ago which produced the symptoms you describe in my shoulder. I too concluded that if there was anything seriously wrong I'd be in a lot of pain.

It took 2 weeks to get completely right, but it did sort itself on ibuprofen and a bit of rest. I'm not sure this helps. 🙂

haha it helps somewhat! I'm meant to be off on holiday next Thursday so I don't really want to be put in a cast or sling for that.

You could have partially damaged the AC joint, which is where your collar bone and shoulder blade are held together with a bundle of ligaments. If you had done that you would be told to rest it.

Mind you, that's just a load of mights and ifs.

I had a similar fall last October and it's still not right 🙁

Something similar happened to me at the start of the month. Not very painful really. Got a git of a burning sensation in the shoulder just forward of the point of impact. Turns out to be a grade one AC septation. Maybe not worth a trip to A&E but worth seeing a trustworthy professional. If it doesn't heal in the hight shape you can cause long term problems.

go and see your gp if your worried and he will refer you to the right people, but if you need physio i would go private. My housemate tore a muscle in his his shoulder last year and didnt get an nhs appointment till 10 months after being referred!

Not an A&E visit as you did it early today, if it's no better tomorrow book a GP appointment.

What lefty said-GP to check you over.

could be a separated shoulder, I did it playing sunday league and it hurts like ****, hope it isn't though because it took a good 3 months for mine to fully heal, and mine was only about a grade 2! 🙁 If it is, aside from some decent anti-histamines I don't think they can do much, maybe sling it but you will look like an idiot with your arm slung without a cast 🙂

I' err on the side of caution, did my shoulder in 1993, waited a week to go to A & E, got no sympathy because I';d left it too long. It works fine now, but it's still not right, if that makes sense. the Dr told me a couple of years back that I carry my shoulder low, and its twisted my spine to left, no real problem though.

If your not sure its worth going, I thought i twisted my ankle a few years back, wasn't in loads of pain and a bit of swelling, went to the GP after two days of hobbling and increased swelling to find out i'd broken my tibia and had to wait in hospital for 2 days waiting for the swelling to go down before they could screw it back up,

Google + You, doesn't = Doctor

Plus i'm sure any doctor would be happy to make you feel better about it than treating some drunk ****t

If its nothing it won't take them long to tell you, its always worth getting checked out. I think a & e give you 48 hours after an injury before you have to get referred from a doctor (well my local does anyway) so you can always go tomorrow morning if its still sore.

Although there's not much they can do apart from put it in a sling. But as already said, I'm not a doctor (not yet anyway!)

I face planted and put a crack in my upper arm with similar achey-feeling. Strangely I landed face first on thick roots but had nothing wrong with my jaw 😆

Personally I'd give it overnight, if it bruises up but you can lift your arm over your head and to the side etc easily then you'll be alright.

However if its hurts more in the morning an Xray would put your mind at ease either way.

Get medical advice sooner rather than later - I'd go to your GP and if he feels you need an x-ray he'll soon send you to the hospital. I aggravated an old shoulder injury in an over-the-bars incident 3 weeks ago - tried to get a Docs appointment but there was nothing available for a fortnight. Thinking it would get better with a few gentle exercises I declined the appointment but it's still not right. I can tolerate the discomfort but I know another nasty crash will burger it completely.

DO you have a minor injuries unit or walk in centre near you?

Use that better than taking up a space in A+E and better than taking up a space in your GPs.

Doesn't sound like anything massively exciting to me, but difficult to say without a proper poke and a prod.....

Worst case scenario: neck of humerus fracture (v. unlikely) - off bike for 6-8 weeks whilst the bone heals then physio ++ for ages to get the shoulder working again....

Middle of the road scenario: Fractured clavicle (collar bone) (also unlikely from the sound of it) - off bike until the pain subsides enough for you to be on it again.

Most likely thing: Soft tissue injury of some sort, be it torn muscle, grade 1-2 acromio-clavicular joint injury or sprained ligaments. All get better on their own, physio sometimes helps speed things along a little. Sometimes they never get back to 100% (unfortunately this is called life).

Any A&E doc will be happy to have a look, early am is usually quietest.

(Where are you based? I can have a look if you are NE or lakes sort of way)

Death.

always better to get it checked out IMHO

Dr Death - Tut tut, your local PCT (not that I work for one you see) will not be happy with your suggestion of going to the local A&E! First thing would be to go to the local walk in centre, or minor injuries clinic, or wait and book a GP appointment, if it requires further investigation they will refer on.

Couldn't give a shit what the local PCT think...... Come to A&E, one stop shop.

Must admit, if I have an injury and its out of hours and I have a concern I head to A&E.

Often the doc's [b]ASK[/b] me to go to A&E anyway if I've fallen/pain etc from fall as Doctors Surgeries don't have Xray equipment.

Go off-peak and your helping them out anyway.

As Dr D says - just don't go to Durham, it's bloody awful in there today (and yesterday and probably tomorrow as well) 🙄

[i]Go off-peak and your helping them out anyway[/i]

There's no such thing as off peak in A+E, there's the odd time when it may be a little quieter but not much. Yes GPs don't have an Xray but they can refer you to one.

