This is one of the most common things I hear from patients.
You’ve had an X-ray, MRI, or CT scan. It came back “all clear.”
No major disc bulge, no fracture, no structural damage.
But your pain is still very real.
So what gives?
🧠 First, you must understand what scans are actually looking for
Scans are amazing for spotting:
- Fractures
- Tumours
- Infections
- Major disc injuries
- Structural changes (like arthritis or scoliosis)
But they don’t tell the full story.
They don’t show:
- How well your joints are moving
- Whether your muscles are overcompensating
- If your nervous system is hypersensitised
- Or how stress, posture, old injuries, or poor movement patterns are contributing
In other words: they show structure — not function.
And most chronic pain is rooted in function.
Pain without damage is still valid
Your body can hurt even when nothing is “broken.”
Here’s how that happens:
- Joints get stiff → the brain starts guarding
- Muscles tighten to protect the area
- Nerves become more sensitive
- Your movement gets restricted → more tension builds
- Over time, pain patterns lock in — even without visible injury
This doesn’t show up on a scan.
But it shows up in how you move, feel, and live. And that matters just as much.
So what now?
This is where we come in.
We don’t just look for what’s on the scan — we assess how your body is actually functioning:
- Are your joints moving well?
- Are your muscles doing the job they’re meant to?
- Are you compensating in ways you don’t even notice?
- Is your nervous system stuck in protection mode?
When we restore healthy movement, reduce tension, and help your system feel safe again, pain often eases — even when scans say everything’s “fine.”
A clear scan is a great sign — it means nothing is seriously damaged. But it doesn’t mean your pain isn’t real, or that nothing can be done. You just need someone who looks beyond the image. Let’s do that.
👉 If you’re still in pain after a “normal” scan and want to understand what your body might be trying to tell you, [Book a discovery call]
