^ what he said

Yeah, but never for back problems (I've never had back problems before). Maybe I'll see if I can get into one today.

Disclaimer first: I'm not a doctor, nor do I have any qualifications that would entitle me to tinker with your back. The best (!) I've got is a lot of experience with my back.

First, put the stage race out of your mind. If you can do it, fine, but I would guess that it's a no show for you.

Second: where exactly is the pain? Lumbar area, left or right side? Do you have sciatic pain (ie nerve jangles) down either or both legs? Are you shifted (stand in front of a mirror - are your hips a inch to the left or right of where they should be, making you look crooked?) or do your hips look tilted up at the back and down at the front? If you walk around, does it hurt to swing one or other leg forward during your stride? Does that paid loosen with time or remain constant?

The two problems I have had are bulging discs and a displaced pelvis. The former generally gives me lumbar and sciatic pain on one side, shifting, and a pain moving one leg when walking that loosens over time and stiffens with rest. I have found that this is basically softt tissue damage that sorts itself out slowly over about ten days. The latter gives lumbar pain on one side but sciatic pain that moves from one leg to the other, hips tilted up at the back and to one side, and no loosening up with movement. This (IMO) is caused a weakened sciatic ligament that destablises the joint between the pelvis and the spine, resulting in the pelvis riding up at the back on one side and "jamming" on the spine, out of its usual place. Because this is mechanical, it can be treated with manipulation, but (a) the tissue around the damage is swollen and tight, trying to stabilise it but making manipulation more difficult; and (b) if you can manipulate it back to a stable position, the soft tissue is weakened and a fresh displacement is easy to do.

If it sounds like the first problem, rest up. If the second, get to see someone. One thing I have learnt is that the best treatment to apply is an ice pack and some anti-inflammatory drugs. Heat's OK to loosen it up before movement, but you want to reduce inflammation the rest of the time, and that means cold.

HTH.

The sensation is simply a dull pain in my lumbar area. No nerve pain or anything else out-of-the-ordinary. It feels like any other back ache (I get them from time-to-time from lifting weights or working in the yard - just feels like a simple strain). This just feels much worse and it's not going away quickly (as they always have in the past).

Can't help, I'm afraid - outside my area! Go see someone, sooner rather than later, though.

Do you have any motrin or celebrex? I find that hurries the healing of a back strain.

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I'll be what I am
A solitary man

Took 600 mg. of Ibuprofin. Doesn't seem to touch it.

I manage to destroy my back at least a couple times a year - usually doing something stupid that I know I shouldn't have been doing. I've also been through the whole disc thing - with a very successful surgery. Based on my back experience - if the pain is in my low back, its muscular and will heal although at first it doesn't seem like it will. Usually my hips will be way off when this happens as well. My entire body will be curved. I found a truly amazing chiropractor that helps immensely. I usually hobble into his office hunched over and curved to one side and walk out almost normally - with easy to moderate riding in a day or two.

Not all chiro will lecture you, but unfortunately it's fairly common. Talk to friends/relatives to find out someone who doesn't do that crap.

Also, the advice regarding ice instead of heat is accurate.

You should have iced it ASAP, rather than a heating pad..... The heating increased the inflammation and made it worse. Wait about 4-5 days before heat is applied..