Archives of
Yr. 2016-17
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LARYNX
for THE VOICE OF
RC CADUCEUS
submission : urshita28nshah@gmail.com
Curators: Rtr. Urshita Shah & Rtr. Romil Parikh
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These words of Winston Churchill hold true on the lines of organ donation. People are usually aware of blood donation, kidney donation, etc. Some also donate their entire body after death, but there’s also something called as skin donation, of which many people aren’t aware.
Three years ago, when my dad was in National Burn Center, with 37% burns, which came as an accident while fire fighting at Mont Blanc, Kemps Corner, Mumbai; I came to know about skin donation. He and his colleagues were injured and operated by Dr. Sunil Keswani at National Burn Center, Airoli. There I learnt about Cell culture Epithelial Auto graft (CEA). In CEA skin cells from the patient are taken to grow new skin cells in sheets in a laboratory. This hospital has a skin bank wherein skin is donated.
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Tribal Health Camp: A Charming Experience
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- Rtr. Ayushi Lalwani
2nd year MBBS, KJ Somaiya Medical College, Mumbai.
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SK Chaudhary tribal school of the Medha Village was visited by the volunteers from Rotaract Club of The Caduceus and Upasana Society on 23rd July, 2016. The volunteers came together from a variety of professional background, not limited merely to the medical field. There were volunteers from engineering, architecture and IT field. We conducted a general nutrition health assessment Camp, pairing it up with a dental screening camp and an awareness drive for adolescent girls on menstrual hygiene. Being one of the volunteers, I would like to share my personal experience with you.
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An aficionado of health camps, I had a fair idea of what to expect. However, the on-field experience for me was a first of its kind. The camp served students from nursery to grade 12. Some of the volunteers digitally captured our most engaging moments with the kids. We set up various stations in a vacant classroom provided to us, each for a specific task including Registration, Weight, Height, General Examination, Dental Examination, Haemoglobin Estimation and Deworming. Each station maintained independent records of all students.
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On account of our rotation policy, I was assigned to the anthropometry station for measuring height, and later switched to General Examination desk. The kids were scared at first, probably because we were all strangers to them. Putting our communication skills training to good use, we comforted them and engaged them in a conversation about their routine. The teachers of the school were very supportive in helping us build a rapport with the students.
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The menstrual hygiene campaign, conducted by one of the volunteers, aimed at spreading awareness among young women. We distributed free sanitary napkins to all the girls in the school to promote good hygienic practices among them. The school’s tree plantation drive was also aided by all volunteers.
I believe this initiative taken by RCCaduceus & Upasana really explores the important yet neglected medical issues of the younger generation. In my opinion, the camp certainly made a difference in the lives of those who cannot afford expensive medical care by multiplying the 2 hours spent by every volunteer. I am proud of how I could help so many families. In addition to the social experience, I found like-minded individuals whom I can learn so much from. Experiences like these are always encouraging for youngsters like us to step out into the world, and be the vehicles for change in our community.
Beauty with A Scar
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- Rtr. Prateek Mohapatra
IInd yr MBBS, Grant Govt. Medical College, Mumbai.
The Warmth of MITRA
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- Rtr. Priyal Mehta,
Ist Yr. MBBS, Grant Govt Medical College, Mumbai.
It was a dull greasy morning and the rains tore through the outcast sky. I stood there at the pedestal, the statue of Sir Jeejeebhoy staring down at me. The raindrops grew louder by the minute and the hospital seemed in a chaos. "Pretty normal", I sighed. I sent a quiet prayer to the heavens and proceeded on my way to the pediatric ward. I wasn't an enthusiastic member of an NGO nor had been to such an event before. I grouped with my colleagues on this seemingly ordinary day ,not knowing the change it held for me.
We were a bunch of first year students with few second year students at the helm; they were organizing the event. It involved tying friendship bands and distributing balloons to the little kids at the ward. The enthusiastic seniors guided us through the procedure. They divided us into groups and sent us to three different wards.
