Everyday Health
Back Pain Consultation
A proper assessment of your back pain, including checking for the things that need urgent attention.
Available from 1 October 2026 – register your interestBook a consultation Call 01453 810316
- Available
- From 1 October 2026
- Format
- Private consultation
- Who
- Adults 18 and over
- Included
- Red flag check included
About this service
Most back pain is what clinicians call non-specific low back pain, meaning there is no single structure that can be identified as the cause, and the reassuring news is that it usually improves substantially within a few weeks. The most important advice, which runs counter to what many people instinctively do, is to keep moving and to stay at work if you can, because prolonged bed rest makes recovery slower rather than faster.
A small proportion of back pain is caused by something that needs urgent or prompt attention, and part of what we do at this consultation is to check carefully for those features. You should seek emergency help immediately, at accident and emergency, if you develop difficulty passing urine or loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness around the back passage, genitals or inner thighs, or weakness in both legs, because these can indicate a serious nerve problem needing same-day treatment. You should be assessed promptly rather than treated at a pharmacy if you have back pain after significant injury, back pain with fever or feeling unwell, unexplained weight loss, a history of cancer, pain that is severe at night or wakes you, or new back pain when you are under 20 or over 55. At Berkeley Pharmacy our back pain consultation offers a proper assessment, a red flag check, practical advice and clear referral where that is what is needed.
What back pain is and when it needs urgent attention
Most back pain is what clinicians call non-specific low back pain, meaning there is no single structure that can be identified as the cause, and the reassuring news is that it usually improves substantially within a few weeks. The most important advice, which runs counter to what many people instinctively do, is to keep moving and to stay at work if you can, because prolonged bed rest makes recovery slower rather than faster.
A small proportion of back pain is caused by something that needs urgent or prompt attention, and part of what we do at this consultation is to check carefully for those features. You should seek emergency help immediately, at accident and emergency, if you develop difficulty passing urine or loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness around the back passage, genitals or inner thighs, or weakness in both legs, because these can indicate a serious nerve problem needing same-day treatment. You should be assessed promptly rather than treated at a pharmacy if you have back pain after significant injury, back pain with fever or feeling unwell, unexplained weight loss, a history of cancer, pain that is severe at night or wakes you, or new back pain when you are under 20 or over 55.
Who this service is for
Suitable for
- Adults 18 and over with recent, non-specific low back pain
- People whose pain is limiting work or daily activity
- Anyone unsure whether their pain is something to worry about
- People who want practical advice on staying active and managing the pain
- Anyone who wants a starting point before deciding whether they need a GP or physiotherapy
Not suitable for
- Anyone with the emergency features described above, who needs accident and emergency, not a pharmacy
- Back pain after a significant fall or accident
- Back pain with fever, unexplained weight loss or a history of cancer
- Pain radiating down the leg with significant weakness or numbness, which needs medical assessment
- Long standing back pain already under specialist care
- Under 18s
How it works
A simple, consistent process for every service at Berkeley Pharmacy.
Get in touch
Call us or use our contact form to arrange a consultation.
Consultation
A private, face-to-face appointment with our pharmacist in our Berkeley consultation room.
Clinical assessment
We review your medical history and confirm whether the service is suitable for you.
Treatment or referral
If it is suitable we treat you the same day; if not, we explain why and advise on the best next step.
What to expect at your appointment
Your consultation is private and begins with careful questioning to check for the features that need urgent or prompt assessment. We then talk through practical advice on staying active and managing the pain.
- A private consultation covering how the pain started, where it is, what makes it better and worse, and how it is affecting you
- Careful questioning to check for the features that need urgent or prompt assessment
- A review of your medical history and current medicines, including anything that affects which painkillers are safe for you
- Practical advice on movement, activity, work and sleeping positions
- Where treatment is appropriate, a discussion of the options
- A clear referral to your GP, to physiotherapy or to urgent care where that is what is needed
Aftercare and self-care
Keep moving and return to normal activity as soon as you reasonably can, increasing gradually rather than waiting to be pain free. Using painkillers regularly for a short period so you can stay active is more effective than taking them sporadically once the pain is severe.
- Keep moving and return to normal activity as soon as you reasonably can, increasing gradually rather than waiting to be pain free
- Avoid prolonged bed rest, which slows recovery
- Use painkillers regularly for a short period so you can stay active, rather than sporadically once the pain is severe
- Heat can help with muscle spasm
- Gentle walking, swimming and stretching are usually more helpful than rest
- Seek emergency help immediately if you develop bladder or bowel changes, numbness in the saddle area or weakness in both legs
- Come back or see your GP if there is no improvement after a few weeks
Frequently asked questions
Should I rest or keep moving with back pain?
