back aches

Yesterday while driving to Rapid City, I noticed that my lower back was starting to get sore - but it always seems to do that when I'm sitting in a car for longer than half an hour, so I didn't really think much of it. However, when I got back home from Rapid City, it was still sore, and quite tender, with some sharp pains if I moved my leg the wrong way.

For some backstory, about 5 years ago I lost control of my car on an icy neighborhood road and smashed into a parked car. Aside from some whiplash and seatbelt burn on my neck, I was fine. Until a few months later, when I started having pain in my lower back, to the right of my spine, just around the hip bone. I went to see my dad's doctor upon his suggestion because when Dad hurt his back, the doctor was able to help him find ways to make it better. The doctor told me all I had was some muscle pain, and that it was not a pinched nerve, as I thought it was. If it was a pinched nerve, I would have pain in my cyatic nerve, something I hadn't yet experienced until a few years after the accident.

I had gone for a couple of years with no back pain until yesterday. Now, I am in a considerable amount of pain, and not sure what to do about it. I don't have health insurance, although even if I did, I'd have to meet a $2,000 deductible before they would even start paying anything, so insurance or not, I'd pay for the doctor's visit. I've had people suggest that I go to a chiropractor or an acupuncturist, which probably aren't covered under health insurance, anyway, so I think I might do that this week after my work week is done.

I mean, if I'm still having "muscle" pain from an accident five years ago, I highly doubt it is muscle pain. And if five years after the accident I'm still having pains, I think it's time to do something about it. There are seven chiropractic/acupuncture clinics in Rapid City, so Monday I'm going to call them and get rates and whatnot.

Wish me luck!