I usually am never pain free. But I also have major flares that last from a few days to a couple of weeks. After the spasms break, I have residual pain that continues in the areas of the spasms. My pain is 98 percent on the left side. Usually in my arm and shoulder. After sitting in a car or upright for any length of time my lower back spasms and goes down my leg and into my foot. If I'm lucky the lower back stuff goes away for a while and it's just in my left arm and shoulder. This is when my left shoulder raises higher than my right. When I'm totally blown away by pain, it is in my entire left side and in my right arm pit area. At other times the pain is in my neck, boths sides (of neck), migraines and right teeth. Isn't that something? I freaked out about the teeth thing but I have had root canals in that area and know that the teeth have no real reason to hurt. If I push a certain spot on the side of my head, the teeth spaz out so it's got to be a muscle spasm. Then there are the times when my trigger points in my collar bone area burn and ache. When I ever actually ever get pain free, it's just a totally bizarre feeling. I'm sitting or doing something and I realize that I don't hurt, anywhere. I'm afraid to move or do something that will ruin that feeling. If it lasts for a day or so, I get so hopeful that I'm done. I got that way more in the beginning than now. Now I know to enjoy it while it lasts because I know it won't last. So there are all the gory details. As for how it happened, car accident.