With information at your fingertips, the sky's the limit. When people are coming down with some ailment, they can head straight to the Internet and search their symptoms on Google, Wikipedia or WebMD.
People have begun to take charge of their health, exhausting all resources, including the Web, to find answers. There have been amazing stories of patients who were told they had no other options; turning to the Internet, they found alternative treatments to extend their lifespan. The thought of another path, another hope for life is empowering, at least to me.
Does the Internet empower us too much? The amount of information available to us is abundant, no question. But when do we forget that we are the patients, not the doctors? People begin to search flu symptoms and self-diagnose themselves with tuberculosis.
It's not uncommon for this to happen. Medical and psychology students can often conclude that they have many of the illnesses they study.
I've been having a bit of trouble with my neck for the past couple of months. My breathing has become somewhat noisy (and annoying) and swallowing feels rather awkward. I've switched from soprano to alto in choir because the range suddenly seems more comfortable. My neck is abnormally large.
If I go to WebMD and put these things in their Symptom Checker, it will point to Lyme disease and lymphoma. That can scare many people, couldn't it? While I doubt it's something so grave, I think I'll ask my mom to call the pediatrician.
Why do you think people go to search engines instead of the professionals?
Regards,
Kanika
I think its funny when I look up diaper rash info about my daughter and tells me crazy alerts and that I need to take her in immediately. I fell for that once, now all I have to do is call and they will make a refill for her special bottom medicine.
Did you ever find out what you had? I really do hope you are feeling better and are back in your saprano seat.
Love is like a box of chocolates; if you chose wisely you won’t be disappointed and have to spit it out. ~T
It is crazy about how much information is out there, and it can be incredibly overwhelming. While these resources may be good if the doctor's diagnosis is alluding you, or you just need a simple cure (if you have a cold, for instance), they can become incredibly ridiculous if you rely on them for more serious ailments. Best to seek the advice of a professional that you can actually see and hear, rather than rely on personal experiences from who knows where.
~C
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