When we're feeling under the weather, many of us have a tendency to hop online and search for our symptoms - only to be met with frightening or worrisome search results. According to CNN, there are a few pointers we should use when researching illnesses online (none of which, of course, replace calling a physician!).
- Give more credence to Web addresses that end in .org and .edu when search for reliable health information, and check to see who is funding the collection of that information.
- Be wary of information that is shared in healthcare forums. While crowdsourcing information on a symptom can be helpful, this relies on the knowledge of other forum participants, which can be hit or miss.
- Try not to get too emotional or convince yourself of a "worst case scenario" that you run across. Instead, try using reliable tools such as the Mayo Clinic's symptom checker.
- If you find information online that you think is truly helpful, print it out and take it to your doctor so the two of you can discuss it together rather than relying on it as a diagnosis.
To learn more, click here.
Since 1968, Professional Medical has been a dedicated supplier to the long-term care industry. Our education, resources and products are designed to make improving care easier!
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment