Dr. Google

We all have done it at some point. Have a symptom and turn to Google or social media to determine what is going on. Before you know it, your headache turns into a brain cancer self-diagnosis. Then, anxious and scared, we contact our primary care provider for an evaluation only to find there is another, reasonable cause for our symptoms.

With the advancement of technology, information is at our fingertips. This is advancing even more through social media. Influencers can provide anecdotal information that seems credible, even with very little scientific basis. Even websites that appear credible may contain false information. It can quickly become overwhelming and confusing.

So where should one turn for accurate information? The National Institute of Health website (https://www.nih.gov/) provides access to current studies. Organizations like the American Heart Association (https://www.heart.org/) or the American Diabetes Association (https://diabetes.org/) have specialized condition-related information. Your primary care provider also is a resource. Through a quick appointment, appropriate diagnostic testing can be performed and diagnosis treatment planning can begin.

~Emily Roling, FNP-BC