What, other than the reality of pain makes back pain so bad?

For me it’s the persistence of it. This is why whenever there is a topic that I cannot get away from I call it “back pain.” This doesn’t mean that there is real pain, just that there is real persistence in a reminder.

Like back pain you have two ways to manage a persistent thing.

1. Mask it. Through intoxicants (this includes medication), work, or denial.
2. Address it. Through exercise, therapy, or meditation.

Regardless of what you choose you have to make a choice because that “back pain” may never go away and if you don’t have a way to address it you will only be controlled more by it.