Why does my back hurt?

Try alternating between heat and cold–that can really help alleviate pain in muscular problems of the lower back. Excessive rest can also cause further worsening of pain–so take it easy but don’t do complete bed rest. OTC NSAIDs will also help, Ibuprofen, Advil, Acetaminophen, etc., but you should always contact your doctor to ensure if it would be safe to take any OTC medication. If the pain continues with no relief over the next several days I would recommend seeing your primary care physician who can better assess you–and of course, seek medical treatment if your problem worsens or you have additional questions. Best of luck! -S

You should really stretch your back. Yoga is a REALLY, REALLY great, low impact way to stretch those tight (and probably underutilized) muscles. I do this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7drLSbrHft0 almost every day when I wake up and it gives me more energy throughout the day than 16 floz. of coffee and 7 hours of sleep combined. I don’t know what your exercise habits are like but unless it’s because you strained yourself from working out, it’s probably from not moving enough. Just try to maintain some flexibility, 5 minutes a day is definitely worth a pain-free back!