I am a 46 year old female in good conidtion. Five days ago, I took a fall from a patio to the steps beneath it...I would say about 2-3 feet. I landed on my left flank. Above my panty line but underneath my ribs. The pain was immediate, but I was able to get up. (I fractured my back about 14 years ago and the pain was not the same) I did not land on my back. It was a painful night, and I did not ice. I have been able to work this week, and the pain is getting better, but I am bruised on my left lower back and swollen around my waist. I was using a heating pad to aleve the pain, but was told that that wasn't a good thing to do. I finally started icing yesterday and the swelling is going down slowly. The pain is nothing like it was. It hurts when I twist a certain way but i am okay when I walk or sit unless it is a soft surface. I am voiding and urinating fine. Obviously I haven't been to see a doctor. Is there anything I should be looking for or concerned about at this point? Is there anything that I can do to speed along healing? The first few days I took Naprosyn and it helped with pain and have been taking a low dose aspirin also. Today I switched to Ibruprofen.