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I took the friendship bands and the balloons in my hand and followed my group. The children lay on their beds, twiddling with their time; the atmosphere as dull as it could get until 'PHUGA' shouted a young boy. Everyone in the ward turned their heads around to us.
I stood there speechless because what seemed like a dull gloomy place a minute ago, burst into life. We marched on from bed to bed talking with the kids and their parents about their plights. They welcomed us with joy - some were shy, some talkative, some had inhibitions at first but balloons usually broke the ice.
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I grinned as I watched the smiles creeping up their faces. I began talking and immersing myself in the joy. Talks were the same- asking the kids their name, age, about their friends and they would reply in the cutest manner. The discussions with the parents needed a more serious ones - asking them about their kids- what is he suffering through, how long has it been since they were in the hospital. The parents had an expression of helplessness , shrunken with poverty and misery on their face but looking at their kids smile- at that moment- their faces suddenly brightened up. The talks left smile on our faces - and that moment brought me a feeling of satisfaction, a feeling of worthiness - Bringing joy to others had never been so easy.
We were very engrossed in our tete-a-tete with our new found friends, so much so that we lost track of time. After what seemed like a a very short while, the seniors called out that our time in this wonderful little world had ended and that doctors needed to visit to take their routine afternoon rounds. Unwillingly, we all had to bid adieu to our little friends. The seniors thanked us for coming and I wondered that we should be the one thanking them for such a wonderful experience.
After leaving the ward, I didn't understand how to express in words what those 2 hours changed in me. There was sudden warmth that I felt within. Smiles had healed something within me. A vague gap was filled. I was happy. Actually, I was not expecting this overwhelming joy that had come to me. I am truly thankful for this opportunity.
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As a wise man would say - If you truly want to live, live like a kid :)
World Breastfeeding Week: Making A Difference.
- Rtr. Divya Menghrajani
IInd yr. MBBS, Grant Govt Medical College, Mumbai.
"The moment I put you on my chest, my world was complete. I knew i had fallen in love with your perfect heart shaped face and those beautiful brown eyes. Was this how Picasso felt when he would paint or Shakespeare when he played with words? Ever since that day, you are my pride." This is what my mother told me when I turned ten. It touched my heart the same way it brought tears to my mother's eyes. The strongest bond is what a mother and child share. Right from the time of conception, a child is a mother’s priority and not to mention, her responsibility. The act of birthing strengthens this bond further.
The breastfeeding campaign organised by the Rotaract Club of The Caduceus was not only to spread awareness about its importance to the mother but also its psychological impact on her & her child.
If asked what’s breast-feeding in a viva, I'll answer everything about colostrum and the immunoglobulins it contains. But is breastfeeding only a physiological process? Adding psychology to physiology, gives rise to emotions which are unspoken, something so special, so different, something that cannot be matched!
The benefits of breastfeeding were explained to the patients in the ANC OPD, ANC & PNC wards & NICU by us. Having given our first year exams we were a bunch of health-education enthusiasts yearning for interaction with patients, excitedly led by our seniors. All of us looked at the neonates similar to the way my mother looks at me every single day- the same kind of love, the same affection, the same compassion.
The entire time that the team was in the hospital we spoke to patients and their family members explaining to them the benefits of breastfeeding to both mother and child in their own language. We tried to simplify it as much as we could. Important points including "root reflex", "suckling reflex", "colostrum" weren't known to many. Some didn't know about "lactational amenorrhea" while some found the benefits to the mother a new concept. The most interesting case was of a patient who asked me about "copper T". Everything was explained to these young women with prior brushing up our knowledge about the topic. No one hesitated. At first it was a little difficult to explain but none of us gave up. And that's what it's all about I guess - Never giving up.
