Pain Is Real—Even When No Damage Is Found

If you’ve ever been told “Your scan looks normal,” or “We can’t find anything wrong,” it can feel confusing—even invalidating. But here’s what pain science tells us: pain can be very real, even when no physical damage shows up.

That’s because pain doesn’t come from tissues alone. It comes from the nervous system’s interpretation of threat. And sometimes, that threat has more to do with your brain’s protective instincts than with a specific injury.

In fact, studies have shown that people without pain can have disc bulges, rotator cuff tears, and other “abnormal” findings on imaging (Brinjikji et al., 2015). So the absence of damage doesn’t mean the pain is fake—it means the system is more complex than we were taught.

Your pain is not imagined. It’s not exaggerated. And it’s not something you just need to “tough out.”

It’s your body signaling that something needs care—whether that’s in your movement, your mindset, your stress level, or your story.

Pain is real. Your experience is valid. And healing is still possible.

Reference:

Brinjikji W, et al. (2015). Systematic literature review of imaging features of spinal degeneration in asymptomatic populations. AJNR American Journal of Neuroradiology.