At northlondonosteopaths Alan Nevies and his colleagues have to be very skilled in spotting symptoms that may be a sign of some serious medical condition that is not related to bones and muscles. A patient came in complaining of pain in the upper back. Although he attributed the pain to various causes, the treating osteopath was concerned by certain red flag symptoms that indicated a systemic and lung related issue. The osteopath told the patient to go to A&E urgently where he was diagnosed with a blood clot in the lungs. He was given the appropriate treatment and made a full recovery. The patient thanked the osteopath for the accurate diagnosis and his calm way of ensuring that the patient would receive the urgent and appropriate treatment that saved his life. Alan Nevies and his colleagues at northlondonosteopaths need to be on their toes to treat the various aches and pains that do not have dramatic causes, but equally to know when there is a serious reason for the pain that requires emergency hospital treatment.