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“НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, ЖОВТЕНЬ 2019 WWW. UNWLA .ORG 33 How to Self - Diagnose Without Driving Yourself into Panic Mode by Ihor Magun, MD, FACP A new term coined in the health care industry is cyberchondriac . The exact definition of this new term is “a person w ho compulsively searches the internet for information on real and imagined symptoms of illness.” In addition, people afflicted with cyberchondria are likely to print out pages of medical information that, without a doubt, sub- stantiate their self - diagnoses. It may sound strange on surface, but who among us has not been guilty of this behavior or some form of it? As most medical professionals will attest, there is nothing wrong in being a well - informed, proactive patient. Indeed, paying attention to your hea lth issues is smart, especially because you know your body better than anyone else does. If some- thing does not feel “right,” it probably isn’t and warrants professional advice. You can begin with the internet, but do this with the proviso that it is only a source of information that should be used only for baseline data and not as a substitute for a true medical diagnosis by a medical professional. Self - diagnosis can be tricky, and several important points need to be taken into consideration: The source you consult may be reputable and provide legitimate information, but the best guid- ing principle is Reader Beware. Unfortunately, many “medical browsers” are not wary enough . Just about any symptom that is researched on the web is likely to i nclude mentions of a link to possible forms of cancer. Most sites provide information that cover symp- toms from the least to the most severe case sce- nario associated with every illness (or even every symptom) that exists. It is very easy for people con- sul ting these sites to convince themselves that they have similar symptoms because the sites provide catchall answers to questions that you may have al- ready formulated in your mind. How helpful and convenient! This all leads to additional anxiety and concern. There is always a rational approach to all situations. How did we survive in the past without such a wealth of information available with our handy devices? After all, we can simply type in a few words, and the information provided is liter- ally instant — di agnosis and treatments as well as prognosis. It is crucial to understand that medical di- agnosis, even for medical professionals, is fre- quently challenging. We were taught in medical school that common problems are common but present themselves in differen t, uncommon ways. Indeed, our understanding of health is influenced by many factors — personal views, experiences with family members’ health issues, socioeconomic sta- tus, tolerance of a particular symptom, and even cultural beliefs. Men frequently tend to d ownplay symptoms; after all, many have been raised in a culture that has long dictated they should “take it like a man.” Women’s health issues are at times re- lated to menstruation and/or menopause, which also cloud the presentation of diseases. So what is the recommendation for online medical research? To begin with, I am not recom- mending that online sources of information be en- tirely abandoned. I am, however, strongly recom- mending that you use the information you find wisely and that you never ignore any symptom that you feel is bothersome and/or unusual and/or mysterious . You know your body better than any- one else does. If something does not feel “right,” it probably isn’t and deserves professional advice. You can also use the internet — with the underlying proviso noted earlier: that it is only a source of in- formation , not a substitute for a professional diag- nosis. Whatever it is should be addressed during a personal medical consultation with a physician. Of course, today’s medical professionals emphasize that patients be proactive and not reac- tive. This means having routine medical examina- tions, getting recommended vaccines and having recommended diagnostic procedures. If patients follow these guidelines, there may not be much need to check the internet fo r information and/or advice about any medical issues. After all, by being one step ahead, you already are smarter than the internet .
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