Telling patients their symptoms are "normal" can lead them to forgo potentially necessary medical treatment, according to research.
A study involving over 9,300 participants, including medical professionals and the general public, explored the impact of such reassurances through 14 distinct experiments. In one experiment, participants were presented with scenarios where a friend described menopausal symptoms such as extreme fatigue, weight gain, and joint and muscle pain to a doctor. In one version, the doctor recommended medication. In the other, the doctor offered reassurance, stating, "I know this feels overwhelming, but I want to reassure you that these symptoms are normal…You could take daily prescription medication…or you can deal with these symptoms."