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Doctors Seeing a Rise In "Google-itis"

Posted by samzenpus on from the sounds-like-rickets-to-me dept.

It's one of the fastest-growing health issues that doctors now face: "Google-itis." Everyone from concerned mothers to businessmen on their lunch break are typing in symptoms and coming up with rare diseases or just plain wrong information. Many doctors are bringing computers into examination rooms now so they can search along with patients to alleviate their fears. "I'm not looking for a relationship where the patient accepts my word as the gospel truth," says Dr. James Valek. "I just feel the Internet brings so much misinformation to the (exam) room that we have to fight through all that before we can get to the problem at hand."

12 of 368 comments (clear)

  1. Hypochondria? by idontgno · · Score: 5, Funny

    There's an app for that!

    --
    Welcome to the Panopticon. Used to be a prison, now it's your home.
    1. Re:Hypochondria? by Pax681 · · Score: 5, Funny

      What kind of joke is that?

      They omitted the sexual organs on a naked medical illustration?

      Pitiful.

      ah i think i might be able to assist you in understanding apples stance on that my friends

      the only prick allowed on Apple.com is Steve Jobs :P

    2. Re:Hypochondria? by Intron · · Score: 2, Funny

      I used to have H. Ross Perot coming into my house and showing me pie charts on outsourcing. You're right, it's very painful.

      Oh, wait. You're talking about some other EDS.

      --
      Intron: the portion of DNA which expresses nothing useful.
    3. Re:Hypochondria? by The+Archon+V2.0 · · Score: 2, Funny

      I used to have H. Ross Perot coming into my house and showing me pie charts on outsourcing. You're right, it's very painful.

      Oh, wait. You're talking about some other EDS.

      Yeah, and the disease changes over time. When I was there the symptoms of EDS* were depression, loss of appetite, unwillingness to wake up in the morning, disrupted sleep schedules, deep-seated hatred of people in power, and sudden joblessness after making an expensive insurance claim.

      * Also known as "Brown, Dick syndrome" due to how the CEO's name appeared in your inbox on his regular self-congratulatory newsletters to everyone in the company with an @eds.com e-mail address.

      Some bitterness can remain even years after other EDS symptoms vanish.

    4. Re:Hypochondria? by Monolith1 · · Score: 2, Funny

      she can still touch her toes with out bending her knees and join her hands behind her back (one over the shoulder, one under).

      I wish my wife was that flexible

  2. Bing and decide... by Dracos · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...which disease you have.

  3. What?! by jo_ham · · Score: 3, Funny

    You mean I don't have Ebala?

    No, sir, you googled a typo.

    I'm sure I have it! Typos are one of the symptoms!

  4. You have to be a real moron by Tony+Stark · · Score: 4, Funny

    Google obviously isn't the best place to get medical information, these people are twits. If you watch all the past seasons of House you'll figure out what's wrong with you. (hint: it's not lupus.)

  5. Reginald Barclay by Itninja · · Score: 4, Funny

    A stinging sensation in the lower spine. It's Terellian Death Syndrome, isn't it?
    We agreed you'd come to me before checking the medical database.
    Well, this time I'm glad I did. Maybe we can stop the cellular decay before it's too late.
    Reg, you don't have Terellian Death Syndrome.
    - You're sure?
    - I'm sure.
    Then maybe it is Symbalene Blood Burn.
    No. I don't see anything wrong at all. Wait a minute. There is a slight imbalance in your K-3 cell count.
    My K-3s? No!
    Barclay, I'm sure it's nothing.

    --
    I judt got a nre Kinesis keybiartf so please excusr ant egregiou typos.
    1. Re:Reginald Barclay by The+MAZZTer · · Score: 2, Funny

      Didn't everyone in the crew go on to mutate later in that episode? Yeah, I'm sure it was nothing.

  6. Re:Google-itis by bunratty · · Score: 4, Funny

    Malamanteaus are the latest Internet fad. Haven't you heard?

    --
    What a fool believes, he sees, no wise man has the power to reason away.
  7. Re:Google-itis by BForrester · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...when I first saw it my brain was pretty sure it said "google-tits", which is probably an even more common problem...

    Depends on how you define "problem"

    TFA: [The problem affects] "everyone from concerned mothers to businessmen on their lunch break..."

    Problem.