If you are like me, you may occasionally “Google” your medical symptoms. Now apps are available to help you check your symptoms systematically rather than randomly.
Recently, a WSJ article noted http://online.wsj.com/home-page * “Now more health-care providers are… steering patients to new and improved computerized symptom-checkers that make it easier for them to get reliable information about possible diagnoses, research their condition and even connect directly to a doctor. Doctors are adding these tools to their websites and incorporating them into electronic medical records, encouraging patients to use them before office visits to save time and make consultations more productive. Another benefit: Results turned up by a symptom-checker may actually help doctors think of something they hadn’t considered.”
*To read full WSJ article “A Better Online Diagnosis Before the Doctor Visit by Laura Landro, highlight and click on open hyperlink http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887324328904578621743278445114?mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424127887324328904578621743278445114.html
Some on-line symptom-checkers – highlight and click on open hyperlink
-WebMD http://symptoms.webmd.com/#introView
-Mayo Clinic http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/symptom-checker/DS00671
-Healthline http://www.healthline.com/symptomsearch
-The Isabel Symptom Checker http://symptomchecker.isabelhealthcare.com/home/default
-Free-MD http://www.free-md.com/SymptomChecker.aspx
-Healthychildren.org http://www.healthychildren.org/english/tips-tools/symptom-checker/Pages/default.aspx
Note: This blog shares general information about understanding and navigating the health care system. For specific medical advice about your own problems, issues and options talk to your personal physician.