Is my pain normal?

I had a student the other day that looked uncomfortable. I asked her if she was okay and she said, "Oh, I have a migraine, but that's normal for me." Which bears the question: "Is pain normal?"

Probably not. Although pain is common and it is a proper response to an injury, I do not think pain should be considered normal. It is a sign that there is something wrong. Only about 10% of your nervous system actually feels pain, so it is actually only one of many signs or symptoms that something is wrong.

Let me repeat, pain is something signaling to your body that something is wrong. Is pain common? Unfortunately, yes. Is pain a natural response? Again, yes. But considering your pain to be "normal" breaks my heart.

The problem today is that so many of us know of so many other people who are always in some sort of pain. There are a variety of contributing factors:

• Diet
• Sleep habits
• Prolonged sitting
• Medications
• Lack of exercise or movement
• Disease (many of which can be prevented or managed by the above factors)

Pain is your body telling you that something needs to be fixed. Pain is often the last symptom to arrive, if it arrives at all, and the first symptom to leave. Listen to your body. Learn the difference between being uncomfortable (in a workout perhaps) and true pain. It's going to be impossible to prevent all pain, but there is a lot we can do to mitigate and manage the pain before and after it arrives.

Don't settle and consider your pain normal. I encourage you to take the time to take care of yourself and find your wellness team. If you are having pain, please get to the root of it. Quick fixes aren't necessarily true fixes, so be patient with yourself. Yes, it will take work, but know that you are worth it.

Is your pain really normal?