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You have seen it happen. Maybe you have done it yourself. A person begins to experience symptoms of illness. Instead of calling a physician that person runs to the computer and pulls up a medical website. He or she punches in the symptoms (fever, rash, shortness of breath, etc.) and then reads furtively, relying upon the information to come to a computer-driven diagnosis. This is cyberchondria. It is the bane of physicians, and...more and more...they are ready to tell you so.
There was a time when it might have been considered interesting for someone to precede a doctor's visit with some data-gathering. Those were in the early days of computers, and, for the most part, it was considered a harmless activity. But not so much anymore.
Studies of cyberchondria are reporting that the result of people checking out their symptoms or early diagnosis on the web has led to exaggeration of the disease and complications with treatment. Amateur physicians who exhibit cyberchondria tend toward one practice: they invariably gravitate to the 'worst case' scenarios. A common cold or upper respiratory infection, for instance, emerges in the mind of the cybersleuth as pneumonia or lung cancer. By the time the doctor's visit takes place, the patient is exhibiting depression, fear, and certainty of impending death.
I know a physician who rolls his eyes when the patient mentions having gone to the Internet to check out the symptoms being presented. A year ago that would have been his only reaction. But now he confronts the patient and tells them that he is less and less impressed with the information found on the Internet. He strongly cautions the patient not to go there, but to listen to what he and the clinicians related to his practice have to say about the symptoms and the diagnosis.
The key word in the definition at the beginning of this posting is frenzy. It tells us immediately that the data has been laced with emotion. It is that emotion that is dangerous. It plants seeds of doubt, worry, and anxiety in a patient at a time when positive thinking, confidence, and calm are needed most. These traits have been found to be beneficial in the healing process. The negative traits tend to slow down the healing and inhibit the work of medicines, therapies, and sound medical advice.
We live in an age when participation in the healing process by physician, staff, referrals, and the patient are important. However, it would seem that the data is showing us that the patient's participation is best defined when leaving the diagnosis and prognosis to the physician.
Thanks to Dr. Nancy of MSNBC-TV for making me aware of this word.
Photo Credit: Stockphoto.com
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