Google diagnosis. Or this "I have this!" Thread.

Posted:
in AppleOutsider edited January 2014
I love google. I've been having a pain between my elbow and my ring finger for some years. It's a lot worse now. So I google "pain in ring finger and elbow" and diagnose myself as having this.



Ulnar Nerve Entrapment



The ulnar nerve is the "funny bone" nerve which travels between the tip of the elbow and the inner elbow bone. At this site it can be "pinched" by normal structures or swollen structures after injury. This pinching is referred to as entrapment. When ulnar nerve entrapment occurs, numbness and tingling of the little and ring finger of the hand may be felt. Pain may occur in the entire forearm, usually the inner side. Hand dexterity can be affected. Sometimes, the numbness is reproduced by elevating the hand. Treatment consists of avoiding repeated trauma or pressure to the elbow area and resting the elbow joint. Occasionally, ice can help. In severe cases, surgical repositioning of the ulnar nerve can be required. This relocates the ulnar nerve to a position where it will not be continually compressed by the surrounding structures.





I can't wait to tell my doctor that I diagnosed my self using the web.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 12
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mydo View Post


    I love google. I've been having a pain between my elbow and my ring finger for some years. It's a lot worse now. So I google "pain in ring finger and elbow" and diagnose myself as having this.



    Ulnar Nerve Entrapment



    The ulnar nerve is the "funny bone" nerve which travels between the tip of the elbow and the inner elbow bone. At this site it can be "pinched" by normal structures or swollen structures after injury. This pinching is referred to as entrapment. When ulnar nerve entrapment occurs, numbness and tingling of the little and ring finger of the hand may be felt. Pain may occur in the entire forearm, usually the inner side. Hand dexterity can be affected. Sometimes, the numbness is reproduced by elevating the hand. Treatment consists of avoiding repeated trauma or pressure to the elbow area and resting the elbow joint. Occasionally, ice can help. In severe cases, surgical repositioning of the ulnar nerve can be required. This relocates the ulnar nerve to a position where it will not be continually compressed by the surrounding structures.





    I can't wait to tell my doctor that I diagnosed my self using the web.



    I've done this many times and the end result is usually a mis-diagnosis accompanied by increased anxiety.
  • Reply 2 of 12
    justinjustin Posts: 403member
    Quote:

    I can't wait to tell my doctor that I diagnosed my self using the web.



    Chances are your doctor will then have legitimate reasons to double your fees for diagnosing primary idiocy disorder for relying on a computer and its huge potential for misinformation
  • Reply 3 of 12
    You know you can't trust Google.
  • Reply 4 of 12
    Well, what about Patrick Volkerding. He got pretty sick, his conditions kept getting worse and worse, and no doctor could tell what was going on. Then, when he was nearly dead, and could barely sit, he found on wikipedia about a very rare bacteria that was the cause of his problems, the Actinobacteria (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actinobacteria)



    He went to the doctor, told what the problem was and, guess what: he got better! Now he's alive and kicking. And the weirdest thing is that the problem originated mainly because the guy wasn't brushing his teeth before sleeping, so the bacteria went from his mouth to his lungs.



    So basically he cured himself by looking on the intarweb. Not bad!
  • Reply 5 of 12
    regreg Posts: 832member
    WebMD also has this function. They are used as possible solutions for what is ailing you. I am sure that they have not entered all possible ailments. So their best guess is not alway correct.
  • Reply 6 of 12
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mydo View Post


    I can't wait to tell my doctor that I diagnosed my self using the web.



    Where do you think your doctor gets the diagnoses from?
  • Reply 7 of 12
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ThinkingDifferent View Post


    Where do you think your doctor gets the diagnoses from?



  • Reply 8 of 12
    midwintermidwinter Posts: 10,060member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ThinkingDifferent View Post


    Where do you think your doctor gets the diagnoses from?



    Lately I've begun to think they just spin a big wheel in the back and see what happens. I would also not be surprised if my doctors started offering 2 for 1 diagnoses of sinus infections.
  • Reply 9 of 12
    They play darts for diagnoses. And then if they happen to hit YOU with a dart, well that's just bonus points.
  • Reply 10 of 12
    regreg Posts: 832member
    The fun usually starts after they make the diagnoses. My doctor seems to be training interns all the time. After he has made his decision on what the problem is he then asks the interns what should be done. They all pull out their pda's and come out with different answers. I believe that they all recieve their pda's from different pharmaceutical companies thereby giving answers that will lead to medicine from that campany. Luckily we have not had anything serious.
  • Reply 11 of 12
    mydomydo Posts: 1,888member
    I used to google to figure out what's wrong with my air conditioner and also my furnace. There's no way it's wrong about my arm.
  • Reply 12 of 12
    snoopysnoopy Posts: 1,901member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MissKitty View Post




    You know you can't trust Google.






    You should know you can't trust Doctors!



    Seriously, never take their word for anything. I've seen them wrong as often as they are right. My wife has had adrenal fatigue and low thyroid for years, and it was never diagnosed. She saw several doctors, even endocrinologists, with no luck. Finally she began searching the health forums, and discovered her problem. She also found the name of a good doctor. We both switched to this new doctor, and she is finally being treated.



    Warning. If you have adrenal fatigue you may have to give up caffeinated coffee!



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