Why can't doctors find a cause for my pain on tests or X-rays?

Why can't a scan always find the cause?

Because most common pain doesn't come from a single structure that shows up on imaging — it's often called 'non-specific' pain.

For the large majority of low back pain — around 90% — no specific pathology can be pinpointed, and it's labelled non-specific. Pain often arises from a mix of muscles, joints, sensitivity and other factors that a scan simply isn't designed to capture.

Why do pain-free people have 'abnormal' scans?

Because changes like disc bulges and degeneration are extremely common with age — even in people with no pain at all.

A landmark study found many people without any back pain had disc bulges or protrusions on MRI. So when these appear in someone who does have pain, they may be coincidental rather than the cause. X-rays commonly show age-related changes in people who feel perfectly fine, which is why such findings often aren't helpful.

So why do I still hurt?

Your pain is real — it often reflects how sensitised your nervous system is, rather than visible structural damage.

Pain can be produced and amplified by the nervous system without an obvious structural cause. This doesn't make it any less real; it just means the explanation lies in how pain is processed, not in something a scan can photograph.

The Postura approach

At Postura Wellness, care for your pain is built around OrthoRestore™ — our signature method that combines chiropractic and physiotherapy into one coordinated plan. Depending on your assessment, it can bring together chiropractic adjustments, dry needling, muscle manipulation, Active Release Technique, and targeted exercises, supported where helpful by technology such as shockwave therapy and bioelectric therapy. The aim is to relieve symptoms while addressing the underlying causes, with a plan tailored to you.

When is imaging actually needed?

Imaging is valuable when there are 'red flags' or when the result would genuinely change treatment — not as a routine first step.

Scans are important if there are warning signs such as significant trauma, suspected fracture, infection, cancer, or progressive neurological symptoms. In those situations imaging can be crucial. For uncomplicated pain, though, unnecessary scans can lead to incidental findings, worry and even unnecessary treatment.

When imaging and urgent review are warranted

Tell a clinician promptly about pain after a serious injury, unexplained weight loss, fever, a history of cancer, or progressive numbness or weakness. Seek urgent care for loss of bladder or bowel control or numbness around the groin.