Modic Type I Changes and Your Spine’s Health

A Modic Type I change are early warning sign of inflammation in your spine. They appear on MRI scans and involve the bones and cartilage near your spinal discs. These changes often mean the area is irritated or unstable, and they’re commonly found in people with back pain, degenerative disc disease, or slipped discs.

Left unaddressed, Modic Type I changes can speed up disc damage and lead to spinal deformity. The good news? Many patients respond well to targeted, non-surgical care. At Chiropractic Specialty Center®, we combine chiropractic, physiotherapy, and advanced rehabilitation to help stabilize your spine, reduce inflammation, and restore function — without injections or surgery.

Key Takeaways on Modic Type I Changes

• Identification: Modic Type I changes are early indicators of spinal degeneration, detectable through specific MRI signals.
• Progression: These changes can lead to rapid disc degeneration and structural deformities if not addressed promptly.
• Management: Non-invasive care, encompassing chiropractic, physiotherapy, and rehabilitation, is crucial for managing and mitigating the impact of Modic Type I changes.

Contact Us for Comprehensive Spine Care

If you’re experiencing back issues or have been diagnosed with Modic Type I changes, our team at Chiropractic Specialty Center® is here to assist. We offer integrative non-invasive spine and joint care tailored to your needs. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and take the first step towards improved spinal health.

Modic Type I Changes & Its Link to Pinched Nerve Symptoms

Modic Type I changes, marked by inflammation and edema in the vertebral endplates, frequently occur adjacent to degenerated discs. Emerging evidence shows this inflammatory process can irritate nearby nerve roots, leading to symptoms such as sharp pain, tingling, or numbness in the back and legs—signs of a pinched nerve.

Clinical studies indicate that inflammation from Modic Type I lesions is a significant predictor of radicular pain (Jensen et al., 2008; Kjaer et al., 2015). Symptoms often worsen during standing or walking, with temporary relief when seated or leaning forward due to reduced load on the spine.

Our care begins with precise spinal decompression, posture correction, and targeted rehab to ease inflammatory pressure on the nerve roots, resulting from a pinched nerve. 

Modic Type I Changes In Patients With Degenerative Disc Disease & Slipped Disc (Herniated Or Protruding Spinal Discs)

Over the years, we have seen many patients presented with Modic Type I changes in their spine. Most had questions as to what it is and what it meant when it comes to recovery. Questions regarding the Modic changes are the reasons why we are writing about Modic Type I changes.

Our goal is to provide our patients with professional non-surgical spine and joint care. And as such, we believe that providing our patients with access to information about their illness or conditions can improve their recovery. Modic changes are common in slipped disc (herniated or protruded spinal disc) patients. We hope the information provided here is helpful.

What Are Modic Types Changes?

Changes in the vertebral subchondral bone marrow can be picked up by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Modic Type I are the end-plate changes (thin cartilaginous structures that attach the spinal disc to the spinal bone) and the bone marrow signals.

These changes have a strong relationship with degenerative disc disease and discomfort in the low back. Symptomatic back (back issues) sufferers and those with radicular discomfort or sciatica-like sensations may have Modic changes in the spine.

The younger general population with no history of a lower back condition has a much lower percentage of presenting with Modic changes. Modic Type I changes are more likely associated with the symptomatic back or neck.

Before we get started, it might be helpful to relate three different types of Modic changes. Type I, II, and III. The type I Modic changes represent an acute inflammatory process, often seen in patients with degenerative disc disease.

Contrary to the common belief, a degenerated disc is an unhealthy disc that predisposes one to more sinister forms of spinal disc disorder. Degenerative disc disease can be discomforting as degeneration; the spinal disc may tear or worse, slip (bulge, herniate, protrude, or prolapse), leading to discomfort.

What Are The MRI Findings In Modic Changes?

Modic Type I changes are shown as decreased signal intensity on T1-weighted MRI images. Also, it will have an increased intensity on T2-weighted MRI images. Type I Modic changes result from inflammatory processes in the subchondral (bone attachment points to end-plate and spinal discs).

Modic type changes cause fissures in the vertebral endplates. The vertebral end-plate is a thin cartilaginous structure that attaches the spinal disc to the subchondral bone (vertebrae or spinal bone).

Tears of the vertebral end-plate have been thoroughly studied and confirmed through histological examination of Modic changes.

Modic Type I changes are inflammatory disorders that can progress quite rapidly. They deform the intervertebral disc and adjacent vertebral bodies. These changes are found in the anterior third of the middle lumbar spine’s superior endplates in people with no lower back discomfort.

