What is mechanical stress?
Mechanical back pain, also called acute mechanical back pain, is an acute pain that has been present in your back or neck for less than 4 to 6 weeks. Mechanical, meaning the source of the pain being in your spinal joints, discs, vertebrae, or soft tissues, may also be referred to as acute low back pain, lumbar syndrome or lumbosacral strain or sprain.
What causes mechanical stress?
It can sometimes be hard to determine what the exact cause of your mechanical back pain is. In fact, an exact cause is only identified about 20% of the time. For some patients, they can identify the specific accident or hard activity that triggered the pain they are feeling, others cannot. Fortunately, many of these patients find pain relief in a short amount of time with simple treatment.
What are symptoms of mechanical stress?
The primary symptom for mechanical back pain is pain in their neck or back, primarily their lower back. This pain may spread from the back down to the buttocks and legs. Some patients also experience spasms that accompany their back pain. Symptoms tend to flare up when performing a heavy-duty task or activity.
How is mechanical stress diagnosed and treated?
Your provider will perform a physical examination and review your medical history. They will also inquire about your pain symptoms, like how long it has lasted, severity, activities that make it worse, and treatments you have tried. Additional tests are typically not needed, however if you experience signs of infection, malignancy, or a pinched nerve, they may be necessary. This will help to create a personalized treatment plan to relieve your pain.
Typically, non-surgical treatments combined with rest and over the counter pain medication is the go-to treatment for patients experiencing acute mechanical back pain. Your provider may recommend any of the following:
- Resting – short-term bed rest may be recommended, especially if you have severe back pain and muscle spasms. It is not recommended to be on bed rest for more than 48 hours to prevent blood clots and joint stiffness.
- Physical activity – your provider may recommend light physical activity to promote rapid recovery from mechanical back pain.
- Ice and heat – can help to relax the muscles of the lower back and decrease muscle inflammation. Ice and/or heat should only be applied 2 to 3 times per day.
- Medications – if you experience muscle spasms, a muscle relaxant may be prescribed by your provider. Anti-inflammatory medications may also be used to reduce pain.
- Physical therapy – in some cases, your provider may recommend physical therapy to teach exercises that promote rapid healing.
Most patients with acute mechanical back pain respond well to non-surgical treatments and are back to normal activities within 1 to 2 weeks. If your work requires heavy lifting or mechanical stress, your provider may be able to give you a prescription for modified work duty.