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Hi, I don't argue anymore with people who "well, actually..." any tweets about how internet health advice can be more helpful than doctors.
Here's why
Here's why
I know, from a whole lot of data points, that many people who look for health advice online are doing that *because* they haven't been able to get help from doctors.
And this is especially true for people who end up in NEISVoid.
And this is especially true for people who end up in NEISVoid.
Why can't people get help from doctors?
Mostly, this is an access issue (can't afford the appt or can't get to the doctor for various reasons) or it's a medical bias issue (this category is enormous).
Mostly, this is an access issue (can't afford the appt or can't get to the doctor for various reasons) or it's a medical bias issue (this category is enormous).
If it's medical bias, then the person seeking help has probably brought the specific issue they're seeking help with to a doc, often many times.
The doc may have declined to offer meaningful help, due to [race, gender, youth, weight, mental health, etc] implicitly or explicitly.
The doc may have declined to offer meaningful help, due to [race, gender, youth, weight, mental health, etc] implicitly or explicitly.
And, I can tell you with a lot of confidence that being dismissed by doctors is a normal part of chronic illness diagnosis.
It's so normal, in fact, that it's completely ludicrous to assume that a doctor is correct when they tell you you've got nothing to worry about.
It's so normal, in fact, that it's completely ludicrous to assume that a doctor is correct when they tell you you've got nothing to worry about.
Obviously, lab work is necessary for some diagnoses. The internet is not a substitute for labwork.
But if your doctor won't order labwork or you can't afford it, that point is irrelevant.
But if your doctor won't order labwork or you can't afford it, that point is irrelevant.
Many other diagnoses don't exactly require labwork because they're based on patient self-reporting & clinical evaluation.
BUT! Many of those conditions require ruling out other (labwork-based) diagnoses so it is still preferable to see a doctor.
(But uh, see previous tweet.)
BUT! Many of those conditions require ruling out other (labwork-based) diagnoses so it is still preferable to see a doctor.
(But uh, see previous tweet.)
When people turn to the internet for advice, it's because they WANT HELP THAT THEY AREN'T GETTING!
What kind of help is that?
- at-home management of symptoms docs won't investigate or treat
- better language for describing symptoms
- healthcare literacy re: pathways to care
What kind of help is that?
- at-home management of symptoms docs won't investigate or treat
- better language for describing symptoms
- healthcare literacy re: pathways to care
Are there risks to online advice? Yes, of course there are!
You might settle on the wrong explanation for your symptoms, you might try a management tool that isn't safe for your body, and you might miss the real explanation for what's going on.
You might settle on the wrong explanation for your symptoms, you might try a management tool that isn't safe for your body, and you might miss the real explanation for what's going on.
Are there risks to relying only on your doctor for advice? Also yes!
You might cause irreparable harm to your body by ignoring warning signs because your doc says they don't mean anything. You might miss major med side effects that your doc is unaware of.
You might cause irreparable harm to your body by ignoring warning signs because your doc says they don't mean anything. You might miss major med side effects that your doc is unaware of.
On top of all that, seeing dismissive or hostile docs can be actively traumatic.
A lot of people are balancing the risk of another traumatic medical encounter against the risks of getting bad online advice.
A lot of people are balancing the risk of another traumatic medical encounter against the risks of getting bad online advice.
Anyway, in this context, both going to the doctor and turning to the internet for advice carry real risks for your future health.
So you have to be discerning. But you have to be just as discerning with what your doctor says as you do with what the internet says. That sucks.
So you have to be discerning. But you have to be just as discerning with what your doctor says as you do with what the internet says. That sucks.
Here are some cautionary tales about relying on doctors: https://twitter.com/bennessb/status/1134508460022910981?s=19
Here are some stories about how typical it is to live with undiagnosed symptoms for quite a while: https://twitter.com/bennessb/status/1129772095808909312?s=19