However, these changes can be found in both the superior and inferior endplates and are distributed more evenly and more significantly in people with symptomatic lower back conditions.

What Is The Common Site For A Modic Spine Change?

The Modic Type I changes are more commonly noted in the lower segments of the lumbar spine in lower back discomfort and those with sciatica. Modic changes lead to poor outcomes in patients with low back discomfort, as there is a persistent acute inflammatory process.

It is proposed that degenerative disc disease without Modic Type I changes will progress much more slowly. As Type I Modic changes progress into Type II Modic changes, there is a decrease in the intensity of low back discomfort and other radicular symptoms.

What Is A Great Care Method for Modic Spine Changes?

In our centers, we pay particular attention to the Modic changes. Modic Type I, Modic Type II, and Modic Type III will impact the kind of care you receive and the frequency and length of care. Unlike others, our research-based system of care can increase your chances of recovery without surgery.

Our research-based clinical teams of chiropractors and physiotherapists have the skills, knowledge, and technology to care for even the most challenging spine disorder. Patients who have Modic Type I, II, or III changes will certainly require diagnosis-based care that targets the entire joint complex (muscles, ligaments, spinal discs, spinal endplate, and spinal bones).

In other words, for a patient to recover, the care they receive must be comprehensive. When it comes to any Modic changes, the importance of holistic care is paramount.

A great and comprehensive (holistic) means of caring for patients with Modic changes is through NSD Therapy® protocols. NSD Therapy® is a multifaceted method of integrative care offered by our clinical teams of physiotherapists and CSC chiropractors in Malaysia.

The most critical component of NSD Therapy® (A great spinal decompression therapy system) is rendered through the RxDecom®.

RxDecom® is the most modern method of spinal decompression therapy. The goals of care through the RxDecom® and NSD Therapy® methods are to increase blood flow to the damaged and malfunctioning spinal discs, vertebral end-plates, and soft tissues surrounding spinal joints.

Visit one of our centers to discover the benefits of targeted, comprehensive care backed by state-of-the-art technology.

Serving Nearby Communities for Modic Type I Spine Support

• Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI): TTDI residents can access gentle spine and physiotherapy care tailored to Modic Type I inflammation, focusing on reducing edema and easing nerve-root pressure with non-invasive techniques.
• Bangsar & Bangsar South: We offer evidence-informed care for residents in these areas, combining precise spinal alignment and rehab exercises to support vertebral-endplate health and reduce nerve irritation.
• Mont Kiara: In Mont Kiara, our team uses spinal decompression and inflammation-aware protocols to ease Modic-related disc pressure and restore nerve space while enhancing core stability.
• Sri Hartamas: Clients in Sri Hartamas benefit from posture correction, decompression, and muscle activation routines designed to reduce Modic-associated inflammation and support spinal canal clearance.
• Mid Valley & KL Eco City: For residents in these neighborhoods, our care integrates spinal decompression, muscle balance, and lifestyle advice to help manage Modic I changes and ease associated symptoms.
• Solaris Mont Kiara & Publika: Near Solaris and Publika, we provide structured, inflammation-focused spine care to address Modic Type I issues, emphasizing gentle decompression and nerve-friendly rehabilitative exercises.

Care at Our Main Centers in Greater Kuala Lumpur

1. Bukit Damansara – Kuala Lumpur: Here, we deliver specialized care for Modic Type I changes using precise decompression, posture correction, and rehab strategies to support vertebral-endplate health and nerve spacing.
2. Sri Petaling & Bukit Jalil – Kuala Lumpur: Our clinic provides tailored management of Modic I inflammation using evidence-based spinal and physiotherapy care aimed at reducing nerve-root irritation.
3. Bandar Sri Damansara – Serving Northwest KL: We offer a combined approach to Modic I support—non-force spinal adjustments and rehab exercises designed to relieve endplate edema and ease nerve stress.
4. Petaling Jaya – PJ Spine & Disc Center: In PJ, our center delivers structured spine care for Modic Type I changes, with advanced decompression techniques and rehab plans targeting inflammation and nerve symptoms.
5. Shah Alam (Setia Alam & Kota Kemuning): Our Shah Alam location uses evidence-based protocols to manage Modic I lesions, focusing on spinal alignment, decompression, and core support to prevent nerve compression.
6. Bangi: In Bangi, we offer non-invasive support for Modic Type I issues—employing decompression, posture correction, and guided rehab to ease vertebral inflammation and nerve impact.