So I'm 21 years old, and starting in July, have been having lower back issues. I have no clue what caused it, but it progressively got worse (to where it was very painful to even stand up from a sitting position). I did a number of exercises suggested to me by some friends to "re-align" things as well as strengthen the muscles.
My back slowly got better, and I quit doing the exercises. Despite stopping the exercises, my back stayed better. Now, about 3 weeks ago, I had to lift a bunch of heavy items into a customers car. Since then, it has started to get progressively worse again. Multiple days, I have been taking 2-3 Aleve pills to dull the pain just so I can get through an entire shift working (all while standing) without my back becoming too much of a problem. I didn't take the Aleve today, and low and behold, my back got to where I couldn't stand without pain unless I held my lower back with one of my hands.
I asked a team lead what I should do, and he said talk to a manager. I didn't particularly feel like doing that, so I just went over and started working (1 handed). A couple managers walked over to me and asked what was up, so I explained to them. They immediately sent me home. Told me it is probably a pulled muscle of some sort and I need to ice it 20 minutes on 20 off.
As much as I hope that is all it is, I have an incredibly hard time believing that I pulled a muscle in my back twice, and that it has more or less been an issue for the last 5 months. My brother has said before he will often have the same thing happen, to where his back hurts very bad...and my mother had to get surgery on her lower back a number of years ago because she couldn't sleep, and at times, would have to hold her back to walk around just like I do sometimes now.
Part of me says I should just start doing exercises again, but the other part of me tells me that I should stop delaying seeing a doctor and make sure that nothing is seriously wrong (granted this gets expensive as I have a very high deductible insurance....like 5 grand).
Money can't buy happiness. Just video games, which make me happy.
