Simple.. only read this blog.. :) (Just kidding)
I often see patients who tell me about crazy stuff they've read on the internet and I wonder where they are getting their health information from.
Anyone can write anything they want on the internet.. there are tons of sites that claim whatever they want.
So how to know what's real?
First look at established, reliable sites. I recommend these:
http://emedicine.medscape.com/ - this is for medical professionals but a very good site
http://www.webmd.com/ - great site for laypeople
http://www.aap.org/ American Academy of Pediatrics
http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home.html American Academy of Family Physicians
When you google a topic and look at a random site you should look at a few things to decide if it's legit.
1. Is the site trying to sell you something? If you are going to give me all sorts of medical advice and tell me all about how great your supplement is or your special device to cure cancer I don't believe your medical advice!!
2. Who wrote the information? What are their credentials? Remember that anyone can say they are a doctor or a nurse.. I promise I really am a nurse practitioner. :)
3. Does it say claim to have some secret knowledge that doctors just dont want you to know? I have news for you. There is no secret knowledge that doctors just don't want you to know.
4. Can you find the same information on more than one site? It is more likely to be accurate if you read the same thing on many sites.
5. When in doubt, verify the information with your health care professional. If they tell you what you read is crazy, it probably is.
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I often see patients who tell me about crazy stuff they've read on the internet and I wonder where they are getting their health information from.
Anyone can write anything they want on the internet.. there are tons of sites that claim whatever they want.
So how to know what's real?
First look at established, reliable sites. I recommend these:
http://emedicine.medscape.com/ - this is for medical professionals but a very good site
http://www.webmd.com/ - great site for laypeople
http://www.aap.org/ American Academy of Pediatrics
http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home.html American Academy of Family Physicians
When you google a topic and look at a random site you should look at a few things to decide if it's legit.
1. Is the site trying to sell you something? If you are going to give me all sorts of medical advice and tell me all about how great your supplement is or your special device to cure cancer I don't believe your medical advice!!
2. Who wrote the information? What are their credentials? Remember that anyone can say they are a doctor or a nurse.. I promise I really am a nurse practitioner. :)
3. Does it say claim to have some secret knowledge that doctors just dont want you to know? I have news for you. There is no secret knowledge that doctors just don't want you to know.
4. Can you find the same information on more than one site? It is more likely to be accurate if you read the same thing on many sites.
5. When in doubt, verify the information with your health care professional. If they tell you what you read is crazy, it probably is.
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