If you’re feeling under the weather and tempted to reach for your phone to search your symptoms… you might want to think twice.
Google can be useful for basic health information, but searching for every ache, rash, or unusual symptom can quickly turn into a stressful guessing game.
Also see: 10 Everyday questions you should ask your pharmacist (instead of Dr Google)
One minute you are looking up a headache. The next, you are convinced you have a rare condition you have never even heard of!
Here is an idea of a list of searches that should not make it to your keyboard.
Searching every symptom combination
A headache on its own can have many possible explanations. Add nausea, tiredness or sensitivity to light, and suddenly the search results can look much more alarming.
The problem is that online searches do not know your medical history, age, medications or what else may be happening in your body. That makes it easy to mistake a list of possible causes for a diagnosis.
Searches about serious diseases
Searching for symptoms of conditions such as cancer, heart disease or neurological disorders can be particularly frightening.
Many serious illnesses share symptoms with much more common conditions. Fatigue, headaches, stomach problems and changes in appetite, for example, can have numerous possible causes.
Seeing a serious condition appear in your search results does not mean you have it.
If a symptom is persistent, severe, or worrying you, speaking to a healthcare professional is a much better starting point than trying to diagnose yourself online.
Also see: From Temu to Big Brother: South Africa’s Top Google Searches of 2025
Searches leading to worst-case scenarios
One of the biggest problems with symptom searching is how quickly it can escalate.
You might start with a simple question such as, “Why does my stomach hurt?” Soon, you are reading about rare complications and frightening medical conditions.
Because online information often highlights a wide range of possibilities, it can be difficult to know what is actually relevant to you. If you are already anxious about your health, this can make the situation even more stressful.
What you can search instead
That does not mean you should never use Google when you are sick.
Try searching for reliable information about a symptom rather than trying to diagnose yourself.
Look for information from reputable hospitals, government health departments, recognised medical organisations and established healthcare providers.
You can also use online searches to prepare questions for your doctor or learn more about a diagnosis you have already received.
The key is knowing where information ends and medical advice begins.
When it’s time to get help
Some symptoms should not be dealt with through an internet search at all.
If you experience severe or rapidly worsening symptoms, difficulty breathing, chest pain, loss of consciousness or another medical emergency, seek urgent medical care rather than waiting for Google to tell you what might be wrong.
For less urgent concerns, make an appointment with a healthcare professional if symptoms persist, keep returning or are affecting your everyday life.
Google can help you find information. It should not replace someone qualified to assess what is actually happening with your health.
Also see: The most Googled questions about masturbation from a sex expert
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