The Internet Says I Have a Brain Tumor!
For God's sake, read this before you self-diagnose.
By Maria Paone
My 83-year-old mother called me with the following question: “My friend Janie has a rash and the ladies at cards looked at it. Dina says her husband’s cousin has the same thing and that it’s psoriasis, do you think it could be psoriasis?”
Now, the card ladies do have their talents, but their diagnostic skills are dubious at best. Convincing them that their pooled illnesses and hospital stays do not add up to a medical degree is an impossible task. It takes a great deal of discussion, sometimes aided by photos, to counter the collective expertise of the card group. And yet, when they consult me, it’s more for confirmation of their diagnosis than for my medical opinion.
The modern version of the card ladies is the internet medical site. … //READ MORE
