Are You A “Cyberchondriac?”
We’re all guilty of it… It’s late at night and we start thinking about the symptoms we are having. Out comes the computer (or Iphone) as we Google the symptoms only to find that there’s a million conditions that could be causing them.
The bottom line is too many individuals rely on Google, WebMD, etc. to self-diagnose. In a recent study by thePew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project, it was found that 35% of Americans have gone online specifically to try to self diagnose a condition. The problem with this is that there is simply too much erroneous information on the web. Doctors are specifically trained to look at a large number of variables when diagnosing a condition. I know that it can sometimes seem to be “easier” and more cost effective to visit the web to search for the answers yourself rather than visiting a doctor, but is it really? When you take into consideration the amount of time you truly spend trying to figure it all out that could be spent doing something more valuable to you, such as playing with your children or sleeping, wouldn’t it really just be better to visit your doctor?
The important thing here is finding a doctor that you can truly build a relationship with; a doctor that you really trust. We’ve all heard horror stories of waiting in the waiting room for over 2 hours only to have the doctor come in for one minute to say that everything looks normal. Yes, there are doctors out there who do this; however, there are still some good ones out there who will truly take the time to speak with you and address your concerns. Find one of those!
As a podiatry clinic, we do several health expos throughout the year where we perform free podiatric screenings. During these screenings, it is truly astonishing how many people we meet with foot conditions who state that they have been suffering with said condition for numerous month, years, etc.; however, they have not visited a doctor to have it checked out. When asked what they have done to relieve the pain or problem, many state that after Googling it, they did some type of home remedy that worked somewhat, but not really. Many times, it’s a problem that one of our doctors could have resolved in only one visit. Other times, we run across the person who has simply ignored the problem for many months in hopes that it would get better. Pain is your bodies indicator that something is not right. Don’t ignore it.
If you are having any foot or ankle pain, give us a call today. We would love to build a relationship with you in which you may rely on us to provide you the answers to your questions.