The internet is a treasure trove of information, but without the necessary training it can be daunting and confusing to filter technical knowledge. In the case of medical information, people can risk misdiagnosing themselves, which leads to delayed medical treatment or unwanted complications.
Granted, searching online is comfortable and can dispell some concerns. For instance, googling “diaper rash” is a lot easier than strapping the baby to the car for a visit to the doctor. But what if you read that the rash might be caued by a potentially lethal yeast infection? Danger. In situations like this, many parents go down a rabbit hole of worries and sleepless nights. Most of the time, once they do decide it’s time to visit a doctor, they find their concerns were common and non-urgent, or simply not there in the first place.
Almost all doctors we’ve spoken to advise against “internet diagnoses”, and this infographic is telling in this respect. If you do decide to investigate your symptoms online, make sure you use a realiable source — but only after you visited a doctor .
