It's the middle of the night and you can't sleep because your back is bothering you again. Or you just had a dizzy spell which caused you to feel faint. Or you've noticed for the past few weeks that you get heartburn when you lie down in bed at night and you wonder what could be causing it.
You know you should probably call to make a doctor's appointment. But you are a bit fearful of what she might tell you. And you don't really want to take time out of your day or bother your doctor, if it's really "nothing."
We are all curious! And most of us are impatient, too. Information is so easily and readily available on the Internet that we can't help but pursue the information.
So you log on to your favorite health-related Web site because you know it features one of those symptom checking applications. You want to figure out what the possibilities might be. At least then you'll know whether to make an appointment. Further, if you do see your doctor, you'll have a clue about your eventual diagnosis.
Thinking about that back problem that's been bothering you, you choose the right body area, you select your gender and age, and you answer all the questions about possible triggers for your back ache. The conclusion? It could be anywhere from a mild strain to kidney failure to a problem with osteoporosis.
In every case, the bottom line suggestions might offer some ideas for symptom relief, but most tell you to make an appointment with your doctor.
So Have Your Really Learned Anything?
Some of these applications are actually quite sophisticated, like the one available here at About.com. But that research about your back points out the real problem; answers are rarely succinct. It's often difficult to arrive at one, accurate conclusion.
There are reasons they aren't more accurate. The first reason can be found in the symptom checker's disclaimer, the statement that tells you that what you find online should never substitute for real medical advice. No matter what medical problem drove you to a symptom checker to begin with, the most frequent conclusion you'll find is to make an appointment with your doctor.
Another reason is liability. Knowing how little chance there is a Web application can accurately diagnose you, the presenting Web sites don't want you thinking you have X if what you really have is Y. They can't be held liable for your wrong conclusion.
Correct treatment is the third, and perhaps the most important point. If you do have something that requires a doctor's recommended treatment, then you'll need to see the doctor anyway. Delaying an appointment with your doctor can have very negative consequences.
It's both to your benefit and the Web site's benefit to have a more general picture of the answers than to hone in on one answer that ultimately could be incorrect.
What Can You Learn from Web Symptom Checkers?
You can learn possibilities. And possibilities will do two things for you.
First, they will manage your expectations so that you will be less likely to be dumbfounded if your doctor tells you that your problem is a difficult one.
Second, they will suggest options that you can learn more about, in preparation for your doctor's appointment. By empowering yourself with knowledge about differential diagnoses, your time with your doctor will be more productive.
So Should You Use Online Symptom Checkers or Not?
As long as you realize that these online applications don't substitute for the many years of education your doctor has, and can't always predict a diagnosis without test results and other evidence, then you can proceed with caution to satisfy your curiosity.
