medical advice

Be Careful Who You Take Medical Advice from Online

These days everyone is an expert and they are quick to attempt to show the world just how much the know, but in reality they aren’t qualified to provide the advice they are offering up.

There are no regulations in terms of fact checking online. Anyone can post anything. Anyone can upload a YouTube video that proclaims the Earth to be a flat triangle. Sadly, there will always be some people that believe if they see it on the internet it must be true.

While some topics are harmless, some, like health and medicine for example, are topics that you really need to only discuss with true professionals. The internet is a massive place, and there is a lot of information at our fingertips.

I’m not here to debate silly topics, but when it comes to medical advice you need to only seek the opinion and advice from doctors and professionals. Here is why.

Credentials are Mandatory

When you are searching for information online there is no way of knowing who is behind the information. Is it a real-life medical professional or some random person in his or her basement that for some crazy reason feels that they are qualified to provide medical advice?

Only seek answers from doctors and professionals that you know in real life. You have to be able to verify their credentials. Would you let some random stranger diagnose you in the street? Of course not, and it’s essentially the same thing if you are taking advice online.

There are several organizations like the American Medical Association, and they have certain rules and ethics that must be followed. Make sure the person giving you advice is qualified.

check your doctors medical credentials

Unqualified Information Providers are Asking for a Lawsuit

Imagine if someone provided medical advice that was totally wrong and the person ended up experiencing ill effects or even death? That is a medical malpractice lawsuit just waiting to happen.

Then what? A large lawsuit victory still isn’t going to correct what went wrong. When it comes to health and medical advice the decisions we make impact our lives and quality of living. You cannot simply just trust anyone. The majority of information online is not accurate. It’s vital that you understand that.

Your Health Deserves Accurate Information

We all have unlimited potential in life, so wouldn’t it be horrible if that was derailed because someone unqualified provided the wrong advice and it was sadly followed? A lot of people think that the internet can be trusted because a website might look legit.

Just because a Google search is convenient that doesn’t make it the right choice. If you are looking for recommendations for a local steak restaurant then yes, Google is fine. But, if you have a question related to your health then Google isn’t the best option. Always seek professional advice and go in and see your doctor if you have questions. We all pay high health insurance premiums, so take advantage of the care available to you. Don’t let laziness be the cause of something horrible.

Jack is a world traveler who loves to go on adventures when he is not blogging or taking care of his three grandkids.

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