Consulting Dr. Google

We all know by now that the internet is a double edged sword. There’s rarely a day that goes by when a patient doesn’t ask me about a supplement or medication or other treatment that they have found by consulting Dr. Google or even heard about on the radio. Patients like to provide me with “protocols” that they have found online that they believe might be applicable to them. While sometimes it is an appropriate treatment, the majority of time it’s not.

It’s certainly good to do your own research and to learn about a condition that you may have, but you must consider the source of the information that you find. If a source of information is a personal blog comment or from a chat thread, it’s not likely a reputable source or one you should follow.

Please do not confuse your Google search with your doctor’s medical degree.