Doc-talk: Consult the doctor first, before Googling, says Dr. Sainath, Oncologist of Star Hospitals

Speaking to Telangana Today, senior consultant and Head-Medical Oncologist at Star Hospitals, Dr. Sainath Bhethanabhotla, said patients tend to search their symptoms, rather than their disease or learning about the root-cause of the problem.

Hyderabad: You wake up in the morning to a mild headache, or acidity. Though you might be complacent at first, if the symptoms do persist through the day even after your home-medication, you end up Googling your symptoms.

However, the Dr.Google online self-diagnosis, more often than not produce alarming results. In reality, the headache might be due to being constantly glued to your screen, while, the indigestion might be the result of giving in to your midnight-cravings.

---

Speaking to Telangana Today, senior consultant and Head-Medical Oncologist at Star Hospitals, Dr. Sainath Bhethanabhotla, said patients tend to search their symptoms, rather than their disease or learning about the root-cause of the problem.

“While you might have a cough and you search the same, Google might say you have Asthma. Cough is a symptom for several illnesses, therefore when you are trying to Google your symptom you’re trying to diagnose an illness you do not have the skillset for,” said Dr. Sainath.

Without an understanding of the illness, patients tend to rely highly upon the search-engine, which does not have a cap. “There is no filtering of data, either by percentages or symptoms online and the results are generalized that leaves the patients anxious,” he said.

Besides the symptoms, patients tend to search about the prescribed medicines and their side-effects which lead to confusion, said the doctor. “All prescribed drugs contain side-effects, but those depend upon the dose and duration given to you. Medicines are prescribed when the benefits outweigh the risks,” he added.

About the drug repositioning concept, the doctor explains that some medicines can be used for multi-purposes. “Some of the Antipsychotic drugs also have a very good effect on appetite and prevention of vomiting. Therefore, we also use those medicines in some of the cancer patients to control severe vomiting and appetite stimulation during Chemotherapy,” he said.

What is the right way?

Dr. Sainath points out that relying on a professional for information is the better way, than depending upon a machine-runned search engine. However, as the tendency to Google cannot be controlled, learning to search the right way has become extremely significant.

Talking about the right questions to ask the doctor, Dr. Sainath suggests,

• Is the illness curable or controlled?
• What are the chances with the suggested medication?
• What are the potential side-effects?
• Is there any alternative for the suggested treatment?
• What are the consequences of not undergoing the treatment?

However, to read upon the illness, after consultation, one can look up peer-based authorised medical websites such as Uptodate, medscape, NIH and ICMR, the doctor suggests, but not before your consultation, he asserts.