Recovery from Back Pain and Medical Experience
This content was automatically generated by gpt-4o-mini (No human review). The original post is in Chinese.
I have long been troubled by back pain, but it hasn’t been very severe, and it doesn’t occur every day. It only happens occasionally in situations like prolonged sitting, excessive fatigue, or lack of sleep. Generally, after a good rest, I feel fine the next day. However, starting in February this year, I was tormented by back pain every single day for over a month, especially while driving and at work. The pain was more intense than before, significantly affecting my quality of life, so I had to do something to improve it.
To clarify, what I call back pain is actually referred to in English as Lower Back Pain, meaning the area where I feel pain is indeed my back, specifically the lower part, just above the buttocks.
When Back Pain Becomes a Problem
Driving is Torturous
The initial realization of how serious my back pain was came when driving back and forth between San Diego and Irvine became unbearable. One Friday in early February, after work, I drove from San Diego to Irvine. There was some traffic, and I drove for nearly two hours. The whole time felt like I was a walking corpse; my back and legs were sore, and every minute was torture. The following week, driving back to SD from Irvine was just as painful—my back hurt, and my legs ached. After just over an hour of driving, the pain started 20 minutes into the trip, and every second felt like torture. It wasn’t just my back; from my hip down to my knee and ankle, my entire leg hurt. I began to suspect that I might have a herniated disc pressing on a nerve, especially in my right leg when pressing the gas and brake pedals. After getting out of the car, I walked with a limp, and my posture was very awkward. Eventually, it wasn’t just long drives; even my daily commute of about 25 minutes became torturous. Typically, after about 10 minutes of driving, my back would start to hurt, and my legs would ache. I was very worried that if my right leg hurt so much that I couldn’t press the brake or gas, I would have to consider using my left foot to help. However, even though my legs were very sore, I could still drive.
Work is Torturous
In the same week, I started to feel pain in my lower back at work, especially after sitting for a long time. After sitting at my desk for a while, when I stood up to go to the restroom, I walked with a noticeable limp. I remember that one or two weeks before the back pain caught my attention, I went upstairs to the cafeteria to play table tennis, limping as I walked. A colleague asked me what was wrong, and I told her my back hurt. She asked if I could still play table tennis, and I said I wasn’t sure; sitting for too long wasn’t good, but moving around should be fine. It turned out I could play table tennis, and even after playing, my back pain improved. I feel that back pain means I should move, even if it’s just taking a few steps; it’s better than sitting still. In the one or two weeks prior, I started feeling back pain around 1 PM every day at work, but soon I began to feel it as soon as I arrived at the office in the morning. A beautiful day started with back pain.
The First Call to the Hospital
I began to struggle with whether or not to go to the hospital. I knew that if it was just ordinary back pain, doctors would generally just tell me to exercise more and rest, and there wasn’t really any medication that could cure back pain (except for painkillers). However, this time the back pain was accompanied by leg pain, which made me worry that it might be a herniated disc pressing on a nerve. So I started to hesitate about whether to call the hospital for an appointment. After graduating, I switched to a new health insurance plan with a high deductible, meaning I had to pay $1500 out of pocket before insurance would cover anything. Plus, after graduation, I couldn’t go to UCSD Student Health Services anymore, and I couldn’t see my previous Primary Doctor. So I wasn’t quite sure how to make an appointment. I struggled for a long time; when my back hurt, I felt I should call, but when it didn’t hurt as much, I thought maybe I should just let it go. After going back and forth for most of the day, I finally called UCSD Health to make an appointment. When I got through, I was transferred to the Ask a Nurse section, where a nurse began to ask me detailed questions about my back pain symptoms.
I talked with the nurse for about 30 minutes. She suggested that if my back hurt a lot, I could take ibuprofen for pain (with food), and recommended using a hot water pack on the painful area. She advised alternating between standing for an hour and sitting for a short time while working, stretching before and after exercising, and reducing intense workouts for the past week or two. She thought I might have a muscle strain from overexertion and didn’t need to go to the emergency room. Since I also had leg pain, she suggested considering an X-ray appointment. If I felt it wasn’t too serious, I could choose to observe it at home for a few days. She said that back strains generally take some time to heal, possibly a month, but considering I was still young, it might improve in a few weeks. After hearing her on the phone, I felt better and decided to observe it at home for a week, thinking that maybe the symptoms would lessen in a few days.
