Surfing for Medical Advice
Many people today are choosing to take their health into their own hands.
Why shouldn’t we ask the questions needed to get the best information? Sometimes asking the extra questions from your medical professional can avert tragedy such as, “Can I take this herbal supplement with my regular medication?” Knowing what information is trustworthy vs. what is an outright lie is important. Today with the click of a button, we have access to a world of information over the internet.
No doubt the internet has empowered us to seek out more information on anything in mere seconds but it is a vast collection of information that is unregulated, and believing everything you read may not be the best prescription.
Certainly the information gathered may help you to understand more fully a specific medical condition or link with others who share the same condition, it can provide false facts. Don’t believe everything that you read but do take the information you’ve gathered and discuss it with your pharmacist or family physician. The connections made with others can be incredibly helpful especially for rare conditions where mutual support is often several provinces away or a specialist in another part of the world is doing something cutting edge. However just like watching the stock market go up and down during the day can add more stress than its worth, those overly anxious about their health can be more distressed. One basic tip is don’t believe everything you read on the internet or even from television programs. Some things might not be right for you based on your current medical situation.