The whole reason why I wanted to be a doctor changed when I looked at those happy mothers. Bettering lives till today seemed to be my duty, but after I spoke to the first patient I realised that this is exactly what I want to do, this is what I'm cut out for. The satisfaction I felt cannot be explained in words. It's about making a difference. After each patient I talked to, I felt all the more satisfied. What compels me to become a doctor is that nothing can level to the warmth of being blessed with the task of making a difference in someone's life.
After this campaign the only question I ask myself is "How else can I be useful to others?" I am looking forward to many more volunteering opportunities in RC Caduceus! :)
It has been 167 thrilling days of the biggest sporting carnival the world has ever witnessed. Athletes from 209 countries going about their practice sessions day in and day out with complete determination, praying that their sweat and blood pays them rich dividends. But, in the other corner of the globe, this is a prelude to the hustle and bustle. It's the silence before a storm, a volcano about to erupt. Adding to the drama is the news of the biggest doping scandal in the history of sports. Talks of the Russian Government having sponsored this planned doping process of Rio-bound athletes is spreading like wildfire. Ultimately, a 500-odd strong Russian contingent, mighty medal contenders in almost every sport, is reduced to a meager 282.
Well then, what is DOPING? How has it left a deep scar on the beauty of sport? The answer lies within the unparalleled quest in gunning for fame, monetary benefits and of course legacy in the sporting history. It just doesn't matter if the competition won't be on an even playing field. It is the very success, after all, that matters the most, at all costs.
Doping refers to the use of performance -enhancement drugs, particularly anabolic steroids, to boost productivity on the field -this, of course, is ILLEGAL. Sports historians have found evidence of exogenous performance boosting substances right from the era of ancient Olympics. Use of steroids gained prominence in the late 19th and early 20th century, first in cycling and weightlifting, gradually seeping into other disciplines as well. The most commonly used performance enhancement drugs are the anabolic steroids. These are synthetically derived products of testosterone and other androgens. Athletes use them in high doses to exploit their anabolic effects on proteins, often forgetting their other potent effects on the body. To be more precise, the following side effects are seen due to excessive use of androstenedione:
1.] Men may develop-
-Prominent breasts
-Baldness
-Shrunken testicles
-Infertility
-Impotence
-Prostate gland hypertrophy
-Acne
-Oligospermia
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2.] Women may develop -
-A deeper voice
-An enlarged clitoris
-Increased body hair
-Baldness
-Amenorrhea
-Acne
-Masculinization, such as deepening of the voice and male-pattern baldness
3.] Both women and men may develop-
-Increased risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture
-Liver abnormalities and tumors
-Increased low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol ,Decreased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol
-Hypertension and other cardiovascular problems
-Aggressive behaviour, rage or violence
-Psychiatric disorders, such as depression
-Drug dependence
-Infections or diseases such as HIV or hepatitis if you're injecting the drugs
-Inhibited growth and development, and risk of future health problems in teenagers
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Erythropoietin, a protein catalyst produced by the juxtaglomerular apparatus of kidneys is also used as a performance stimulant, albeit in its synthetic form. As is known, this chemical compound stimulates the red bone marrow to increase the production of RBCs and Haemoglobin, in turn increasing the Oxygen carrying capacity of the blood. But athletes often fall prey to the life-threatening risks of thrombotic events, such as stroke, heart attack and pulmonary embolism. Other synthetic drugs used are Human Growth Hormone, derivatives of morphine, etc.
But, like there's a silver lining to every cloud, a sunshine after the troubled skies , there was the formulation of stringent World Anti-Doping Agency, along with the National Anti-Doping Agencies, which checks such illegal practices. Also, techniques like high-altitude simulation and hypoxic chambers are proving to be a boon for those sportspersons aiming to achieve glory by fair means.
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Doping might pave the way for quick success for many athletes. But the injustice meted out to the naturally trained athletes is disturbing and detrimental to the essence of sportsmanship. The athletes making illegal use of the above mentioned drugs are not only harming their own well-being but also tarnishing the image of sports.
