Back Pain Treatment in Holborn, London — from £19.99

Ways Pharmacy offers a private pharmacist-led service for adults with a recent episode of lower back pain caused by a strain, lifting or twisting. We are a GPhC-registered pharmacy (premises number 9012227) at 77 Southampton Row, Holborn WC1, around two minutes' walk from the British Museum. You can complete the assessment online and have your medicine posted, or come into the pharmacy. A pharmacist checks your symptoms, health and current medicines first, looks for any warning signs, and only supplies a treatment if it is suitable for you. Consultations are available in English or Chinese (中文).

Back pain treatment at a glance

Treatment options	A short course of Naproxen 250mg, an anti-inflammatory painkiller, plus advice on staying active and self-care
Price	£19.99 for a course of treatment
Who it is for	Adults aged 18 and over with mild to moderate lower back pain from a strain or minor injury, present for less than 6 weeks
How it works	Online assessment with a phone or video call from the pharmacist, or in person at the pharmacy
Pharmacist assessment	Required every time. If treatment is not suitable, the pharmacist will not supply it and will tell you where to go instead
Where and when	77 Southampton Row, London WC1B 4ET · Monday to Friday, 9:00am–6:00pm
Language	English and Chinese (中英文服务)

Start a back pain consultation or call 020 8106 7084.

Treatment options and prices

Most back pain from a strain gets better on its own within a few weeks, and staying active is one of the most helpful things you can do. Many people manage with paracetamol, ibuprofen or an anti-inflammatory gel from the pharmacy, and the pharmacist may suggest one of these instead. Where a stronger anti-inflammatory is suitable, the pharmacist may suggest:

Option	What it is	Price	More information
Naproxen 250mg	Naproxen（萘普生）250mg tablets, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). One tablet twice a day with or just after food, for up to 5 days	£19.99	Naproxen 250mg

Through this service the pharmacist supplies one short course of up to 10 tablets (5 days). If the medicine you choose is not suitable, the pharmacist may suggest another option or give you a full refund. Repeat courses are not routine. If your pain needs ongoing treatment, your GP should review you.

Who can use this service

• Adults aged 18 and over
• Pain in the lower back that came on after lifting, twisting, a strain or a minor knock, and gets worse with movement
• Pain that is mild to moderate and started less than 6 weeks ago
• No warning signs of a more serious problem (see below)
• No reason you cannot take an anti-inflammatory painkiller

Naproxen is not suitable for everyone. Tell the pharmacist if you:

• are pregnant, trying to get pregnant or breastfeeding
• have had an allergy to, or asthma or swelling triggered by, aspirin, ibuprofen or another anti-inflammatory
• have had a stomach ulcer or bleeding from the stomach or gut
• have heart failure, heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney or liver problems, diabetes or asthma, or are over 65
• take another anti-inflammatory (such as ibuprofen or diclofenac), aspirin, a blood thinner (such as warfarin, apixaban, rivaroxaban, dabigatran, clopidogrel or ticagrelor), steroid tablets, an SSRI antidepressant, blood pressure tablets (ACE inhibitors, ARBs or diuretics), methotrexate, lithium, ciclosporin or tacrolimus

The pharmacist will weigh up the risks and may suggest a different option or refer you.

When you should see a GP or get urgent help instead

Go to A&E or call 999 straight away if back pain comes with any of these, as they can be signs of nerve compression (cauda equina syndrome) that needs emergency treatment:

• numbness or tingling around your bottom, genitals or inner thighs
• new difficulty peeing, or loss of control of your bladder or bowels
• new weakness in your legs, or numbness that is spreading or getting worse

Also get emergency help if the pain follows a serious fall or accident.

See your GP, or call NHS 111, if:

• you also have a high temperature, feel generally unwell, or have lost weight without trying
• you have had cancer, have a weakened immune system, inject drugs, or have recently had a procedure on your spine
• the pain is severe, keeps getting worse, or is bad at night and does not ease when you change position
• pain, numbness or tingling travels down one or both legs and is severe or getting worse
• the pain is not improving after 5 to 7 days of treatment, or has lasted more than 6 weeks
• back pain keeps coming back

Stop taking naproxen and get urgent medical help if you vomit blood, pass black or tarry stools, have severe tummy pain, wheezing or difficulty breathing, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, a blistering skin rash, or are passing much less urine than usual.

How it works

1. Choose your medicine and pay.
2. Complete the online health questionnaire and confirm your identity. After payment you fill in a short health questionnaire. To confirm your identity, you upload photo ID, or show your ID during a video call.
3. The pharmacist speaks with you by phone or video to go through your answers and confirm whether the treatment is suitable.
4. If suitable, your medicine is posted or ready to collect. Orders approved by the pharmacist before 3:00pm on a working day are posted the same day — see our shipping information for delivery costs. You can also collect from our Holborn pharmacy once your order is approved. If the treatment is not suitable, including if the pharmacist gives you advice only and does not supply a medicine, you get a full refund.

You can also come into the pharmacy and speak to the pharmacist in our private consulting room.

Taking your treatment and helping your back recover

• Take naproxen with or just after food, swallow the tablet whole with water, and drink enough fluids
• Do not take other anti-inflammatory painkillers, including ibuprofen, at the same time
• Keep moving and carry on with daily activities as much as you can. Long periods of bed rest usually slow recovery
• Gentle exercise, walking and gradually returning to normal activity help most people
• Heat packs can ease muscle spasm and stiffness
• If you miss a dose, take it when you remember unless it is nearly time for the next one. Never take a double dose

Why choose Ways Pharmacy

• Treatment option and price shown before you start
• Assessment by a GPhC-registered pharmacist (premises 9012227), online or in a private consulting room
• Consultation and explanation in Chinese (中文) or English
• In Holborn, about two minutes' walk from the British Museum and close to Holborn and Russell Square stations
• Clear advice on the warning signs that mean you need a doctor

Related services: acid reflux treatment and the full Pharmacy Clinic list.

Frequently asked questions

Suspected side effects can be reported through the MHRA Yellow Card Scheme.

This page gives factual information about pharmacy services and medicines. Any medicine is supplied only after a pharmacist has assessed that it is suitable for you.

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Ways Pharmacy
77 Southampton Row, Holborn, London WC1B 4ET
Telephone: 020 8106 7084
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9:00am–6:00pm, closed Saturday and Sunday
Around 2 minutes' walk from the British Museum, near Holborn station
GPhC-registered pharmacy premises: 9012227 · About Ways Pharmacy