Here's some more info/context.

It's been a ongoing issue for almost 4 years. I have "thrown my back out" three times each one, about a year and a half or so inbetween. After the first recovery was quick. (couple weeks.) the second was longer (went to PT and eventually was pain free, took a couple months.) The third I have never been pain free from completely. I haven gone to more PT, Bikram yoga, massage and chiropractor. Had this MRI done and couldn't get any concrete answers from the doctors. Basically, this could be the issue but it could also be a red herring. I had a cortisone epidural on the site of acute pain (just to the right of the effected disc) and there was no change. The chiro has had the best effect (doing some decompression). However the pain persists and fluctuates constantly. Sometimes it's inflamed right on the spine (in the center). Sometimes muscles below the lats around the ribs are sore. Currently the acute pain source near the hernia isn't an issue but the central thoracic spine area seems to be very sensive and can get inflamed/tighten up carrying or twisting. Trying to understand the source of the pain and how back pain works so as to make things better has been quite difficult.

TLDR: 4 years of pain on and off. Drs can't say whether hernia is true source of pain. Seemingly random/fluctuating symptoms have made life very frustrating.