A Bug's Life

We (docs, chiros, massage etc) do seem to be coming up with a fairly consistent model for what goes on.

Joint in lower back are unstable. (Root cause, but rather vague)
When joints are disturbed or damaged, they get painful and inflamed while they heal. (This hurts. I take ibuprofen.)
While joints are painful, buttocks helpfully seize up to protect the area. (Chiro says "My god, your buttocks are tight." Ten days earlier, I'd had a jolly good massage to sort them out.)
This also maybe crushes the joints a bit, reducing their range of motion. (Hurts more, sharp pains, can't walk)
Then the other bits of the spine start to get hypermobile to compensate for the stiff bits, and they're more likely to hurt...

Treatment plan: rest, stretch, core strengthening, remain active. (Core is already strong. "Lie on your back, and slowly raise both legs together - oh, I didn't think you'd be able to do that!")
Best way to avoid it happening in the future: Don't do things that put my back out. Take walk-around breaks from the computer every 15 minutes.
Line that made me cry: "That just leaves lifestyle changes, and as this has been getting worse since you started that job ..."

I think I'll keep quiet now on the subject of Back. I know I'm not the only person here with problems, and they're not the worst by any means. I thought I'd say a bit though, in case people were thinking "I've not seen Bridget around much, she must be off doing fun stuff somewhere" when really I'm not. I should be more proactive about inviting people over though, if I'm not going to get out much.

EDIT: I shall make this a FAQ. Do you have any questions?
This has been happening on and off for 15 years.
Yes, I have tried different mattresses. Firm is good, but the condition remains.
Is it my discs? We think not. X-rays show no disc problems, the MRI showed a bit of wear and tear in one. It's certainly not a slipped disc.
Do you get sciatica? No - hurrah!