Internet has drawbacks when it comes to health information

By Dana Benson

Thanks to the Internet, a wealth of information is right at your fingertips. But having such easy access to information can be a double-edged sword.

That's especially true when you have a health concern. It's easy to convince yourself that something is terribly – even fatally – wrong when you search for a particular symptom online.

Many of us have received a call from a friend or relative that goes something like this, "Well, I think I have cancer. I looked up my symptoms on the Internet, and that must be what's wrong with me." Maybe you've even been the one to make that call to a loved one.

I got a call like that recently from my sister, who had convinced herself she had colon cancer. She didn't, but she endured two stress-filled weeks before finally getting the diagnostic test that proved her fears wrong.

There is so much information on the Internet, and some of it is very alarming – particularly that found on message boards and in chat rooms. But even going to reputable sites can lead you down the path of worry and stress, often unnecessarily.

That's not to say you can't find useful or accurate information on the Internet or that the web can't play an important role in health care. Many health organizations – including Baylor College of Medicine – offer informative sites with a wide range of health topics. These sites may be especially useful after a diagnosis is made.

But the Internet can't make a diagnosis and it certainly cannot replace actual communication between a patient and a doctor. If you're feeling that something isn't right with your health, make a doctor's appointment. If you get on the Internet and start adopting the worst-case scenario, close it down until you can talk one-on-one with a physician. There's no sense causing yourself anxiety and stress.