Dr. Google does not have all the answers: therefore it is necessary to use the Internet to look for its symptoms
El Dr. Google It is usually on guard for worried patients, but You may not give the most successful advice. Doctors say that medical information on the internet should be caution, especially with the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI).
Information on appropriate websites can teach the symptoms of patients e Prepare them for visiting the doctor. But a seriously done research can shoot anxiety Long before someone arrives in the waiting room. It is important to know the source of the information that is found and avoid trying to diagnose the problem of health. Here are some questions that you should keep in mind if you are looking for medical assistance on the Internet.
What is the source of information?
When you do a search on Google, Don’t click automatically on the first connection. You may not contain the best answers. Some companies pay for their websites to appear at the top of the results page. These connections may appear as sponsored.
Search the results that come A reliable source of medical information, as sites managed by public bodies as The European Center for the Prevention and Control of Diseases (ECDC) or the national health service of a country. “We got used to clicking on the first link,” says John Grohol, a psychologist specialized in online behavior. “When it comes to health information, especially if it is personal, You have to think about it“He adds.
Should I use the IA?
It depends on what I say. More and more people use the IA to get answers Extract quickly from various Internet sources. Some research also generate a SI summary in the upper part of the results page. But an AI response may not say where you designed the information. Therefore, it is difficult to judge your credibility.
Also the IA It can be subject to “hallucinations”A term of the sector to refer to the problems that make the things of technology invent. Above all, the distrust in this if no source is mentioned.
What should I ask?
The formulation of the demand significantly influences the results. Doctors say that patients should look for information based on symptoms, not on a planned diagnosis. “You have to ask the right questions from the beginning,” says dr. Eric Boose, of the United States Cleveland Clinic.
This means asking: “What can cause the formation of a lump under my skin?”, Instead of “the swelling under my skin is cancer?” Diagnose It can lead to neglecting other explanations, especially if only the first connections of the results are clicking.
For some problems, I should completely complete the research. If you have pain in your chest, it is tide or shows signs of heart attack, Look for help immediately. “It is not convenient to delay something that must be treated in a certain period,” says dr. Olivier Gherardi, medical director of Brown University Health Urgent Care (USA).
Can the Internet diagnose a medical problem?
No. Leave it for real doctors, format to ask questions that lead to a diagnosis. “There are many symptoms that overlap minor conditions and serious medical problems,” says Dr. Sarah Sams, member of the Council of the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Blood in the urine Can mean cancer. An infection can also be due to kidney stones. The inexplicable weight loss can also be a sign of cancer. It could also be due to a hyperactive thyroid or a new job This forces you to move more.
In all these situations, some tests e A visit to a doctor Knowing your medical history can be the best medicine.
