It may start with a simple Google search. You’re concerned about a symptom, so you turn to the internet to find out what it could be. And according to your results, it’s either something simple or something really terrible. You soon fear it’s the scary one, because you can find plenty of articles, podcasts and message board posts from people who have it.
Soon, your social media feeds are full of people with the same symptom and the same awful diagnosis. But they found something that worked for them—a certain diet or supplement or wellness coach—that they promise your doctor will not tell you about.
Before you assume the worst or pull out your credit card, take a pause and consider making an appointment with your healthcare provider.
“A deep dive on a diagnosis you don’t have or going down a rabbit hole can cause problems,” says UNC Health family medicine doctor Erica Pettigrew, MD, JD, MPH. “People come to me terrified and anxious or having shelled out a bunch of money, and I wish they’d come to me earlier with questions.”
There’s more health information online than ever before, and some of it is inaccurate or downright dangerous. It can be overwhelming to navigate, especially when you’re concerned about your health. Dr. Pettigrew shares some questions to consider as you scroll.
1. Who is the source of the information?
On the internet, information created and reviewed by medical professionals appears alongside content created by people who don’t have any specialized health knowledge or expertise.
“Anyone can post anything, so your first question should always be, who is writing this, or who is appearing in this video?” Dr. Pettigrew says. “Check their expertise and credentials—education, training, career path.”
For some concerns, a person’s lived experience can be considered—maybe you’ve connected with a person online who has the same condition as you, or you’re both parents to children with similar diagnoses. While their tips may be helpful, it’s important to remember that they can only speak to what worked for them rather than what has been shown to work for many people.
If it’s difficult to tell who is responsible for the information and what their credentials are, that may be a sign that the information is not accurate or trustworthy.
2. Does the source benefit financially from their content?
Unfortunately, there are even physicians putting out inaccurate or unhelpful medical information, Dr. Pettigrew says, so the next question is to ask if the creator of the content is trying to make money.
“If they’re selling something that they’re going to financially benefit from, then you need to take the information with a big grain of salt,” Dr. Pettigrew says. “It’s a red flag to me when a doctor wants you to buy something directly from them.”
That’s especially true if they don’t even see you for an evaluation before trying to sell you a product. While you may see doctors on social media encouraging you to make an appointment, that’s different from telling you it’s safe to take a supplement or undergo a treatment without reviewing your history.
“The supplement industry is unregulated, and you don’t know what you’re getting,” Dr. Pettigrew says. “These aren’t studied the way prescription medications are, so we can’t always say what the harms will be, what the interactions with other medications will be, or if it even works. It may not even contain the ingredients it says it does.”
When you encounter social media personalities, remember that they may be paid to promote products. They may also be incentivized to create content with outlandish claims that draw more viewers, because the larger their following, the more money they can make. That’s why the next question is so important.
3. Is anyone else talking about this?
It’s thrilling to think you may have found a secret shortcut to great health or a miracle cure that no one else has found. Unfortunately, products, services or people that make such big promises and broad claims can’t deliver.
“Be wary of things that are too good to be true, such as medications or treatments that purport to completely cure cancer or joint pain,” Dr. Pettigrew says. “If someone making a claim is in a very small minority of people, take a pause.”
Your doctor’s advice and recommendations are based on your specific history and medical evidence—research and studies that evaluate a drug or treatment in a rigorous way so that benefits and risks are well understood. If only a few people have had promising results with a treatment, or if only a few people seem to have certain health information or insights, that’s a red flag.
“See if there’s any evidence,” Dr. Pettigrew says. “If there are only a few people who are suggesting things, and they’re on the corners of the internet, and it’s contrary to conventional wisdom, then I think you should talk it through with a trusted healthcare provider.”
Some websites or influencers may draw you in by making a claim like, “Your doctor doesn’t know about this!” but rest assured, your provider is regularly evaluating information that could potentially improve your health.
“To hold a medical license, I have to do continuing medical education every year,” Dr. Pettigrew says. “We are always looking at the latest evidence-based research, reading journal articles, going to conferences and webinars. It’s a way to ensure that physicians are staying on top of things in the medical community.”
4. What does your healthcare provider say?
What does a certain symptom mean? Should you take a different medicine? Is it safe to try a new treatment? While there may be some good articles on these topics online, and while it can be interesting to hear someone’s experience, no one on the internet can tell you for sure what is right for you. Your healthcare provider is the one who can order tests, review results and help you navigate your specific situation.
They can also help you understand information you may have seen online and whether it’s accurate, up-to-date or relevant to you.
“I want to understand what patients are reading or seeing, consider the information, and talk it through,” Dr. Pettigrew says. “I will explain what I know and say when something is new to me. If a patient shows me a product I’ve never heard of before, we might look at how the product was studied. For new information, I will look into it. I might run something by my colleagues or look at what trusted medical sources have to say.”
Your healthcare provider can also help you find sources of online health information or communities that are appropriate for your situation or diagnosis.
“If you have a new diagnosis, ask your provider about trusted online sources,” Dr. Pettigrew says. “There is a lot of great information out there—resources, programs and support groups—so I’m not suggesting you should never go online, but lean on your trusted healthcare providers, people you hopefully have built a relationship with and have been getting medical care from for years.”
Questions about health information you saw online? Talk to your doctor. If you need a doctor, find one near you.