I have a different perspective on what makes an illness “invisible.” The phrase “invisible illness” is used so widely now that it seems to cover any disease lacking outwardly physical signs, and that makes up nearly all illnesses, excepting those that cause visible scars, skin diseases, disfigurement, or physical impairment. The phrase would regain a much more accurate meaning if narrowed to those diseases that can’t be ‘seen’ or detected by medical testing, like physical examination, blood and pathology analysis, scans, direct visualization in surgery, etc. What then would qualify as an invisible illness would be chronic pain, most mental illnesses, some auto-immune and genetic diseases, and some infections, illnesses that include a vast number of the ill, but not an inexact majority. My intent here is to give the phrase “invisible illness” true depth of meaning, and to focus its significance on those actually suffering from an invisible illness. Something to think about, and a subject I see worthy of health activists and health professionals to convene on. What do you think?

Cary~