Extreme Left Lower Back pain

I quite frequently suffer from mild lower back pain but not to this extreme.  The other evening I was just walking in my living room when all of a sudden I got like a bolt of exrutiating pin shoot through my left lower back, which threw me to the floor.  It felt like it had locked up and eventually I was able to move.  The pain continued and I was unable to straighten up.  I tried laying on the floor but it made it feel even worse and every time I tried to move I would again get this bolt of pain and get the feeling that my back had locked up, once I would relax the pain would ease and the locking feeling would ease.  The pain is agonising all the time and I have taken many forms of pain relief which only takes the edge off.  Does anyone know if it is just a pulled muscle or if I have slipped something? Any advise would be appreciated?

[Adam Tanase, D.C.]

A simple pulled muscle is unlikely. Pain of that nature is likely coming from irritation of the nerve root itself. Possibly a herniation, or the beginning of one - or it may just be the sciatic nerve.

I'd recommend finding a chiropractor in your area to examine you. An MRI may be needed to accurately pinpoint the problem.

Warm wishes,
AT