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As Aristotle once said," At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; separated from law and justice he is the worst."
- SKIN BANK -
- Rtr. Shivani Mahendra Desai.
2nd Yr. MBBS, MIMER ,Pune.
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
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Skin grafting is very useful in burns, cosmetic surgery, etc. Healing is quick and the time for which the patient is in the hospital is also reduced. As the burn areas are prone to infections, a protective layer of skin is essential to cover the area. Skin can be harvested from both the legs, both the thighs and the back. There is no bleeding from the site as only 1/8th of the skin layer is removed. Skin collected can be transplanted to any patient irrespective of the person’s age, blood group and colour. Skin infections and some communicable diseases make the skin unfit for donation. Skin once harvested is processed at the skin bank and can be preserved for 5 years. No need of going to the hospital or registering, just call and the skin bank team will be present at your place. So when something so precise and simple can turn to be of immense value to someone, why not donate skin after death!
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The instrument used by the surgeon to remove the skin from the donor is called as dermatome. It is a battery operated instrument made exclusively for skin harvesting. It produces split thickness skin graft, which contains epidermis and a part of dermis. The dermis left behind at the donor site contains hair follicles and sebaceous glands, both of which contain epidermal cells which gradually proliferate regenerating new layer of skin. Till the healing takes place the donor site should be taken care of because of its increased susceptibility to infections. Skin grafting can also be done with the help of stem cells obtained from the bone marrow or the menstrual blood, which is still under research.
Humanities in Medicine
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- Rtr. Priyashree Desai
IInd yr MBBS, Seth GS Medical College, Mumbai.
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From the stone age to the nuclear age, the very science and technology that has brought enormous advances in curing diseases, relieving suffering and extending longevity has outstripped medicine's moral bearings. Thus we, medicos, have lost sight of the ideals that drew us to medicine itself.
In a country like India, according to ignorant, opinionated people, humanities and science are considered poles apart with higher prestige associated with science related fields like medicine. Now let's imagine a scenario: Mr.XYZ suffers from coronary heart disease and has been operated thrice in 7 years for the same. On discharge, the doctor ABC asked him the normal protocol of questions but did not bother to ask how his family was affected or how the endless operations have broken his spirit. So Mr.XYZ leaves the hospital healed in body but not in mind and spirit. Hence this erosion of the public's trust on doctors and the impersonal quality of doctor- patient relationships has called for an amalgamation of medicine and humanities .Yes, my friends ,you heard it right: medicine needs humanities to create individuals who are free from narrow-minded thoughts and who are compassionate.
We have always relied on humanities for a more complete view of what it means to be a human. But what is humanities? The word 'humanitas' was first used in Greece. It was and is associated with human feelings of empathy, sensitivity and understanding.The current scope of humanities encompasses social sciences, languages, history and philosophy, which makes it very different from quantitative & evidence based sciences. Medical practitioners were limited to upper-class white males while females and blacks were debarred from study of medicine in the 19th century. This injustice stirred the conscience of revolutionaries like William Osler and John Shaw Billings and the concept of medical humanities took roots.
Medical humanities covers a wide range of topics which are offered as courses in universities. Health communication comprises of topics like informed consent, brain death, physician's aid in dying, sex education and other awareness programmes. History of medicine is indispensable for understanding research, possibilities of mistakes, cultivation of humility and inspiring motivation for researchers. Applied health care ethics apprises us about conditions of research subjects, goals of health care, patient rights, abortion legalities, controversy of body enhancements and so on. Health economics studies the connection between health and the resources required to promote or safeguard it. Medical anthropology is the study of how health, illness are shaped and experienced in the light of global, historical and political forces. Sociology of mental illness reveals that mental disorders , the most solitary of afflictions to sufferers, is the most social of all maladies to the observers.