Memories Triggering Back Pain
On the phone, the nurse asked if I had lifted any heavy objects recently. At first, I said I couldn’t remember; I had just been exercising more lately. Then I recalled that there was an incident. At the end of January, after kayaking one Wednesday evening, I experienced a sudden sharp pain in my back while moving the kayak with a friend. It lasted for about ten seconds. This might have been caused by the improper bending posture I used when I pulled the kayak out of the water by myself earlier. Recently, I got a new plastic kayak rack to store the kayak in the garage. This kayak rack is particularly high, and I need to lift the kayak to below my chest level to place it on the rack. I first carefully lowered the kayak from the bench to the ground by myself, and after setting up the rack, I struggled to lift the kayak from the ground onto the rack. My kayak weighs 50 pounds and is nearly 5 meters long, making it very difficult to lift alone. Usually, I can only lift it to a height between my knees and my abdomen, but this time I needed to lift it to waist height. I exerted all my strength, including leaning back while lifting (otherwise it wouldn’t be high enough), and I was very worried about accidentally damaging the kayak. The result was that the kayak was unharmed, but my back might be damaged. Additionally, driving, working, and kayaking significantly worsened my back pain because sitting for long periods is not good for the back.
Finally Decided to Seek Medical Attention
After more than a week, my back pain symptoms had not improved, and I was tormented by back pain every day. That’s not entirely accurate; the back pain seemed to have eased a bit, but the leg pain symptoms worsened. Now, what mainly tormented me was the shift from back pain to leg soreness, specifically in the hip joints, knees, and other areas feeling very sore. Taking the nurse’s advice, I planned to work sitting for an hour and then standing for an hour. However, I found I couldn’t do it at all because when I stood up, my legs felt sore, and I couldn’t stand for more than 10 minutes without needing to sit down to rest. Moreover, I wasn’t in constant pain from morning to night; my symptoms fluctuated. Sometimes I felt pain at work, and sometimes I didn’t, but driving would inevitably cause pain, and I experienced pain at work every day (though I might not feel pain at home on weekends!!). I also found it quite strange, wondering if I had some unusual illness. When I was in pain, I wanted to see a doctor, but when I wasn’t in pain, I felt I didn’t need to. In short, after another week of indecision, I decided to surrender and called the hospital to get an X-ray.
Second Phone Call for Appointment
On February 15, I first called UCSD Health and asked them to connect me with the nurse I had spoken to before, indicating that I wanted to continue my treatment and get an X-ray. The nurse informed me that since I currently do not have a primary doctor, I could only make an appointment with doctors who accept new patients, and these first-time visit appointments are generally not available until after April, so I wouldn’t be able to see a doctor this week. Therefore, UCSD Health recommended that I go to Urgent Care, which meant I could even see a doctor today. However, Urgent Care sounded quite expensive, and I felt that my back pain wasn’t that urgent, so I was reluctant to go.
As a result, I asked Cuihao to check if UCI Health had any availability this week. I found out that UCI Health has a Walk-In Care that doesn’t require an appointment and allows for same-day visits. I called to inquire and was told that I could be seen today or tomorrow, and I could make an appointment to save time waiting in line. So, I scheduled an appointment for tomorrow, allowing me to drive back to Irvine this afternoon and take a two-hour leave from work tomorrow to see the doctor before working remotely.
During our call, we kept trying to ask how much this walk-in care would cost, but the representative was unwilling to provide an answer. They said that since I have insurance, they didn’t know the exact price, as it depends on the insurance, and they wouldn’t even give me a rough estimate, suggesting I call the insurance company for pricing. I didn’t call because I felt that the insurance company would tell me that it depends on which clinic I go to and what treatment I receive, and it wouldn’t be easy to find out. I thought to myself, forget it; an office visit probably costs two to three hundred dollars. Later, I suddenly realized that UCI Health’s walk-in care and UCSD Health’s Urgent Care might actually be similar types of clinics, and the reason it’s called walk-in care might be to make patients feel that it’s not as expensive.
