Lumbosacral sprain is a diagnosis of exlusion:
- Lumbosacral sprain or mechanical back pain is a diagnosis of exclusion, made only after carefully ruling out serious causes of low back pain.
Management of lumbosacral sprain:
- Education This is a mechanical problem requiring a mechanical solution – and pain medications alone will not fix the problem. Patients need to play an active role in their recovery, and prolonged bed rest will worsen the problem.
- Reassurance 90% get better with time (over weeks)
- Symptom Management Evidence from the Cochrane collaboration supports heat, NSAIDs, acetaminophen, massage and physical therapy. Muscle relaxants may be as effective as NSAIDs, but they have significant side effects, especially in combination with opioids.