We've nearly all done it. Worried about a lingering cough or a new rash, we quickly type our symptoms into Google. In fact, most of us will read health advice on the internet, before deciding to see a doctor. This may not be a surprise, given that the average waiting time for a GP appointment is 10 days**.
Every second patient will say to me they've looked at their symptoms on Google,' says clinical GP Dr Hana Patel. 'Often, when people have symptoms that they're worried about, it's natural for them to want an answer straight away."
Some websites even offer a symptom checker - you simply answer some questions, and it tells you what could be causing them. But how reliable are these sites and could they be doing more harm than good?
The risks
IT CAN CAUSE HEALTH ANXIETY
Guilty of frantic scrolling? Self-diagnosing every ache and pain can lead to a condition called cyberchondria, which is health anxiety caused by searching for symptoms online. It's something that's on the rise due the wealth of health information available on the internet, found researchers at Imperial College London. 'Dr Google is very informative but he doesn't put things in the right proportion,' says the study lead Professor Peter Tyrer.
Type something as ambiguous as 'headache' into a search engine and it will likely offer up a range of potential diagnoses - some of diagnoses some of them very worrying.
For example, as you scroll through web pages, a bad headache soon becomes a brain tumour or some other serious condition, rather than a migraine, which can spark a spiral of unwarranted fears.
ãã®èšäºã¯ WOMAN'S OWN ã® June 26, 2023 çã«æ²èŒãããŠããŸãã
7 æ¥éã® Magzter GOLD ç¡æãã©ã€ã¢ã«ãéå§ããŠãäœåãã®å³éžããããã¬ãã¢ã ã¹ããŒãªãŒã9,000 以äžã®éèªãæ°èã«ã¢ã¯ã»ã¹ããŠãã ããã
ãã§ã«è³Œèªè ã§ã ?  ãµã€ã³ã€ã³
ãã®èšäºã¯ WOMAN'S OWN ã® June 26, 2023 çã«æ²èŒãããŠããŸãã
7 æ¥éã® Magzter GOLD ç¡æãã©ã€ã¢ã«ãéå§ããŠãäœåãã®å³éžããããã¬ãã¢ã ã¹ããŒãªãŒã9,000 以äžã®éèªãæ°èã«ã¢ã¯ã»ã¹ããŠãã ããã
ãã§ã«è³Œèªè ã§ã? ãµã€ã³ã€ã³
MAGNIFICENT MAURITIUS
Pe This istand in the ut 7% Indian Ocean feels Sa: like paradise, says Charlotte Richards
I HATE BEING A MUM
One woman, 55, reveals why she resents all of the sacrifices she made to be a mother
SLASH SUGAR AND SLIM
Trying to lose weight? With these clever tweaks, you donât have to miss out on the seasonal sweet stuff
DAWN HARPER ASK THE DOCTOR
Doctor Dawn Harper answers all your questions
SEX HORRORS SOLVED!
Stop physical intimacy from turning into the stuff of nightmares with our expert advice
THE TRUTH ABOUT LIFE WITH CANCER
More than 12,000 people are diagnosed with brain tumours each year in the UK. Two mums tell us how the cruel disease changed their lives forever
DAWN NEESOM MIND OF MY OWN
The Woman's Own columnist has her say on marriage, tea and Absolutely Fabulous!
TRAPPED INSIDE MY HOME WITH A MONSTER
Gemma Williams, 46, thought she'd die at the hands of her partner
AMANDA TO REPLACE CAT?
With increasing criticism directed at the This Morning host, are producers ready to call in a familiar face?
Get the GOSS
Your round-up of this week's biggest showbiz stories