Triple Back

I have had back problems my whole life.  I have no idea how that came about.  When I was in Jr. High, my mom became concerned because I was pretty short.  For a kid with 2 tall parents (my dad is around 6'2" and my mom is 5'11"), it was a little strange to have a kid that was one of the shortest in the class.  She took me to a chiropractor and had me checked out.  The xrays showed that my spine jutted out to the side about halfway down.  I went to the chiropractor for about 2 years and shortly after I started going, I grew a whole bunch! 

When I was a senior in high school I worked at the drug store.  One day I bent down to pick up a bag, my lower back spasmed out and I couldn't stand up.  They had to call my mom to come and get me and I was in bed for nearly a week. 

Several years ago I was cleaning out our storage area.  My stepdad had a lot of books and we were storing them for him.  We finally convinced him he needed to go through them and weed them out.  We condensed almost a whole room of books down to about 3 boxes.  That was a lot of lifting and moving.  I was lifting a box of trashed books that needed to go in the garbage and when I put them in the barrel I felt a pull in my upper back near my shoulder blade.  I didn't think much of it until the next day when I couldn't move.  I actually ended up in the E.R. because of it.  Tom insisted on it because I had a knot on my back the size of a softball.  It turned out I had pulled a muscle and I was down for the count for a week then too.  I actually took muscle relaxers that time and I NEVER take anything more than tylenol.  Since then if I sit, sleep or move wrong, it will hurt up into my shoulder and neck. 

In between all these times I've had a couple days here and there where I've had pain and problems.  I have constant lower back pain, it just varies in degrees of pain. 

Last week, I'm not even sure what I did, but my back started hurting me.  My lower back was screaming out at me, my middle back started spasming and my upper back was hurting up into my neck and giving me a headache...all at the same time.  The triple threat.  Oh boy, that hasn't happened ever.  I felt so dang old!  All I did for a day was lay around, take a nap, listen to music and play on my phone.  I walked hunched over like an old lady and shuffled along like I was 90 years old!  Sad.  I only took a day off work, but I probably should have taken a couple more. 

I had to help my son with a school project.  That was a lot of standing around and boy, was I hurting afterwards.  I will say this, Biofreeze is my friend!  If anyone ever has any aches or pains, get biofreeze...that stuff works!  It helped my back and when I did the 3day walk it really helped my aching legs.  It's a miracle!  I also have a microwavable heating pad my mom made me for Christmas...that thing is awesome too!

My back still lets me know that it's there, but it's not leaving me incapacitated anymore, until the next time.  I actually got out and exercised yesterday which I haven't been able to do for several days.  It felt amazing to get out and move! 

I went to church today and I actually left a tiny bit early.  I was hurting from 3 hrs of sitting and I just couldn't sit anymore.  I have been stretching too and I guess I need to take up yoga.  Maybe then I can prevent it.  I'm only 41, can we prevent the aches and pains of age or am I doomed???????