Dot Com Diagnosis: Or, How to Use the Internet For Research Without Totally Freaking Yourself Out

So you’ve got this cough. It’s kind of tickly, it’s kind of phlegm-y, and it’s just not going away. Should you make a doctor's appointment or just drink more fluids? Considering everything else is available online, from car repair advice to sex tips, why shouldn't the internet be able to answer this question? Point, click, and twenty minutes later, you’ve narrowed it down to TB, a ragweed allergy or the remains of a calcified twin lodged in your larynx.

The Web is full of answers to your basic and not-so-basic health questions – and it’s also full of thousands of red herrings, zealous crackpots, and flat-out lies. Using the internet wisely will help you take control of your health, save on medical costs, and ease nagging fears. Browsing without borders, on the other hand, can can lead to paranoia, hysteria, and time lost at your next doctor's appointment.

The next time you turn to your laptop for medical advice, keep these tips in mind:


1. Stay off the forums
At least until you have a diagnosis. Medical sites like WebMD and MayoClinic.com are great for finding a diagnosis or learning more about your condition, but once you know what you're dealing with, online support groups can provide helpful answers to practical questions.

However, if you don't have a diagnosis yet, the forums may be overwhelming. "A lot of times the forums become mini case studies where you get a lot of personal information," says Sarah Bass, PhD MPH, an associate professor of Public Health at Temple University. "They'll say, 'I’m not taking that medication because it made me do XYZ, so you shouldn’t take it either.' " Until you know what you're dealing with and have a chat with your doctor about options, trolling the forums can be a case of information overload. And because these groups are safe spaces for people with confirmed diagnosis to vent their fears and frustrations, going int without a confirmed diagnosis make make you more worried than you need to be.

2. Know what you're looking for.
Before you go online, clearly define your search parameters. That way, you're less likely be swayed -- or feel phantom pains - by what you read online. "If you know you’re a suggestible person, it would be a good tool to write down what you’re really concerned about and a list of your symptoms before you go on a wide-open search," says Roger Harms, MD, medical editor-in-chief of MayoClinic.com.

3. Remember that hoof beats equal horses, not zebras.

4. Determine the validity of the site.
You wouldn't take medical advice from a guy working out of the back of a van, so don't waste time on sites of uncertain pedigree.

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