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5 Tips for Researching Health Information Online

 

person typing on laptop

If you begin showing symptoms, you first make an appointment with your GP, correct? 

Don’t worry; we’re not surprised if you answer no. With the current stress the NHS is under, wait times for non-urgent, consultant-led appointments can reach up to a whopping 18 weeks. This is after you have battled the long phone line waiting room to be able even to make your appointment. The line to do so can be hours long, and that’s if you begin calling as soon as your doctor’s office opens in the morning. 

So, what else do we do if we’re too anxious to wait or want to avoid lengthy delays? Google our symptoms, of course! 

Many people will tell you that searching for your symptoms online is the worst thing you can do. Often you will find misinformation that will only further your anxiety. This can be true when looking for answers on sites designed to clickbait and the like. 

But looking to reputable sources with valuable information can be a great deal of help. So, if you’re searching for health information online, we are here to help. Here are five tips to help you safely and accurately search for symptoms and information.

1. Be Confident and Cautious 

Googling your symptoms is easy, and it is only natural that so many of us do it. So, when speaking to your GP, don’t be shy to relay any possible information you think relates to your symptoms. This may help your doctor diagnose you as they will have a better idea of your symptoms and what you are suffering from.  

However, you should also be cautious of what you read and not assume that it is the only possible answer. Just remember that your doctor is the expert, and they will help you with a more accurate diagnosis and help. 

2. Focus on Symptoms 

Whether you’re searching your symptoms or relaying them to a professional, it can be tempting to add as much detail and description as possible. But providing too much information may sabotage your diagnosis and, when searching online, return misinformation. 

Instead, make sure you are always clear and to the point when listing off your symptoms. So, list each symptom and only provide extra information if asked, whether by typing them into the search bar or relaying them to your doctor. If your doctor needs you to elaborate, they will prompt you. 

3. Only Visit Trusted Sources

As we’ve mentioned, it is important that you only look for information from reputable sources, like the NHS when searching for your symptoms online. Reading articles from bloggers and news sites may sometimes be clickbait dressed up as information and can hinder your self-diagnosis. 

The internet can be a minefield of contradicting health information. However, here at Home Health UK, we are a team of medical experts offering relevant health information related to our wide range of tests and overthecounter treatments.

4. Don’t Panic

When searching symptoms online, you might sometimes return results you weren’t anticipating. It can be hard to remember that Google doesn’t always have all the answers. So, if you get a result that details a worst-case scenario and advises that you have weeks to live, don’t panic. This is rarely ever the case.

Just remember that the likes of a headache are both a symptom of the common cold and a brain tumour, and it can be that easy to return information on Google to both issues. 

5. It’s Not a Competition 

When searching for health information online, do not consider it a competition between how much information you can find and what your doctors tell you. It is not your duty to ‘outdo’ your doctor. You should consider your research efforts to be a ‘collaboration’ with your GP. You are collating information from other sources to aid your doctor’s diagnosis based on your symptoms. 

Remember, you are coming together to find a solution to your health problems and ensure that you can follow the conversation better. 

Following these simple steps can promote a smoother, more relaxed experience in diagnosing your health concerns. 

Health Information at Home Health UK

If you’re unsure where to turn for your health information online, allow us to help at Home Health UK. 

We proudly present our health information hub, conveniently split into a range of topics covering general health, drugs and sexual health. Alternatively, you can find more information suited to your profile with information on children’s, female, and male health.

Why Home Health UK?

But why trust us?

Home Health UK is committed to providing the highest quality of simple, reliable drug testing kits, pregnancy tests and health tests, which can be easily carried out in the home. Our drug testing kits are suitable for home, professional, employer and workplace testing.

We also offer an ever-expanding range of medicines and remedies not available from other large online retailers, shipped to your door at a fraction of the cost of a high street chemist. Meaning you can buy with confidence from an MHRA-approved and GPhC-registered pharmacy.

For more information, don’t hesitate to contact our expert and friendly team to find out more or get the answers you need to your queries.