Damage to the dorsal root is not always something you would 'feel' like a back injury. I have damage to the dorsal root confirmed by a new MRI that specifically looked at the DRG and it was bilaterally enlarged and had increased signal...both consistent with ganglionitis. In my case it is from Sjogren's, in which autoantibodies have attacked the DRG causing PN (pain, sensory loss, allodynia, and loss of proprioception). It's not like I have a back ache...the damage is internal.