Hi Tom, 16 years ago my hubby fell down stairs whilst on holiday,(in a isolated village) he also got up and walked back up the stairs, then felt very unwell! ambulance called and he was transported off in front of ambulance (range rover) with a collar on, xrayed showed a fracture to C4 transferred on a board to a major hospital, took long and painful recovery, still has nerve damage to part of face and neck, and some pain, but hes fine, was retired from his job, a small slip that changed his life take care joan