19 May Been told that you have a disc bulge that’s causing your low back pain 

Been told that you have a disc bulge that’s causing your low back pain
Concerned that your Lower Back MRI shows degenerative changes which means that you will need Back surgery

If you answered yes to the above statements then you are not alone. People with low back pain are often told that the herniated discs or degenerative changes shown in their Lower Back MRI are the cause of their low back pain. Many of them will then start to consider surgery as a solution otherwise they expect to live with low back pain for the rest of their lives without hope of recovery. 

This is untrue and many studies have shown that MRI results showing different types of structural abnormalities in the spine are poor predictors of pain. In a 1994 study looking at ‘MRI of the lumbar spine in people without back pain’, MRI’s were performed on people who did not have back pain. 52% of the people had at least one bulging disc or other MRI abnormality for which surgery is sometimes recommended. The study concludes that “the discovery by MRI of bulges or protrusions in people with low back pain may frequently be coincidental.” In a similar 1990 study, MRIs on individuals who had never suffered from low back pain revealed that one third had a substantial spinal abnormality and 20% under the age of 60 had a herniated disc.

These results are not saying that herniated discs or other structural abnormalities cannot cause pain. They may however the fact is a large percentage people have bulging discs and no low back pain symptoms. If you look close enough at any joint in the body, you will find something wrong with it especially as we age and the body wears and tears. The TAKE HOME MESSAGE is that MRI findings should be taken as part of the picture of your lower back, it is important to have the muscles and soft tissues in your lower back assessed as well when determining the cause of your low back pain.

Physiotherapy can help with your low back pain, so if you have low back pain and want to get the full picture of your low back pain to achieve pain free living, ring My Favourite Physio today on (02) 9790 4233 and speak to one of our expert physiotherapists today!