UCI Health Visit
On February 16, I went to UCI Health for a check-up. To trigger my symptoms, I drove myself there. Although it was only a 10-minute drive, I successfully triggered the back pain and leg pain that occur after driving (if someone else is driving and I’m in the passenger seat, I don’t feel any pain). However, since I had to wait in line at the hospital for over half an hour, by the time I saw the doctor, I was actually feeling much better. I met with a general practitioner who asked me a series of questions, examined my spine, lifted my legs, and had me perform some movements. She thought I looked fine, but still prescribed painkillers and arthritis cream. That afternoon, I had X-rays taken of my spine and pelvis. The next morning, I had a blood test done on an empty stomach, and they drew five vials of blood, which was quite a lot.
Diagnosis Results
On February 23, I returned to the hospital to check the results. The doctor said my X-ray results were normal, with no herniated discs or nerve compression. Most of my blood test results were good; in fact, they indicated that my risk for cardiovascular disease was very low, and I had no risk of diabetes or anemia. The only issue was a severe deficiency in vitamin D; the normal range is above 30, and mine was only 12.9. Therefore, she recommended that I take two 2000-unit vitamin D capsules daily. There could be many reasons for the vitamin D deficiency; I don’t feel like I lack outdoor activity, but it might be because I’m too diligent with my sunscreen and not getting enough sun exposure. Additionally, I learned that my daily intake of 300ml of milk or soy milk is insufficient; I need to consume four serving sizes of dairy products. As for the cause of my back and leg pain, it’s unclear; it might be muscular. The doctor suggested I improve my posture while standing, sitting, and lifting things, use my back wisely, and stretch more. The visit summary the doctor gave me was particularly long, about 10 pages, with a lot of information about back pain and vitamin D deficiency, from which I learned a lot. After the appointment, no one asked me to pay, and when I inquired at the hospital front desk about the cost of this visit, they were unsure and told me to wait for the insurance to send the bill. I estimated it might be around $1000.
By this time, it had been two weeks since I first called the hospital, and my back pain symptoms had not improved significantly. Driving especially made my legs feel sore, and I could clearly feel back and leg pain at work. I started doing stretches before bed yesterday, hoping it would help alleviate the back pain. During the stretching, I realized I could no longer do sit-ups; I used to be able to do 100 sit-ups in one go very easily, but now I couldn’t do a single one. When I lay down and tried to get up, I needed to use my hands for support, which was very disappointing.
Sky-high Bills and Health Insurance Choices
On March 8, I recently received several bills, and today I also checked the hospital and insurance websites. I spent a total of $1416, with one office visit costing over $600, two X-rays adding up to $700, and the cheapest blood test being $100. This was significantly higher than I had initially expected. The problem is that my back pain did not improve after the visit; in fact, I continued to suffer from it for two weeks after the appointment, and only today am I feeling a bit better. So, I spent $1416, nearly 9000 RMB, and I didn’t even gain any peace of mind (I even suspect I have some strange illness).
I remember that from September to December last year, I bought UCSHIP and spent over $1300. At that time, I went to see a doctor for lip inflammation and intended to address my back pain, but the doctor told me to schedule another appointment, so I didn’t go. At that time, my insurance only charged $5 for each office visit, which is a 100-fold difference. When I was a graduate student with UCSHIP, it was truly a blessing; I never worried about medical expenses. The most I ever spent at once was over $30 for two medications, and for dental visits, sometimes deep cleanings or wisdom tooth extractions would cost around $100 total.
The main reason for the high medical expenses this time is that my current insurance is a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP). I have Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO insurance, and I pay about $100 a month for it. The annual deductible for medical expenses is $1500, and I have basically used up this year’s $1500 deductible. After exceeding $1500, I only have to pay 10% out of pocket. I chose HDHP because it allows me to open an HSA account, where I can contribute $3600 tax-free each year. The HSA account can be invested, and the investment gains are tax-free, so it’s a triple tax-free account. Moreover, I watched a video and used a calculator that showed as long as my annual medical expenses are under $6000, the HSA account is more cost-effective. Although I know it’s more economical, I still feel the pinch when it comes to spending money, which makes me reluctant to seek medical care because it feels like money that I could have kept is now going out. I believe this downside of the HSA cannot be ignored because health is always more important than money. I need to overcome this mindset and treat it as if I will need to exhaust my deductible every year.