Professors in Stanford University have deemed that education in humanities is important in preparation of a career in medicine. It is a resounding truth that doctors today seem to view patients as just blood and bones, not as people and souls. They have forgotten the difference between disease as diagnosed by the doctor and illness, the discomfort felt by the patient. Merely a biological approach of treatment cannot address the various human phenomena , physicians encounter in daily practice. Patients often complain that physicians are more concerned with radiology reports before properly listening to them. In another scenario,the doctors fail to understand that the anti hypertensive medication does not change the causative environmental factors around the high BP patient. The physicians heal best when they listen or communicate with the patient and seek to understand the challenges faced by them in their lives- this is where a knowledge of cultures and religions can tide the doctor over a difficult case. Understanding humanities prevents the development of God-complex in doctors.After all, John Gregory once said "Of the physician's character, the chief quality is humanity, the sensibility of the heart to feel for it's fellow creatures. "
Health care is never carried out in isolation from economic, social and political realities of contemporary society. As the world becomes smaller and smaller due to scientific advancement, being doctors doesn't only mean prescribing medicine to cure disease. A modern-day doctor needs to understand the burning issues of today's medical world like health care for the poor, disparity of health care systems across various countries,ethical dilemmas during drug trials etc. Hence humanistic sciences are relevant when multiple people's perspectives on an issue are compiled together to answer social questions that cannot be adequately addressed by the boundaries of traditional Hippocrates' oath. Each person's perspective of medical ethics varies due to different cultures and societies. By the study of history, philosophy,religion,literature and languages, we have the unique opportunity to see the world through the eyes of others giving us a better appreciation of diversity. Some prominent examples of the same are programmes like the French 'doctors beyond boundaries', 'Rotaract Caduceus club' and many more.
Humanities challenge us to question our assumptions and make us realise the importance of means to achieve ends. We develop a new appreciation for other modes of thought and a meaningful relationship with our peers and patients. They also hone our skills of critical analysis and decision making.
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The augmenting importance of humanities in medicine has lead to organisation of courses, art exhibitions, live theatre and music festivals to inspire empathy for universal human issues by celebrated institutes like Mayo clinic, Baylor university and the others. When the John Hopkins Medical College was opened in 1893, it sought to educate both the mind and the heart.
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Thus in the nutshell, humanities provide students with the unique opportunity to consider the ethical and spiritual issues encountered in medicine, to explore the deepest meaning of health and healing, to embrace the sacred nature of a vocation in medicine and to 'dare to care.'
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"In the sick room, ten cents worth of understanding equals ten dollars of medical science"
-Martin Fischer.
The License To Fly
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- Rtr. Shivam Pandya
PGYr2, MS (Gen. Surgery), Grant Govt. Medical College, Mumbai.
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She was born, shorn of shine
At the time she seem'd, a joke from Divine
"Why, O, why us you thus blessed,
Were our lives any less messed?"
The knees on ground, her eyes at the sky
With wings of power, her license to fly.
Of three sisters, third she was
To only the tone deaf, heard she was
Dreams forbidden, paths downtrodden
And awaited her, the chores so sodden.
The knees on ground, her eyes at the sky
With wings of power, her license to fly.
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But little did they know, oh, so little they did
Of a fire, no water can douse; an empire no world can house
A will of iron, unmalleable; a belief so strong, unshakeable.
She decided to take on her fate
The knees on ground, her eyes at the sky
With wings of power, her license to fly.
And years later, on a grand world scale
She jumped higher, yes, the fire, than anyone
She ran more, yes, the iron core, than anyone
A golden shade she gave to her country's medal hue, erstwhile so pale.
The knees on ground, her eyes at the sky
With wings of power, her license to fly.
-Shivam'da'
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Code Blue
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- Rtr. Shriya Deshmukh
IInd Yr, MBBS, Grant Govt. Medical College, Mumbai.
Code Blue, second floor, room 220!
Code Blue, second floor, room 220!
