If you get the Ak get it from Bulgarian Arsenal. Real nice gun, somewhat cheap to shot. 1,000 rounds for 70 bucks. BUt .22 is cheap of step to the .22-250 man. No one sensibly shoots .30-06 for target like some people are saying.
I had the same thing. Hurt for 8 months, finally went in, turns out i had a partially slipped disk and a compressed and twisted spinal cord. Get it checked if stays.