Abstract Internet is misleadingand not helpful when it comes to health and medicine. It does not give accurateinformation, and most things online are false. Self-diagnosing could bedangerous for your health because since most things are not correct online,what you think is a bad stomach could be a much bigger issue than what itseems. Self- diagnosing is very risky, and you are just putting yourself indanger. Getting proper advice from a professional is much more beneficial thantaking the easy way out of things. Your health comes first, everything onlineis not what is seems.
People make fraud websites and fake accusations that leadpeople in the complete opposite direction. Most things are fake online, so it’ssafer to go the extra mile and get a professional’s opinions because we onlyhave one life, and we need to take care of ourselves. Lauren Harvey-YounisSOCI-1074Judi Marcin8 January 2018 Why is Health and Medicine OnlineMisleading and Not HelpfulSince the creation of the world wideweb, people have been using technology to replace their everyday utilities. Peopleoften use the term “We canjust Google it” and is becoming our response to all ourquestions nowadays. The internet usually gives lengthy informational answersbut when you search keywords the results end with thousands of websites withthousands of different opinions. Patients and their family are progressively usingthe internet as a main source of help to concern their illnesses, treatmentoptions, diet advice and avoid disease. Most information on the internet is nottrue, inaccurate and could put your health at risk, and it’s not proper advice. When peopleattempt to search their symptoms, and try to self-diagnose their illness, theydon’t know that most people give out false information.
Patients rely on theinternet to give them an at home resource instead of getting a professional’shelp. Seventy percent of Canadians use the internet to look formedical help on what illness they have, it has been discovered that theinternet is the first reference of information for many people rather than aprofessional doctor. Since Google is relatively easier to search for a badstomach ache rather than go to a busy clinic or emergency departments to consultprofessionals, it’s not shocking most people would prefer to use the internetto self-diagnose themselves emergency departments to get advice from aprofessional. Since mostpeople would rather use online information than a professional’s opinion couldlead to some issues regarding their health. Not everything you read online isone hundred percent true. There are a lot of fraud websites on the internet andif you’re relying on these websites for medical help, you could be putting yourhealth in danger. Patients could need serious medical help but the internetstates that with your symptoms you only need two Advil and your good to go.
Patientsdo not realize the consequences of self-diagnoses. You may miss a medicaldisease. The article ” The Dangers of Self Diagnosis” states “If you have panic disorder, you may miss the diagnosis of hyperthyroidismor an irregular heartbeat. Even more serious is the fact that some brain tumors may present with changes in personality or psychosis or even depression.
If youassume you have depression and treat it with an over-the-counter preparation,you may completely miss a medical syndrome.” This quote is stating examples ofwhat self-diagnoses can lead to and the consequences of it. I understandmost parents want to avoid busy clinics and crowed emergency rooms but theinternet does not give proper medical information/advice. Most patients wouldrather take the easy way out of things than go to a professional doctor and getthe correct medicine for their illness. Most parents would search theirchildren’s symptoms and get over the counter medication because they ratheravoid cluttered areas since their kids always keep them busy, this would onlystep them back from their daily routine. Your health should be your number onepriority and come before anything and everything else.
Patients usually puttheir health on the back burner and not take it seriously. This is not goodbecause what you may think is just a bad cough could be something much worse. In conclusion,most internet based information on health or medicine is not helpful andmisleading because not everything is one hundred percent true and could leadyou in the complete opposite direction of what your illness actually is. If youdon’t get proper treatment, you could be putting your health in serious dangerand face the consequences of taking the easy way out of things.
It’s better toget a professional’s opinion rather than a complete stranger online thatdoesn’t know you at all. Patients need to put their health first and think ofthe bigger picture because we only get one life so we really need to take goodcare of ourselves and possible others. References