Oh man, thinks the nurse on the second floor as she runs to the battle room. Jonita is a young lady fresh out of college. Of course, along with her copy of Gray’s Anatomy had come the other Gray’s Anatomy, ER and Scrubs. She’d watched code black in Gray’s Anatomy with interest and the Code Blues in ER. The handsome doctor, hair unruffled resuscitating the patient and the brilliant team calm in the face of adversity going about the procedure like a well-choreographed battle scene. The patient wakes up with the most glorious smile on his face (if he hasn’t been written out). She enters the room and realises that this, was going to be different.
It looked like battle alright, with half a dozen people already in the room. The patient in his late 60s, obese, is in complete cardiac arrest. There’s a nurse frantically going about CPR as another attaches the defibrillator, only to find dead batteries. In a panic, hands shaking, he inserts the new batteries. It’s finally charged, clear and shock! No response.
A doctor inserts a catheter into the patient’s arm, starting an IV. Drugs are now being pumped into the patient. “SHOCK!” No response.
“Someone check this man’s chart again!” cries Jonita, almost unheard.
“EPINEPHRINE!” calls, a stronger, louder voice.
The sense of urgency in the room is nail-biting. But they hold it together. They continue, as a team, to save the life of a man they know close to nothing about.
“Wait, this man is a no code! Stop all procedure!” A collective gasp. “Checking again, sorry, sorry. Wrong file, please continue.”
“Catheter!”
The brightly lit room only accentuates the look of hopelessness and exhaustion on their faces. Not another death; another life that couldn’t be saved. A lifetime of training and all for what? To watch another man die?
No. It couldn’t be.
Now there are drugs being pushed in faster than ever!!
Shock again. No response. Compression.
Shock. Drugs. Compression. Shock. Drugs.
Gloved hands move swiftly and professionally, sure of their role in the whole procedure. This goes on for around 20-30 minutes before they realise it’s fruitless. The bedsheet is now pulled up to cover the patient, who looks more broken than ever and someone is sent to contact the relatives. A sharp silence as deadly as it is crushing follows as the final verdict passes. Dejection passes through the room and stays, as the team breaks and tries to go about their normal duties. A senior nurse tells her, “Not a single code blue case that I have attempted has been successful. It gets me, every time. No getting used to it. I just hope and pray that it’s not a paediatric code blue that I’m called to next.”
Frightening words, Code Blue.
There is no formal definition of the term “Code Blue”. It is a term which medical professionals use to indicate cardiac or respiratory arrest happening in a medical care centre, requiring immediate medical assistance from medical professionals nearby. A hospital has a number of codes to indicate a number of scenarios to its staff without alarming the patients and their relatives and also preserving the patient’s privacy. These codes may differ somewhat from hospital to hospital or among countries but they are by and large the same. For example, code black (or yellow) indicates a bomb threat, code red indicates fire, code pink for infant abduction etc.
Sudden Cardiac Arrests happens in 4280 people in a lakh in India alone according to WHO statistics. It is fatal in minutes though reversible if treated quickly. However, 17% in-hospital cardiac arrest patients survive, even after CPR.
Hospitals have a disaster policy which involves having a team which includes an anaesthesia fellow or resident, a respiratory therapist, a nurse from a critical care response team and an attending physician. In theory, any medical professional can assist, but team members generally have advanced cardiac life support or equivalent training. Each member of the multidisciplinary team is to know and understand the role of each person in the team. Each team has a resuscitation leader.
The Code Blue procedure is quite simple. There is a first responder, a healthcare personnel, who discovers the need for resuscitation. Their duty is to ensure scene safety, inspect the patient, call for help and begin CPR. The second responder calls for Code Blue and brings the crash cart and defibrillator to the room. The control room communicates the call and the Code Blue team arrives. Appropriate post-resuscitation procedures are followed and the call is documented and the team debriefed.
The Code Blue procedure in a hospital is of the most importance. An emergency measure, it is all the difference between life and death.
