How to Find Health Information Online
I am not a doctor and I don’t play one on tv, but through the years I have been able to locate some useful resources and tools to obtain more information about specific medical and health conditions, symptoms, or diseases. Whether you are looking for vitamin c serum for face or even skin and beauty products online. you have to know and research.
I have even been able to find a comprehensive resources for all those prescription medications that seem to be growing by leaps and bounds. These days you cannot seem to watch a television program without seeing a commercial about some type of prescription drug. Additionally, now that the baby boomers are rising in numbers and health issues are becoming more of a concern, I thought that a summary of some of the health websites on the internet would be well appreciated. To that end, here is a summary of some of the health and medical resources that I have found.
MayoClinic.com – This site is all about “Tools for Healthier Living”. They have a neat tool called the Symptom Checker which allows you to answer questions about your symptoms. It will then list the possible diseases or conditions that relate to your symptoms. The MayoClinic.com website has a number of tools from a BMI Calculator to a Heart Disease Risk Calculator. There is also an Ask the Specialist tool that provides answers from doctors about a wide variety of health topics.
WebMd.com – This is a comprehensive website that offers specific sections for women’s, men’s, and children’s health. The latest health news articles are available on WebMd.com as well as interactive check-ups. The site contains links to blogs, message boards, and the “ask the experts” area.
eMedicineHealth.com – eMedicineHealth.com focuses on emergency and first aid care. The site provides information to help prepare you in case of a medical emergency, first aid that is basic in nature, and minor medical conditions and injuries. Examples of areas included are heat exhaustion, animal bites, food poisoning, and choking plus many many more. There is also lifestyle and wellness articles as well as some of the latest health news article on the eMedicineHealth.com website.
RxList.com – RxList.com claims to be “The Internet Drug Index”. This site provides the clinical pharmacology of the drug, its indications, dosage, side effects, drug interactions, warnings and precautions, overdose, and patient information. RxList.com also provides the generic names of drugs for brand name drugs.
Cancer.gov – This is the National Cancer Institute’s website. It contains information on all types of cancer, cancer statistics, and research and funding to name just a few areas that this comprehensive cancer site covers. Clinical trial information is available on this site as well. You can choose the type of cancer you have and the stage it is in, and the site will list where the clinical trials are being held for the type and stage of cancer that you may have. Cancer.gov also has a live help online chat.
FamilyDoctor.org – This site is for the entire family. It has an Over-The-Counter (OTC) medication guide as well as a Senior’s section. FamilyDoctor.org also provides a daily health tip and contains a section for Parents and Kids. The Smart Patient Guide section offers articles on how to choose your family doctor, the importance of keeping a health journal, and tips on talking to your doctor.
Healthfinder.gov – The US Department of Health and Human Services HealthFinder.gov website claims to offer a “guide to reliable health information”. The highlights of this website include a health library and consumer guides. The site also contains feeds for up to date and recent health news articles.
KidsHealth.org – This website claims to have doctor-approved health information for children from birth to adolescent. The site has separate areas for kids, teens, and parents, specifically set up for the individual needs and understanding level of each of those groups. There are articles, animations, games, and many other resources on this site. All content on KidsHealth.org is reviewed every 1-3 years or more frequently if warranted.
Well there you have it. My goal was to provide a comprehensive and diverse resource listing of health information and I hope I accomplished that.
Please note that many of these sites offer a disclaimer that they do not provide medical advice, treatment, or diagnosis, so the ultimate decision on how you use these sites is up to you. However, the information on some of these sites may just help you clear up some of the mystery of the medical jargon your doctor uses with you or it may help you better understand the prescription medication your doctor just prescribed for you.