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Your shoulder aches and you’re short of
breath. Or your skin breaks out with
itchy bumps. Or your head feels like
it’s in a vice. So what do you do?
Many of us start with the Internet.
Later we call the doctor to make an
appointment, acknowledging that it’s
probably nothing… But yes, there’s a
possibility it’s a heart attack, or
leprosy or even a brain tumor.
That probably seems silly, but we
patients have taken self-diagnosing on
the Internet to such an extreme that
some doctors call it “cyberchondria,”
meaning Internet hypochondria.
Cyberchondria drives most doctors crazy.
They tell me that by the time some
patients show up for appointments, they
have already diagnosed themselves, or
have at least narrowed the choices.
These patients no longer look to their
doctors for answers; instead they look
for confirmations.
But will this
approach help us get good care?
The answer lies in the middle. Our best
care will result from a balance between
the benefits of studying the in-depth
and possibly more current information
found on the Web, and taking advantage
of our doctor’s education and
experience.
Good communication is
the key to creating the balance. Here’s
my suggested approach:
Go online
to learn what you can about your
symptoms, possible tests and treatments.
Just be sure the information is
credible.
Here are some guidelines.
When you see your doctor, describe your
symptoms. Don’t show up with computer
print-outs. And don’t mention your own
research until your doctor begins
recommending tests or providing a
diagnosis which may, or may not, concur
with your findings.
If they are
the same, then share that. Tell your
doctor you’ve spent some time learning
more about that test or diagnosis, then
discuss what your next steps should be.
But different results require a
different approach – one that lets you
share your findings, but doesn’t
discount your doctor’s education and
experience.
Don’t make
statements like, “That’s not the answer
I found.” Or “I found something
different.”
Instead ask
questions, like “My research suggested
X. Can you tell me why you ruled that
out?” or “I didn’t find your diagnosis
in my research. Will you suggest some
online resources for me?
The
result will be a more respectful
exchange with a professional who knows
you and your health, combined with the
more comprehensive Web information – a
powerful approach to getting the right
answers.
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