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You have......... a brain tumor?! Cyberchondria
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- Rtr. Jaini Shah
IInd Yr, MBBS, Pravara Medical College, Loni, Maharashtra.
Google search : causes of a headache
Google : 1. Brain tumor 2. Brain aneurysm 3. Hangover
*thinks* *Hmm...brain tumor leads to pounding headaches? I've been having them the past week! Does this mean that I have a tumor? I need to find out. Can't tell my parents yet!
Google, WebMD, MediCure and a few thirty searches more : I have a brain tumor!
Doesn't this scenario seem familiar? I'm sure everyone of us has used Google for it's sweetshop of symptoms sometime or another. And while many of us will eventually pay no heed to the far-fetched diagnoses that we come across and consult a real MD for the pertaining diagnosis, there are some people who assume the worst and think they have the first disease that Google spouts. They become anxious to know more and more about it and thus resort to coming back to search engines to relieve their anxiety. However, they get stuck in this cycle of anxiety and find it very difficult to come out of it. These are cyberchondriacs. The term cyberchondria is used to refer to the unfounded escalation of concerns about common symptomatology, based on the review of search results and literature on the Web. Cyberchondria is a relatively new phenomenon, that came about in 2000s, with the advent of the Internet. And it can affect anyone.
Cyberchondria is multi causative. Firstly - people tend to focus on the first couple of results rather than looking through all of their options - or considering that, unlike their physician, Dr. Google doesn't factor in important things like age, health background and family history to the diagnosis. The other being that lying in bed with your laptop is a hell of a lot less strenuous than making and attending a doctor's appointment. Also, because of the embarrassment about the conditions, one might not feel comfortable bringing it up with another human being. And also because the culture of cyber self-diagnosis involves more money than you'd think.
We get basic information, and not necessarily a lot of context, and we're off and running toward a conclusion that may be completely wrong.
Of course, health information on the Internet can be truly useful. But how do you know when you're using it constructively, and when you've gone off on a medical wild goose chase? I think it's fairly easy to cross that line. And this is something that psychologists all over the world agree with.
So how do you know when you've become a "cyberchondriac"?
You may be a cyberchondriac if ...
... you feel worse after Web surfing instead of better
If research on the Internet helps to make you feel empowered, and engaged in a dialogue with your doctor, it's helpful, But if it makes your heart rate go up, that's potentially problematic.
... your doctor's reassurances don't help
There's no problem with people fishing around on the Internet to see what diseases they might have, although, for most people, a doctor's reassurances that they're fine is adequate. It's worrisome when people think that isn't enough, and whose concerns persist and go right back on the Internet.
... you move quickly from suspicion to conviction
If you quickly become convinced your shaking hands are Parkinson's disease, or your sore throat is an immune deficiency, you need to back away. Investigate your symptoms if you like, but leave the diagnosing to the doctors.
So how do you prevent this from happening?
The best method is to consult a real MD instead of WebMD. When it isn't always possible, you should know thyself and don't fall prey to the Internet's attempt to make you sick. One should ratchet one's time spent on the Internet searching for a diagnosis. If you find yourself loosing sleep over the ailment, it's best you go make an appointment with your doctor!
So let's go over it again
Google search : causes of a headache
Google : 1. Brain tumor 2. Brain aneurysm 3. Hangover
*thinks* * Hmm, brain tumor seems a bit far-fetched. I guess I'll ask Dr. ABC about it. *
Dr. ABC : so, you have a headache since the past week, fever yesterday and caffeine addiction. The headache is most likely the manifestation of caffeine dependence and the fever due to some infection. You also asked me about headaches and brain tumor - it's good that you're asking me about this; yes, headache also occur in brain tumors but that is a completely different kind. Also, you have to keep in mind that what you read on the Internet is something that is generally not common. The factors that influence you and someone who did contract a tumor are way different. So, will you believe everything given on the Internet?
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