For recommendations on choosing health insurance, I suggest watching this video:
Some Methods to Improve Lower Back Pain
So, from the time I started experiencing lower back pain to when I went to see a doctor, and finally to when my symptoms improved, it took over a month. During this month, I didn’t feel that the doctor’s treatments (like the ointments and painkillers prescribed) helped me improve my back pain; in fact, I felt that I could have gradually recovered even without seeing a doctor. However, the doctor’s diagnosis did provide me with some reassurance, mainly alleviating my doubts about whether a herniated disc was pressing on my nerves. Additionally, the Visit Summary she gave me included some knowledge on improving posture, how to lift heavy objects, and other tips for alleviating back pain.
Throughout this month, I made many efforts to improve my back pain, and I believe this was the real reason for my recovery. In summary, I did the following:
Stretching, Warm-ups, and Core Training
When my back pain significantly improved, I had already been doing back relief training and stretching for two weeks, spending 20-30 minutes each day following the “Back Relief Strategy” course by Dingxiang Mama, as well as the lower back stretching and core training videos from Fitness Blender. I spent less than $15 to buy Dingxiang Mama’s “Back Pain Recovery Strategy” and followed it for stretching every day for two weeks. Later, I mainly followed the Fitness Blender YouTube video Lower Back Stretches for Sciatica Pain for stretching, sometimes doing it three times a day, each session lasting only 7 minutes. I found Dingxiang Mama’s course a bit too simple and time-consuming, but the initial diagnosis and related information were quite helpful, and since it wasn’t expensive, it was worth listening to. Fitness Blender’s website is great; in addition to lower back stretches, you can also do other core training. I believe that to eliminate back pain, it’s essential to strengthen the muscles in the lower abdomen and back. Also, I used to run without warming up for a long time, but now I spend 8 minutes doing Keep’s warm-up before running before I run.
Sitting, Standing, and Sleeping Postures
I have started to pay attention to my sitting posture, trying not to cross my legs while working. When driving, I also avoid leaning my head forward and try to keep my head against the headrest. When sleeping, I try to lie flat. While standing, I make sure not to tilt my pelvis forward.
Lifting Heavy Objects
I try to lift heavy objects as little as possible and it’s best to ask someone for help. When lifting heavy objects, I need to be careful and make sure to use a deep squat position: squat down first, then use my leg strength to lift the object; instead of bending at the waist or using my back strength to lift it. I can also warm up a bit before lifting heavy objects.
Office Conditions and Avoiding Prolonged Sitting
The conditions in my office are actually very good. My company has two electric standing desks and three screens, and the chairs are high-quality ergonomic chairs. I initially set the height of the screens to the highest position, and then set the desk to two fixed heights for standing and sitting. The height of the chair also needs to be adjusted properly. Although I have an electric standing desk, I didn’t use it frequently before, maybe standing to work only once a day, and that was often just for ten minutes before sitting down again. Now, I try to stand while working more often, aiming for half an hour to an hour each time (recently my back pain has improved, so I have started standing less). At the same time, I avoid prolonged sitting; after sitting for an hour, I can move around, stretch, eat something, or go to the bathroom. Although I have a lot of adjustable desks at home, I set the height to the lowest. Last year, I also spent a lot of money on a Herman Miller Aeron Chair. I now feel that working eight hours a day in the office is already very long, so I shouldn’t sit in front of the computer for too long at home (keeping it within one or two hours), even if it’s doing housework or exercising.
