Is it true that most people have positive findings on MRI of the low back but don’t ever have any symptoms?

Many structural changes are seen on MRIs of the lumbar spine. In fact, they are so common in people who have no symptoms that when changes are seen they aren’t automatically blamed for painful symptoms.

No one is sure exactly how to explain these differences. It appears to be more than just a simple matter of pain threshold. It’s likely that many variables are at play here. General health, job satisfaction, and age may make a difference in the presence and intensity of back pain — regardless of the X-ray or MRI findings.