10/30/2025
I have a lot of clients who come to me explaining their MRI results — bulging discs, arthritis, stenosis — and they’ve basically accepted there’s no changing their pain.
But here’s the thing: an MRI is just a picture. It’s a diagnostic tool, not a life sentence.
You can have an MRI that looks awful and feel totally fine.
You can also have a “perfect” MRI and still be in pain every single day.
Pain isn’t always about what we see on an image — it’s about how your body and nervous system are responding, how your muscles and fascia are working together, and even your stress, posture, and sleep.
Massage can help bridge that gap.
By improving circulation, reducing muscle tension, calming the nervous system, and restoring better movement patterns, we can often reduce pain even when the MRI says otherwise.
For example — people with thoracic outlet syndrome (that numb, tingly, heavy feeling down the arm or into the hand) often find relief through focused work around the neck, pecs, and shoulders. These areas can compress nerves even without any major “damage” showing on a scan.
So if you’ve been told your pain is “just how it is,” don’t lose hope.
You’re not your MRI.
