Doctors and Nurses Anyone?

We have all done it at sometime surely? When you feel a bit under the weather or you have an ongoing health issue and it just won't go away. What's the first thing we do? Do we reach for the phone and reach out to our qualified professional GP? No we turn to Google.
(other search engines are available but I'm going to refer to google).

We do probably end up at the doctor's eventually but in an attempt to save the NHS's precious time we put on our white coats, pop a stethoscope on and go for a bit of self diagnosis. I Google everything, if someone asks me a question and I don't know the answer, I am that person who says 'wait one moment' and I'm there on it as quick as the internet can take me. Sometimes I've even looked as though I'm emailing or sending an important text but then finish and return to a conversation with the whole of the answer and enough information to write a thesis on it. It looks impressive and first until someone rumbles me, 'you googled that didn't you?'......yep ok ya got me!!!

So you start with a headache or some symptoms that resemble a common cold and by the time you've got through a dozen medical webpages you've got a dreadful illness for which there is no cure. Then you start googling how to make a Will and then before you know you're on itunes making a playlist of all the songs you want playing at your funeral. This is when it probably wasn't the best idea to look. There are so many illness's that have very similar symptoms and you can get in a pickle if you are not sure what you are doing or looking for. You can end up being more stressed and adding high blood pressure to the mix if you didn't have it before. 

For minor ailments it can be quite handy to look on the internet such as the best way to take out a splinter or remedies for a cold, we can even find holistic or natural ways to solve our problems without the use of expensive creams or the need to take strong painkillers. If we google too much about our health we end up with spammy emails in your junk box offering things some of us are not requiring at his moment in time or have not even thought of like a years supply of viagra for a discounted rate or penis enlargement. Last time I looked I didn't really need that or have I ever googled it (honestly).

The last time I visited my GP I actually did ask him what he thought of the whole self diagnosis - googling your symptoms thing and he did confirm that for minor issues it's fine but it is always best to seek advice from a doctor. A good idea to confirm your own professional diagnosis or change it completely into something a bit more realistic. He did however give me a trusted website to go on and he did say it was one they use at that surgery which is www.patient.co.uk This kind of got me thinking that if they go on a website and look up our symptoms so it's all aright then. I think they understand now that with all this technology and with the internet being so easily accesable that it is inevitable that we will seek advice but what's important is to still back it up with a professional opinion.

A lot of health issues come down to common sense really, it will either get better or get worse and if it does worsen then that's the time to take action. The internet is a very informative place and you do get your answers a lot of the time but sometimes nothing beats talking things over with other humans, family and friends can be good sources of information and support in all health concerns, yes even in the delicate areas too. 

My doctor also said to never be worried about going, they would rather see you than not, that's what they are there for. I know we are in very confusing troubled times with the NHS with so many cuts and in some areas it is difficult to get an appointment, some surgeries are better than others but they are there and do a mighty fine job. 

Stay safe, stay healthy and join me for a bit of gluten free info tomorrow, I can google that it, it will be fine or even better, use my own experiences to share with you. Thanks for reading......