Drac there is. I've been at circa 6am - 9am on a Sunday morning before and its very quiet.

Or during the week I've been circa 6am.

If you or someone you are with or come across has had a HARD fall from a bike with a potential headwound I wouldnt think twice about phoning for an ambulance. You can apologise the NHS Accountants later 🙄

[i]Drac there is. I've been at circa 6am - 9am on a Sunday morning before and its very quiet. [/i]

I've been a couple time myself and it's rarely quiet.

[i]If you or someone you are with or come across has had a HARD fall from a bike with a potential headwound I wouldnt think twice about phoning for an ambulance. You can apologise the NHS Accountants later[/i]

I really think that is acceptable.

Head wounds tend to be fairly obvious. Do you mean head injury?

You can apologise the NHS Accountants later

BTW WTF has that got to do with the OP - we are not talking about head injuries, or ambulances!!!!

Drac, Manchester Royal and Ashton Royal Infirmaries. Same with Hampstead Royal Free. Biggie ones though I guess.

Ps. Resurrecting an old argument but... Ghosts [u]DO[/u] exist. 😆

[i]Drac, Manchester Royal and Ashton Royal Infirmaries. Same with Hampstead Royal Free. Biggie ones though I guess. [/i]

Wansbeck, Border Genearal, Rakelane, Newcastle General and Edinburgh Royal.

They're all busy pretty much all the time, yes there's the odd quiet period but quiet means most rooms taken up not all rooms and half the corridor.

You can call an Ambulance if you think it's worth it but don't expect it transport you these days.

Dr Death, maybe you will give a shit when pct's start withdrawing funding to acute care as A&E takes all the funds.

I am a GP.

The clue is in the name - "accident and emergency".

You have had an accident. It hurts. Not all fractures lead to a bendy limb and lots of pain.

If I request an xray I will get a report in 2 weeks... perhaps. Not all GPs have much trauma experience.

If it hurts tomorrow - go to A&E. I would,

Cheers guys 🙂 I'm currently at uni so can't easily visit my GP (mind you home's not that far away). Got my last exam tomorrow morning so will probably just go to the hospital after that and see what they reckon (depending how it feels).

Yup clue is in the emergency. I'm going to leave it at that before I fire off on a public forum and gp referals to a+e and ambulance use.

Dr Death, maybe you will give a shit when pct's start withdrawing funding to acute care as A&E takes all the funds.

Then why not stop the countless drunks/associated idiots injured through drinking from using A&E?

A law-abiding citizen who has injured themselves in a law-abiding way shouldn't have to worry about the small comparative cost? The majority of your riding throughout your ride would enhance your health anyway so its a tiny blip in a brilliant landscape for me.

🙄

Then why not stop the countless drunks/associated idiots injured through drinking from using A&E?

It would be a [b]very[/b] good idea to impose fines on the merely drunk ones who, in the not too distant past, would have been taken to a police cell to sober up before being charged with being drunk and disorderly/incapable.

Ring NHS Direct and ask them. It's what they're there for. 0845 46 47.

Ring NHS Direct and ask them.

OMG If you think they will get better advice there than from the doctors who have already posted, you obviously haven't dealt with them very much 🙄

[i]Ring NHS Direct and ask them. It's what they're there for. 0845 46 47. [/i]

Ambulance in Direct is what they're known as.

I thought it was either NHS re-direct or NHS Dire.....

Oh and funky dunk - if they withdraw funding to acute care and give it all to A&E that'll be fine with me! TBH the PCT can do what they like people will still keep turning up on my doorstep and I'll keep treating them to the best of my abilities and in their best interests.

did same exact thing about 2 weeks ago, didnt go to a&e till last night. had knocked my bone out of line & if i had gone to a&e it would have been in beeter shape by now as it needed to be put in a sling. so my advice is get to the hospital

NHS Direct - point is, if you're unsure whether to go or whether you're wasting people's time, you'll (presumably) feel more confident going to A&E if you can say that NHS Direct told you to go.

I wasn't suggesting it because I think they're better than doctors, I was suggesting it because you'll be following procedure and thus avoiding any potential guilt you might be feeling for going to the hospital.

TBH they are pointless as they just tell you to go anyway (and then usually call you an ambulance just in case).

If you think you should come and see us then just do so. NHS dire just muddy the water, without adding any benefit, they are just there to try and act as peoples common sense only they have a hair trigger.

do you pay taxes, yes well go to the hospital. its what theyre for

do you pay taxes, yes well go to the hospital

I'd probably be made redundant if we only treated tax payers 😉

Don't think I do at the minute, I'm a lazy student wastrel for another month 😆

Ha ha point taken

I'd probably be made redundant if we only treated tax payers

Shudders at the thought of visiting Manchester Royal Infirmary A&E again. **** thats rough there 😯

Well it's not really hurting loads today, the rest last night must've done it a load of good 🙂 Still slightly achey but not half as bad as it was before I went to bed. Will give it til tomorrow (which will be 48h) and if it still aches at all I'll probably take a trip to the doc's!