Creating a Good Sleep Environment
I initially found the mattress in my place in San Diego uncomfortable, and after suffering from back pain for a month, I decided to buy a new mattress. I purchased the same mattress I had in Irvine because I always felt that my sleep quality in San Diego was poor, while it was much better in Irvine. There are several reasons for this. On one hand, the soundproofing in the San Diego place is very poor, with a lot of noise at night, and the curtains do not block out light well, making the room very bright when I can’t sleep at night. Additionally, I find the mattress uncomfortable. While I can’t improve the soundproofing conditions (which usually relates to the renovation, with the flooring and windows being the main issues), I can buy a new mattress. Recently, I also bought blackout curtains and installed the curtain rod myself. I realized that if I don’t sleep well the night before, my back pain is inevitably worse the next day. Besides the mattress, my pillow is also an ergonomic pillow from IKEA Rosenkaerm.
Exercise More
One common mistake when experiencing back pain is to lie in bed and do nothing. On the contrary, it’s important to stay active. Exercises that can help alleviate back pain include walking, running, aerobics, yoga, swimming, and more. When experiencing back pain, it’s essential to move and not remain still.
Don’t Overwork Yourself
If I do too much in a day and feel too tired, I often end up with back pain at night. Specifically, for example, if I kayak for 18 kilometers, I might experience back pain afterward. Or if I kayak on Saturday and hike on Sunday, I can be completely exhausted. Even after a full day of work, if I go to a museum, do grocery shopping, and pick someone up, I end up feeling worn out. In short, try not to overwork yourself, pay attention to rest, and this will also reduce the frequency of back pain. Exercising and resting are not contradictory.
Timeline of Back Pain
To summarize, here is the entire timeline of my back pain from onset to recovery. While flipping through my photo album, I realized that back in early February, my life was really busy, with frequent kayaking, hiking, visiting museums, and going to the zoo. I was busy on weekends and weekdays, and I had to change car mounts, etc., leaving little time to relax. I indeed packed my schedule too tightly; if I had reduced some activities, I might have recovered faster.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1/26/2022 | After kayaking on Wednesday night, I experienced a sudden, intense pain in my back while moving the kayak with a friend, lasting for several seconds. |
| 2/2/2022 | I struggled to lift my new kayak rack, which was particularly high, and may have injured my back. |
| 2/4/2022 | Driving from SD to Irvine for two hours, I felt like a zombie; my back and legs ached, and every minute was torture. |
| 2/8/2022 | Driving from Irvine to SD for just over an hour, my back and legs hurt; the pain started 20 minutes after departure, and every second was torment. |
| 2/9/2022 | I called UCSD health for an appointment but ultimately decided to wait another week. |
| 2/9/2022 | I experienced severe back pain at work but still went kayaking (since I had already prepared my gear); the pain was intense while kayaking. |
| 2/11/2022 | I bought a yoga mat, planning to do yoga before bed from then on. |
| 2/15/2022 | I called the hospital again and scheduled a walk-in care appointment at UCI Health for the next day. |
| 2/16/2022 | I visited UCI Health, had an X-ray taken, and the doctor prescribed painkillers and arthritis medication. |
| 2/17/2022 | I had a blood test on an empty stomach, drawing five vials. |
| 2/23/2022 | The doctor diagnosed me; both the X-ray and blood test results were normal, except for a vitamin D deficiency. |
| 2/25/2022 | I purchased “Back Pain Relief Guide” by Dingxiang Mama and started doing back stretches daily. |
| 3/1/2022 | After work, I lay in bed with back pain; I had done the “Back Pain Relief Guide” for five consecutive days but saw no improvement. |
| 3/3/2022 | I woke up in the middle of the night, unable to sleep due to back pain. |
| 3/8/2022 | I received an exorbitant bill from the hospital, and my back pain began to improve. |
| 3/11/2022 | I got a new mattress, which I currently feel is more comfortable than the previous one. |
| 4/3/2022 | Before writing this blog post, my back pain had returned to the level it was at before February and was no longer a major concern in my life. |
| 4/4/2022 | My back pain returned to the level it was in February, especially painful while driving, but my legs weren’t as sore. This might be because I moved the kayak yesterday. |
| 4/5/2022 | Another day of persistent back pain; I felt a dull ache at work, it was noticeably painful while driving, and I still had back pain at home. I hope to recover soon and may need to continue seeking medical help… |
While writing this blog post (over the course of about 7 or 8 hours), I followed Fitness Blender’s video to do stretching twice, did a warm-up before running, and ran 5 km.
