More and more Americans are heading to the worldwide web to get their health questions answered and to diagnose the symptoms they are experiencing.
According to a recent study conducted by RegisteredNursing.org, here in Nevada, the most Googled health related question between February 2022 and February 2023 was: “What is RSV?” The study also revealed the most searched health-related question in Las Vegas, which was: “What are the most common allergy symptoms?”
I know that as we all age, we tend to have more and more questions about our physical health, our diet, which types of exercise are best for us, and even our mental health. However, before we head to the doctor’s office, we are picking up our smart phones or opening our laptops and asking these questions on internet search engines. Well, it is a heck of a lot cheaper than heading to the doctor’s office or to urgent care to get answers to our questions.
The study also shows that more of us are self-diagnosing based on the symptoms we are experiencing and the information we are finding on the web. I know I am guilty of that. I know my wife looks up a health-related question almost daily. It is actually a behavior she is trying to curb because it just scares the heck out of her. Many of those health websites will tell you that you could be suffering from illnesses as simple as the common cold, to having a form of cancer! It is practically impossible to correctly self-diagnose your symptoms. That is why doctors and nurses perform tests that can help determine your illness.
With all that in mind, here’s a list of the Top 8 health-related questions in the U.S.A. between February 2022 and February 2023 based on Google Search data. Have you Googled any of these recently?
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Larry Martino is the long-time Afternoon Drive personality on 96.3 KKLZ. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of Larry Martino and not necessarily those of Beasley Media Group, LLC.
4) Kidney Stones
I have had good friends who have had to deal with kidney stones, and the stories they tell me about the pain they go through were enough to scare me into drinking more than the recommeded 8 glasses of water a day. Small stones can pass without notice, but if they grow to be more than 5mm, they can be extremely painful, and may cause other symptoms such as blood in your urine, vomiting, or pain when urinating.
4) High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is sometimes known as “The Silent Killer” because there are not really any noticeable symptoms of hypertension in most people. However, the long-term effects of high blood pressure may result in more serious complications. I won’t go through those possibilities because that’s as scary as some of those health info websites that give you the worst case scenario. Suffice it to say, get your blood pressure checked often, and if it is high, consult a physician.
4) Heart Attack Symptoms
This is something I have been concerned about since I was a teenager. My father died from a massive heart attack when I was 14-years old, and ever since, anytime I feel a chest pain, that thought goes through my mind. When heart disease runs in your family like it does in mine, it is best to consult a physician, advise them of your family’s medical history, and follow their advice.
4) Concussion Symptoms
My best guess is that most of the people doing internet searches on concussions were parents who’s children play sports. When we were growing up back in the day, we called it “getting your bell rung.” But, the science of concussions has improved a great deal since then, and coaches should no longer be telling young athletes to “walk it off” or “cowboy up” and get back in the game.
4) Anxiety Symptoms
We have all been through a lot over the past three years with the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath. As things begin to return to normal, there is still a great deal of anxiety about getting COVID, getting back into the workforce, and of course, financial anxiety. That’s probably why this topic was searched so often.
3) ADHD Symptoms
Once again, it is a good bet that parents are the ones performing this search most often, although adults are known to suffer from ADHD as well. ADHD, or “attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,” affects less than 10% of children according to Wikipedia.com. However, when kids don’t pay attention in school or cannot focus long enough to finish their homework, parents may assume their child has ADHD, even if they do not. There is an entire series of tests that need to be performed in order to correctly diagnose ADHD.
2) Diabetes Symptoms
According to Wikipedia.com, as of 2019, it is estimated that approximately 463 million people around the world suffer from either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. Wikipedia.com goes on to point out that your family history has a great deal to do with being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Obesity, lack of exercise and genetics are the major risk factors which lead to suffering from Type 2 diabetes. Get your blood sugar levels checked during your annual physical and follow your physician’s advice.
1) Flu Symptoms
This is the biggie! Searches for flu symptoms almost doubled the number of searches for the number two health-related question in the survey. It’s no wonder, considering the early start to the flu season last autumn, the concerns over RSV, and dealing with the regular list of influenzas we have dealt with for years. And then there’s that COVID-19 thing that is still hanging over our heads. This will probably be the #1 most searched health-related topic in the coming year too.