During your assault you might have been injured. It is important that you seek medical advice, even if it’s difficult to talk about it.
If you don’t have any injuries that require immediate medical attention you can phone the sexual assault self-referral phone service. Part of this service includes a healthcare professional from a sexual assault response co-ordination service (SARCS) phoning you back to arrange care. This care can include an appointment at a SARCS.
When the healthcare professional at the SARCS phones you’ll be assessed for any injuries and given advice on how to get treatment while still preserving evidence for your forensic medical examination (FME), if you choose to have one.
A blow to the head, no matter how small, can cause damage to your brain. It’s important that a medical professional checks this as soon as possible.
Concussion is the sudden but short-lived loss of mental function that occurs after a blow or other injury to the head. It’s the most common but least serious type of brain injury.
Signs of concussion include:
If you have any of these symptoms phone 999 immediately.
While a concussion can sound serious, the actual extent of damage to the brain is usually minimal and doesn’t cause long-term problems or complications.
Memory loss can be caused by trauma, drugs or alcohol.
Memory loss caused by a traumatic experience can be a natural response. It’s normal to be unable to remember any or all of the details of what happened to you. This is your body’s way of protecting you from a bad experience.
Drugs or alcohol can affect your memory in different ways, but it’s important to remember that doesn’t affect your care and support.
You may have taken alcohol or drugs through your own choice, or against your will. Whether you took drugs or alcohol willingly won’t affect the support you receive.
There are a number of injuries or reactions to trauma that can cause shortness of breath. It’s important to seek medical care if you’re worried – you don’t have to wait for a referral to a SARCS do this.
A bruised or broken rib can cause:
When you phone the sexual assault self-referral phone service, any injuries you have will be assessed by the team. You’ll be advised to seek any medical help you need before being referred to a SARCS.
If you think you have a bruised or broken rib, phone your GP or 111. A health professional can then refer you to your nearest Minor Injuries Unit.
Phone 999 or go to A&E if:
A throat injury can:
When you phone the sexual assault self-referral phone service, any injuries you have will be assessed by the team. You’ll be advised to seek any medical help you need before being referred to a SARCS.
If you think your throat is injured, phone your GP or 111.
If one of your airways is blocked because of an injury, it can cause:
When you phone the sexual assault self-referral phone service, any injuries you have will be assessed by the team. You’ll be advised to seek any medical help you need before being referred to a SARCS.
If you think you have a blocked airway, phone 999 or go to A&E.
If you’re having a panic attack, you might experience feelings of:
After going through a trauma it’s normal to have these feelings, but if they become too much and cause a panic attack, it can make you feel short of breath.
It’s important to remember that panic attacks and these feelings of fear and trauma will fade with time and support.
If you think you’re having a panic attack, or you feel you can’t cope with these feelings, you can phone 111 for mental health support. You can also make an appointment with your GP to ask about further help.
When you phone the sexual assault self-referral phone service, any symptoms you have will be assessed by the team. You’ll be advised to seek any medical help you need before being referred to a SARCS.
If you have a condition that affects your breathing, it could be worsened by experiencing a trauma.
If you’ve tried your usual treatments and they haven’t worked, phone 111 or 999.
When you phone the sexual assault self-referral phone service, any symptoms you have will be assessed by the team. You’ll be advised to seek any medical help you need before being referred to a SARCS.
There are a number of skin injuries that can be treated at home, but it’s important to seek medical care if the injury appears to be serious or getting worse.
Bruises might not appear right away, even if the area is painful. If you have a painful bruise or swelling, you should:
When you phone the sexual assault self-referral phone service, any injuries you have will be assessed by the team. You’ll be advised to seek any medical help you need before being referred to a SARCS.
Most cuts and grazes can be treated at home.
Read more about treating cuts and grazes
You should phone your GP or 111 if:
When you phone the sexual assault self-referral phone service, any injuries you have will be assessed by the team. You’ll be advised to seek any medical help you need before being referred to a SARCS.
If you’ve been bitten and the bite has broken your skin, it’s important to seek medical advice. People’s mouths have a lot of bacteria that can cause infection if left untreated.
Your health is important. If you think you need immediate medical attention, phone 999 or go to A&E immediately.
If possible, leave the bite mark unwashed. There may be DNA evidence that can be taken from the area.
If you can, it’s okay to take some take paracetamol or ibuprofen for pain relief.
Injuries from needles are sometimes called needle-stick or sharps injuries.
If you have any reason to suspect you have been injured with a needle, go to A&E as soon as possible.
The healthcare professional treating you will assess the risks to your health and ask about your injury – for example, how and when it happened. This is to help give you the best treatment.
If a tooth has been knocked out, you should:
If you can’t put the tooth back in position, put it in milk and see a dentist straight away.
The sooner a knocked-out tooth is re-implanted, the more likely it is to embed itself back into the gum.
If your tooth has been broken or chipped, try to find the fragment, store it in milk and see a dentist as soon as possible. The dentist may be able to glue the fragment back on to the tooth.
Last updated:
05 May 2023