Keep moving. The most important advice, which runs counter to what many people instinctively do, is to keep moving and to stay at work if you can, because prolonged bed rest makes recovery slower rather than faster. Gentle walking, swimming and stretching are usually more helpful than rest, and returning to normal activity as soon as you reasonably can, increasing gradually, is the fastest route back to normal.
When is back pain an emergency?
You should seek emergency help immediately, at accident and emergency, if you develop difficulty passing urine or loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness around the back passage, genitals or inner thighs, or weakness in both legs, because these can indicate a serious nerve problem needing same-day treatment. These are the features we check carefully for at your consultation, and we will tell you clearly if you need emergency care rather than a pharmacy appointment.
How long does back pain usually take to improve?
Most non-specific low back pain improves substantially within a few weeks. Keeping moving, returning to normal activity as soon as you reasonably can and using painkillers regularly for a short period so you can stay active all help recovery. If there is no improvement after a few weeks, come back or see your GP so the next step can be considered.
When should I see a GP rather than a pharmacist about back pain?
You should be assessed promptly rather than treated at a pharmacy if you have back pain after significant injury, back pain with fever or feeling unwell, unexplained weight loss, a history of cancer, pain that is severe at night or wakes you, or new back pain when you are under 20 or over 55. We will refer you to your GP with a clear explanation of why when any of those features are present.
Can a pharmacist refer me for physiotherapy?
Yes. Where physiotherapy is the right next step, we will refer you with a clear explanation of why. A pharmacist is a good starting point for recent, non-specific low back pain, because we can assess the problem, check for the features that need urgent or prompt attention, give practical advice on staying active and managing the pain, and refer you to your GP, to physiotherapy or to urgent care where that is what is needed.
When is this service available?
This service will be available from 1 October 2026. If you develop difficulty passing urine, loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness around the back passage, genitals or inner thighs, or weakness in both legs before then, go to accident and emergency immediately, as these can indicate a serious nerve problem needing same-day treatment.
How we can supply treatment without a GP appointment
Some treatments at Berkeley Pharmacy are supplied under a Patient Group Direction, or PGD – a written instruction, signed by a doctor and a pharmacist, that legally allows our trained pharmacists to supply and administer specified medicines to people who meet defined clinical criteria, without a prescription from your GP. If you do not meet the criteria set out in the PGD we cannot supply the treatment, and we will explain why and advise you on the best next step. Our pharmacists also work as independent prescribers where that is appropriate.
Serving Berkeley and the surrounding Gloucestershire villages
Berkeley Pharmacy is on Market Place in the centre of Berkeley, with easy access from junctions 13 and 14 of the M5. We welcome patients from Berkeley, Sharpness, Newport, Berkeley Heath, Alkington, Ham, Stone and Rockhampton, and we are a short drive from Cam, Dursley, Slimbridge, Cambridge, Falfield, Charfield, Tortworth, Cromhall, Oldbury-on-Severn, Wotton-under-Edge, Thornbury, Frampton on Severn and Stonehouse. Patients also travel to us from Stroud, Nailsworth, Yate, Chipping Sodbury, Tetbury and Gloucester.
Safe, regulated care from your local pharmacy team
- Berkeley Pharmacy is registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council. You can check any pharmacy or pharmacist on the GPhC register at pharmacyregulation.org.
- Every consultation is face to face and private, in our dedicated consultation room – not an online questionnaire.
- Serving the Berkeley community for over 25 years.
- This service does not replace care from your GP. With your consent we will inform your GP of any treatment provided. If you are unwell, have new or worsening symptoms, or need urgent care, contact your GP or NHS 111, and in an emergency call 999.
- If you experience a side effect from any medicine you can report it through the MHRA Yellow Card scheme at yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk.
Page last reviewed: September 2026. Next review due: September 2027.
Related services
Other services you may be interested in at Berkeley Pharmacy.
Period Pain Consultation
Painful periods are common, but they should not be dismissed. Come and talk it through properly.
Find out more Everyday HealthHaemorrhoids Consultation
A discreet, matter-of-fact consultation, and careful attention to the one thing that must never be assumed.
Find out more Everyday HealthEar Pain Consultation
Ear pain does not always come from the ear. We look, work out what is causing it, and act accordingly.
Find out moreSpeak to our pharmacy team about back pain consultation
Visit us in Berkeley or get in touch to arrange a private consultation with our pharmacist.
Book a consultation Call 01453 810316
Address
14 Market Place, Berkeley, GL13 9BB
Opening hours
Mon–Fri 9am–6pm (closed 1–2pm)
Sat 9am–1pm
Sun Closed