[Courtesy of Google]
It is a known fact worldwide that people rush to ask Google rather than to see a doctor when they feel sick.
For quick diagnosis, the global search engine will roll out a new feature in the next few days. It will help users to diagnose their sickness more easily and provide a possible list of diseases.
According to Google's announcement Tuesday, roughly one percent (about 1,200 billion) of searches on Google every year is related to symptoms. But the search results are not always accurate or simple enough to understand.
"Health content on the web can be difficult to navigate, and tends to lead people from mild symptoms to scary and unlikely conditions, which can cause unnecessary anxiety and stress." Google wrote on its blog.
To tackle such problems, Google will provide the users searching for symptoms and its cause with accurate results. For example, if a user asks Google about "a headache on one side", Google will show a list of related conditions such as headache, migraine, tension headache. Google will also provide the user with self-treatment options and if needed, would advise the user to visit a doctor.
The tech giant has created a vast list of symptoms by collecting health conditions mentioned in the web search and medical information collected from doctors.
But Google alert users: "Symptom search (like all medical information on Google) is intended for informational purposes only, and you should always consult a doctor for medical advice."
The symptom search feature will be rolled out first in the United States in the next few days, and Google aims to extend its services in other languages and internationally.
Aju News Park Sae-jin = swatchsjp@ajunews.com
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
