So often we hear “Well, that’s normal” or “That’s common for your age” when we talk to our friends or doctors about a specific issue and while that may be true, normal doesn’t always equal healthy. It’s “common” for kids to have ear infections, but that doesn’t mean it’s normal. It’s “common” for kids to have constipation, but it’s not normal. In our society things like autoimmune issues, fibromyalgia, eczema, headaches, mental illness and insomnia are common and often considered normal, but ARE they? Although we may assume that common and normal are the same, they are not. We live in a society that is seeing a growing trend of claiming that chronic, preventable issues are "normal” just because they are common.
These are all symptoms of underlying issues. It’s the body’s “Check engine light” saying “HEY! SOMETHING IS WRONG! PAY ATTENTION TO ME!” Instead, we brush it off as “normal” and ignore that light and warning. We've slapped a label on the condition as a further way to normalize it and will give you medications to try to help you control it. We basically slap a bandaid on it and call it good. Does giving a person a blood pressure medication to lower the blood pressure in their body suddenly make them healthy because the numbers have changed? Not really. The issue is still there...we've just covered up the check engine light. There is still an issue happening.
The word common means that something occurs often or is prevalent. The word normal is a bit harder to define, because its meaning differs based on different contexts. For instance, telling a child in school that they are “normal”, may make them feel subpar. A high school athlete may feel inadequate because of their normalcy. Being a normal weight as a high school girl might make her feel like she's too big and needs to shed a few pounds but telling an adult the same makes most of us feel content and like we are ok. Normal tends to be guided by societal rules. What the majority sees or feels or believes, makes it normal. So when we look at health, we find that normal is often defined by the medical profession. I see x-rays quite often where the radiologist has said that it’s a normal x-ray but when I look at it with different perspective and looking for different things, I see a neck that is lacking the curvature it should have and maybe a head that is rotated or tilted. While there may not be degeneration or nerve root issues, this neck is far from normal and if it is left the way it is, it WILL lead to those things I just mentioned.
So what should “normal” mean?
Not “what everyone else has.”
Not “what you’ve learned to live with.”
Not "what is common"
Normal should mean your body is functioning the way it was designed to. If you’re dealing with constant symptoms, that’s not something to ignore—it’s your body asking for attention.
Because common doesn’t mean healthy…
…and you don’t have to settle for it.
Dr Kelly Milano
Dr. Kelly Milano
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