Ive been coughing my head off for the past 2 weeks , and it was making my back hurt on the lower left side. Today I as soon as I sat up in bed I started coughing , and "POP" there goes a muscle in my back. The pain is so bad I dont even want to move. I went to the emergency room , waited for 3 hours before I was seen. Then the doctor just said I ripped a muscle , and I should be fine to go to work in 2 days. Im starting to think he's full of sh!t there is no way this pain is going away in 2 days. Its probably because when I checked in they asked what my religion was "why do they need to know anyway?" and I told them none. He gave me these vicodins that are doing nothing at all for the pain. Oh yeah the doctor also made some stupid comment about the tatoo on my arm like its wrong to have a tatoo or something. I wonder if I could sue for malpractice if it gets worse because he clearly said I would be fine to work in 2 days.

It is probably a muscle pull not a tear or rip, rips and tears are rare and usually occur with allot more stress placed on the muscle. That being said the pain should get better every day for a week or so then it will level off. It will take along time to heal all of the way and it will prone to setbacks if your not carefull. Even a month from now when it seems like it's been over for awhile it can pop right up again. Ice in the begining will help and then heat later.

About 4 months ago, my brother bent down to pick up a tool box, and pulled his bicep completely off the bone.
He said there wasn't much pain, but he almost passed out and was staggering around like he was drunk, and couldn't focus his mind. His buddy helped him in the car and drove him to the hospital.
Surgery, in a cast for 7 weeks, 3 weeks of therapy, and he was able to go back to work.