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We all know that we should be honest with our
doctors. How can doctors help if they don't know what
is really going on? We all know this, but truth be
told, we are not always honest. Bob Dole may be willing
to discuss his ED troubles on national TV, but few people are as forthcoming in discussing health
issues they find embarrassing, whether they be panic
attacks or acne. But by not talking to our doctors, we
limit our ability to take charge of and improve our
own health. With the advent of the Internet,
gathering data and advice on a myriad of health conditions
is easier and faster than ever before. You may remain
as anonymous as you want while you research, so
you can find the answers to questions you should
(but might never) ask your doctor. That knowledge
can make approaching doctors less awkward and more productive.
The Internet has made the somewhat mysterious world of health and medicine much more
accessible to the lay person. You do, of course, have to go
to the doctor for advice, procedures and
prescriptions, no matter how much information you gather
(they don't, and shouldn't, hand out Viagra like
candy). Odds are, however, that if you have a health
question, someone else has had the same question
and posted the answer somewhere on the Web. Consumer health information allows us to become
more knowledgeable about a condition, diagnosis, or
medication and can help compensate for doctors who
may not have sufficient time to explain as much as
you would like. The Internet enables you to learn
more about a medical topic and so make a more
informed decision on your health care choices.
Note that even with all the medical information
on the Internet, an equal or greater amount of
misinformation also exists out there in cyberspace. Before
you celebrate or panic in reaction to information
you find, consider the source of that information. Be
wary of any site that is trying to sell you a particular
point of view. They may have an axe to grind or be
trying to sell you a fix-all product. If the site authors
offer medical advice, make sure the person providing
the information has medical training. Anecdotal
information can be interesting, but it is just that:
anecdotal. What works for one person may not even apply
to you. Above all, discuss any changes you plan on making with your doctor. Internet medical
information will allow you to approach your doctor
armed with more information and understanding of
your complaint. So, you can ask more relevant,
specific questions and make the most of the help and
advice available to you. Internet information cannot,
however, replace a doctor's care.
Depending on what information you are looking for, a number of web sites may be useful for
collecting initial information. If you need a general
overview, focus your search on "consumer" or
"patient" information. A good starting point is the Health
section of the web site for the National Institute
of Health (www.nih.gov/health). The site provides
access to a number of different research options.
The Full-text Consumer Health Publications, under
the Publications section on the main Health page,
links to over 150 of the most requested NIH
publications. In general, these articles have good, clear
information, written without an excess of medical
terminology or gratuitous Latin. Many topics also
include links to associations and institutes dedicated to
the subject matter.
You may also access MEDLINEplus, listed under Other Resources, from the NIH Health
page. MEDLINEplus provides a list of links, both
government and nongovernment, selected by the
National Library of Medicine on variety of health topics.
Topics are easy to find as they are arranged
alphabetically. If you do not see what you need, you can
also search all of MEDLINEplus. Like Full-text Consumer Health Publications, MEDLINEplus also
links to organizations focussing on particular subjects.
Be careful not to confuse MEDLINEplus with the MEDLINE database. The MEDLINE database
is accessible through a number of different sites,
including www.nih.gov via PubMed and Grateful Med. This database is a comprehensive listing of
citations, abstracts, and some articles that have been
published in medical journals. MEDLINE is geared
toward medical professionals and researchers. If your
research does get to such an in-depth level, note
that MEDLINE only has full-text articles online for a
select number of journals. To receive actual copies
of other articles (not just the citation and abstract),
you will have to look up the journal in a medical
library, or pay a fee to a document delivery service to do
it for you.
If you are less interested in medical fact and
more interested in moral support, consider joining the
conversation in some of the support groups. Many
associations have their own support groups and information lines. For a quick list of related
associations, go to www.healthfinder.org, a service of the
US Department of Health and Human Services, and enter your search term. Healthfinder will give you
links to the web, and to organizations specializing in
that subject. An American flag icon next to a result
indicates that it is a government resource. If you want
a direct path to a support group, check out
Mediconsult (www.mediconsult.com). They have groups on
topics varying from smoking cessation to depression to
erectile dysfunction.
Participating in a support group may inspire you
to discuss possible changes in your health regime
with your doctor. When prescription drugs may help
with the problem, you may want to check out the MicroMedex database. MicroMedex
provides straightforward and extensive information on
prescription drugs, including side effects and contraindications. Health Oasis, part of the
famous Mayo Clinic of Rochester, Minnesota (www.mayohealth.org) allows free access to this
database. Simply enter your prescription name (generic
or brand name) in the search box on the home page.
The list of articles returned will include the
MicroMedex references.
The Internet is gaining more and more
prominence in the dissemination of health information.
Consumers and health care providers alike are seeing the
benefits of quick access to comprehensive information.
Consumers are better informed as a result, and so
have more control over their health care, and
ultimately, over their quality of life. Just remember: don't
believe everything you read.
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