More than a quarter of Britons regularly diagnose themselves by going online — indeed many now Google their symptoms before consulting a GP or pharmacist, according to a recent survey.
‘We live in a digital world and young people in particular regard it as the norm,’ says Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, chair of the Royal College of GPs.
‘But the problem with Googling your symptoms is that the results are only going to reflect the information you put in — and not the bigger picture, what else is going on in your life, your medical history, and so on.