Pain Doesn’t Always Mean Damage: Understanding Modern Pain Science

If you’ve ever been told “your scan looks fine” but you’re still in pain—or you’ve had pain for weeks or months with no clear injury—you’re not alone. And you’re not imagining it.

One of the most important things we explain to our patients is this:

Pain doesn’t always mean damage.

In fact, pain is more complex than we’ve traditionally believed. And understanding that can actually help you recover faster.

So… What Is Pain, Then?

Pain is your body’s alarm system. It’s designed to protect you—to get you to slow down, rest, or avoid danger.

But like any alarm system, it’s not perfect. Sometimes it goes off when there’s no real threat.

Think of it like this:
If you burn your hand, it hurts—that’s a helpful alarm.
But sometimes, even after the burn has healed, the pain sticks around. Or maybe you didn’t injure yourself at all, but your back starts hurting out of nowhere.

Why?

Because pain is processed by your brain, and your brain takes everything into account—your past injuries, your stress levels, your sleep, your emotions, and even your beliefs about what pain means.

Pain Is Real—Even When There’s No Injury

It’s important to say this clearly:
If you’re in pain, it’s real. Full stop.

But in many cases, there’s no ongoing tissue damage. The nervous system just becomes more sensitive over time—like a volume knob being turned up.

That’s why things that “shouldn’t” hurt (like sitting, bending, or walking) can feel painful when the system is on high alert.

This is called central sensitisation, and it’s a big part of chronic or persistent pain.

Why This Matters for Your Recovery

If you think pain always means damage, it’s easy to fall into the trap of fear and avoidance:
“I’d better stop moving altogether.”
“I’ll make it worse if I exercise.”
“This must mean something’s broken.”

But often, gentle movement and the right guidance is exactly what your body needs to dial things down and start feeling better.

That’s where we come in.

How Physios Help with Persistent or “Weird” Pain

At our clinic, we help people understand their pain—not just treat it. We’ll look at:

• What’s going on physically (yes, we still assess movement and mechanics!)

• How your nervous system is responding

• Other contributing factors like stress, sleep, and lifestyle

• How we can safely get you moving again, without flaring things up

We’ll never dismiss your pain—but we’ll help you see it in a new light.

The Takeaway

Pain is complex, personal, and influenced by more than just muscles and bones.
But the good news is: your body is adaptable, and pain can change.

Even if you’ve been told “you’ll just have to live with it,” there’s hope.
You’re not broken—and we’re here to help you move forward.

Still not sure what’s going on with your pain? Book in with one of our senior physios and let’s figure it out together.