Question
To start, I moved into a new apartment at the start of November. I'm a 25 year old law student, constantly carrying heavy books to class. That being said, I am still in good shape even though I haven't worked out actively in a year and eat healthy.

Since about two weeks ago, back pain flared up in my lower left back. As of thanksgiving I can neither sleep on that side (which I normally sleep on) nor fully bend over to touch my toes without pain. I have engaged in little to no activity since then, seldom leaving the house (due to finals and the cold weather). I have used icy hot to try and reduce the pain, and it has done a minimal job at best. But still the area from my ribcage to my hip has swollen up on my left side, noticeably tenser / larger than before. In trying to touch my toes, I cannot reach below my knees and have serious pain in the left side of my lower back while trying to stand up from a chair or couch. I have yet to see a doctor but would like some advice as how to treat it until I do or even if I do need to see one!

Answer
Hi Alec,

You do indeed need to see a Chiropractic doctor so that they can determine what is wrong with your back. In the meantime you can try alternating hot and cold packs to see if that helps with the muscle tightness. I would see a doctor as soon as possible because it could be a lot more serious that a simple back sprain/strain.

To use the hot and cold packs:
Apply a wrapped cold pack[in thin material like a t-shirt] and apply it to the painful area for 10 minutes. Follow this with a moderately warm hot pack for 15 minutes. You can repeat this cycle as needed.

I hope this helps!

Dr. Liza