How reliable is your 'Google Doctor'? (Medical Disclaimer)

As soon as you or someone in your family has a minor illness or symptom, many of us are now accustomed to picking up our phones and searching for it on Google. How many times have we searched for things like "causes of stomach aches", "medicine for aches", "what to do when you get a pimple on your skin"? There is nothing wrong with searching for information in this way. Gaining knowledge is a very good thing. However, the most important thing we need to understand is that the medical information on these websites and the internet is only published for educational purposes . It is never the same as medical advice given by your doctor. In this article, we will talk about why we should think twice when using health information on the internet.

Why is online information not enough?

Imagine this. You read an article online about headaches . It lists ten common causes of headaches. For example, stress, dehydration, migraines , and eye problems. The person who wrote the article doesn’t know who you are, how old you are, whether you have other medical conditions (such as diabetes or high blood pressure ), or whether you are taking any other medications. But when you go to see your family doctor, he or she takes all of this into account. He or she examines you, listens to you, and, if necessary, orders tests to determine the exact cause of your headache. An online article is just general information. But a doctor gives you personalized medical advice . There is a big difference between the two.

The difference between 'Google Doctor' and a real doctor

Let's understand this difference a little more clearly.

The dangers of self-diagnosis and self-treatment

The most dangerous thing that can happen is thinking, "Okay, I found out the details, now I'll take the medicine myself." We call that self-treatment . 1. Misdiagnosis : You may read online and think that you have something simple. But it could actually be a symptom of a serious underlying condition. For example, you may think that frequent stomach pain is "gastritis." But it could also be a sign of a heart attack. Only a doctor can confirm that for sure. 2. Mistreatment: If you take the wrong medicine with the wrong diagnosis, it could cause side effects, cause adverse reactions (drug interactions) with the medication you are already taking, or the real illness could be hidden and get worse later. 3. Delayed treatment: This is the biggest risk. When you waste time searching online and trying different things, you may delay seeing a doctor and getting the treatment you need right away. In some diseases, starting treatment early can mean the difference between life and death.

What to do in an emergency?

If you think you have a medical emergency , the only thing you need to do is not search for it on the Internet. Imagine that you suddenly have severe chest pain, difficulty breathing, excessive bleeding, loss of consciousness, difficulty speaking, etc. In such a situation, do not waste a second and immediately call your doctor or go to the Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) of the nearest hospital . Also, if someone has ingested a poison or accidentally ingested it, the first thing to do is to call the National Poisons Information Centre at the Colombo National Hospital . They will tell you the right steps to take. Avoid acting on guesswork in such a situation. Medical advice, online health information, self-diagnosis, doctor visit, health awareness, emergency care, medical disclaimer