Why Scan Results Don’t Tell the Whole Story About Your Pain

If you’ve ever had an X-ray, MRI, or CT scan that showed “degenerative changes,” “disc bulges,” or “joint wear and tear,” you might have assumed that these findings are the cause of your pain. But here’s something surprising—many people with similar scan results have no pain at all. In fact, research has consistently shown that what’s seen on a scan doesn’t always match how a person feels.

Scans Show Structure,

Not Pain!

Medical imaging is a valuable tool for ruling out serious conditions, but it often falls short when it comes to explaining pain. A study published in The Spine Journal (Brinjikji et al., 2015) analyzed MRI findings in 3,110 asymptomatic individuals—meaning people with no back pain—and found that:

• 30% of 20-year-olds had disc degeneration

• 50% of 40-year-olds had disc bulges

• 80% of 50-year-olds showed signs of disc degeneration

• By age 60, 88% had disc degeneration

Yet, these individuals had no symptoms. This means that age-related changes in the spine are completely normal—much like getting wrinkles or grey hair.

Pain Often Appears Long After Structural Changes Begin!

Another key point is that degenerative changes happen very slowly—over years or even decades. If you’ve recently started experiencing pain, chances are the changes seen on your scan were there long before you ever felt discomfort. So why does the pain suddenly appear?

Pain is complex and influenced by more than just structure. Factors like:

✔️ Stress and anxiety

✔️ Poor sleep

✔️ Sedentary lifestyle or sudden overuse

✔️ Nervous system sensitivity ..can all play a role in pain levels. This is why two people with identical scan results can have completely different experiences—one might be in pain while the other feels nothing at all.

What This Means for You

If your scan shows wear and tear, don’t panic! Your body is adaptable, and pain is not always a direct result of what’s on the scan. Instead of focusing solely on imaging, a better approach is to look at movement, strength, and lifestyle factors.

As a Myotherapist, my goal is to help you:✅ Improve mobility and function✅ Reduce muscle tension and sensitivity✅ Strengthen and support the affected area✅ Build confidence in movement

Scans can provide useful information, but they are just one piece of the puzzle. Pain is not just about structure—it’s about how your brain and body respond to different stressors. The good news? You are not broken, and your body is capable of healing and adapting!

If you’ve been worried about your scan results get in touch to discuss! Together, we can find a way to get you moving, feeling better, and back to doing what you love—without fear!