A new report says many of the people seeking medical help on the Internet often end up with the wrong information.
You don't need insurance or an appointment to sign online for medical help. Millions of people type in their symptoms on line to find remedies or reasons for their health issues. Dr. Jesus Rodriguez with Kaiser Permanente says the Internet can't replace a doctor.
Dr. Rodriguez says, "A lot of these web sites are funded through pharmaceutical companies or other groups with specific interests. That may not be the same as yours. The info they provide may be pushing certain medication or procedures. Always have to be very careful about what site your accessing."
Researchers studied a thousand women and determined that a quarter of them diagnosed themselves incorrectly from on line sites. Breast cancer is the most common false alarm.
Dr. Rodriguez says a health scare can get even scarier if a patient tries to treat herself. "Especially now days, you can get medication on the Internet. The medication can have the potential for a lot of side affects."
According to the study, the most common health searches involve sleep issues, headaches, and depression.
TXT 24
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