patients reading internet for diagnosis.. should or shouldnt?

They should to understand diagnosis, and shouldn't... to interfer in treatment.


Should patients read internet?

We often say; half knowledge is dangerous. Especially we hear in medical field.. media and doctors cribbing about patient reading lots of details on internet. They google the diseases and spoil their mind with lots of queries and bombard a doctor with lots of queries about chance possibilities.
All this is discouraged by many. I do not. A doctor should never be insecure about what patient needs or knows as long as all is done in good faith.

Give a second thought, how can knowledge be dangerous. Knowledge is always a piece of information that is searched for out of curiosity to know understand and to clear confusions when u feel u have no other choice left.
Its likely that there may be wrong books written so also the wrong information provided in media advertisements websites and internet. So its likely that information may be wrong or wrongly interpreted that exactly may harm.

So its responsibility of the doctor to insist for a special consultation to clear knowledge related confusions. The concerns of doctor is probably to save time from such discussions when patient has queries with medical jargon. And thats the reason the doctor insists you not to read nonsense.

No one can have complete knowledge of everything... medical science is not even close to complete knowledge in any disease. We know only the part or piece of available information. So practically every one has limited or half knowledge. Doctor's skill lies in improving his practice by trying for more knowledge and experience. So its the experience of a doctor that becomes key to effective therapy which has grown over years following his curiosity through knowledge.
Thus half knowledge can never kill or harm, its the practice of medicine by a doctor, paramedic,quack,pharmacist,nurse,patient or family member without having adequate experience (and qualification) is dangerous.
so read a lot, know a lot, ask a lot but donot practice/medicate on self or family member or a patient unless a doctor prescribes so.
whatever trivial issue it may look like, it need not be.
Read ask and clear your doubt... but follow only as per prescription.
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