Did you know that two in five people end up diagnosing themselves with a serious disease after Googling their symptoms?!
These poor people walk around thinking they are seriously ill after consulting with Dr. Google!
I know it’s always a little scary when something new starts to happen with your body. You notice it once, and think “uh oh, what was that?” and then if you’re like most of us you probably think something like… “I’ll wait and see if I notice again.”
And then…
It happens again 🫣
So you open up Google and type in your best explanation of what just happened to see what comes up.
Maybe the first thing you see says it’s no big deal and it will go away on its own.. Or maybe you see the dreaded words you’re hoping you don’t see…
“Cancer”
“Disease”
“Fatal”
And you feel your heart drop, and panic and dread begin to set it.
According to a study cited by Maria Clark of https://etactics.com/:
“A survey of 2,000 Americans found that 43% of them had misdiagnosed themselves after searching their symptoms online.”
“And 74% said that the results made them more worried.”
I’m not sure how the other 26% didn’t end up more worried like the rest of us, but what I do know is that GOOGLE IS NOT A NECESSARY STEP IN TAKING CARE OF YOUR HEALTH!
I found this paragraph on goodrx.com quite humorous, but is in simple facts, it does state the important take-away here:
“Symptom checkers are an easy way to see what your symptoms may mean, but they are not as reliable as medical care. When compared to physicians, symptom checkers are less likely to make an accurate diagnosis. Symptom checkers are also less likely to triage your symptoms correctly.”
Something to be aware of is that when you search your symptoms, whether on Google or through a medical site, the symptom checkers compare your symptoms to any symptoms listed for any medical condition, but it will not know other important factors that would need to be considered for a diagnosis.
A medical professional will always take into consideration:
Next time you are tempted to give Dr. Google a quick little visit, I urge you to reconsider. The chances of receiving accurate information is slim.
Instead, call your doctor!
If you are currently worried about symptoms you are experiencing and would like to apply to work with me, you are invited to complete an application for an Elite VIP Day Experience here. The VIP Day is a private, customized opportunity to receive medical support from the comfort of your own home.
*https://etactics.com/blog/stop-googling-symptoms
*https://www.goodrx.com/health-topic/mental-health/google-medical-search-dangers
