Annals of family medicine
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Annals of family medicine · Sep 2019
Why Physician Guidance Matters: A Night of Neuralgia, Meningitis, and WebMD.
During a night of severe pain and weakness, I found several plausible-sounding diagnoses online: occipital neuralgia, nerve damage, and meningitis. The next day, I consulted a physician who did not offer professional guidance; instead the physician suggested tests entirely based on my self-diagnoses. ⋯ Although my symptoms disappeared on their own, I was left feeling mistrustful of my physician and ultimately stressed and anxious. Against the backdrop of my experience, I highlight the potential harms of Internet-based self-diagnoses and the importance of collaboration and trust in the patient-physician relationship.