It's weird, but it's great reading about other people's experiences with back pain/issues on here. In short, I'm in my mid 30s and have had horrendous back pain since 22. In fact, I can nail it down to the incident which started it all. I lifted an end table incorrectly. Slipped two discs: L4/5, L5/S1.
Since then, the pain fluctuates, from a min pain level of like 3/4 to being unable to walk. I've been to the hospital twice since this started, but I've sort of been able to manage with meds and stretching. While I have a shit ton of back pain, and I think many on here will agree, most of the actual pain pain comes in the ass and legs. Tried epidurals twice, and both times were failures. In fact, the first time was horrendous. I ended up needing something called a blood patch since they accidentally popped the spinal fluid sac. Despite that, I tried again like 6 months later, and it didn't work.
Acupuncture worked slightly once. Haven't given yoga that much a try. I feel like could put some serious time into swimming and that may help. Despite all of this, my back is the single most depressing thing in my life. And that's no exaggeration. At some point, you have to be honest and think that nobody around you wants to keep hearing about your back pain. So I don't talk about it much anymore.
I wonder at what point do you just get surgery. Before anyone tackles this rhetorical question, let's be clear: there are variations on everyone's situation, but if a 25 year old is having their spine fused, it must be horrible and all other actions must have been taken to avoid this. I have heard that surgeries BEFORE fusion, that is to say, surgeries to correct disc issues are way less effective than what is reported. That the procedure is more of a cash cow for orthopedic surgeons. Anyone want to comment on this?
Lastly, no matter how bad one's back is, from the severe to the moderate, stretching will always help. And even passive stretching, like having someone manipulate your limbs (massage, physical therapist, etc.). That and also icing your back will constrict the inflamed muscles.