Have you ever been shocked by the results of a lower back MRI? Have you begun to believe that you may have to live with your back pain for the rest of your life? The reality is that, in most cases, your scan looks very similar to that of someone without pain, and your back pain is treatable with physiotherapy and exercise. A recent study compared the imaging results of over 3000 individuals who had NO low back pain and it found (1):
- Disc degeneration in 37% of 20-year-olds, in 80% of 50-year-olds, and in 96% of
80-year-olds - Disc bulges in 30% of 20-year-olds, in 60% of 50-year-olds, and in 84% of
80-year-olds - Facet (joint) degeneration in 4% of 20-year-olds, 32% of 50-year-olds, and in 83% of
80-year-olds
This study shows that for a lot of people, disc degeneration, disc bulges and facet degeneration are visible in imaging, yet they suffer no pain or symptoms. Another earlier study found that the results shown on MRI did not correspond to the intensity of their lower back pain (2).
For example, patients who were experiencing very high levels of back pain may or may not have had visible problems on their MRI and patients who had very little pain may have had severe spinal changes.
So, what does all this mean?
Essentially, just like our skin ages and wrinkles, so do the joints and bones in our bodies. The degeneration shown on your scans are a normal part of aging, and just because you have scary sounding words on your MRI or CT scan results, does not mean you will be stuck with your pain forever.
If you are experiencing lower back pain and are concerned about your scan results, book in to see one of our physiotherapists who can explain what they mean and what you can do to improve your back pain.
References
- Brinjikji W, Luetmer PH, Comstock B, Bresnahan BW, Chen LE, Deyo RA, et al.
Systematic literature review of imaging features of spinal degeneration in
asymptomatic populations. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2015;36:811–6. - Berg L, Hellum C, Gjertsen O, et al. Do more MRI findings imply worse disability or
more intense low back pain? A cross-sectional study of candidates for lumbar disc
prosthesis. Skeletal Radiol. 2013;42:1593–602.
