Self diagnosis
Encyclopedia
Self-diagnosis is the process of diagnosing
, or identifying, medical conditions in oneself. It may be assisted by medical dictionaries, books, resources on the Internet, past personal experiences, or recognizing symptoms or medical sign
s of a condition that a family member previously had.
Self-diagnosis is prone to error and may be potentially dangerous if inappropriate decisions are made on the basis of a misdiagnosis. Because of the risks, self-diagnosis is officially discouraged by governments, physicians, and patient care organizations. Even physicians are discouraged from engaging in self-diagnosis, because doctors too make mistakes in diagnosing themselves. If the self-diagnosis is wrong, then the misdiagnosis can result in improper health care, including wrong treatments and lack of care for serious conditions.
However, self-diagnosis may be appropriate under certain circumstances. All over-the-counter
(non-prescription) medications are offered on the assumption that people are capable of self-diagnosis, diagnosing first that their condition is unlikely to be serious and the possible harm caused by incorrect medication minor. Some conditions are more likely to be self-diagnosed, especially simple conditions such as head lice and skin abrasions or familiar conditions such as menstrual cramps, headache
or the common cold
.
Complex conditions for which medications are heavily advertised, including conditions like ADHD in adults, present a more challenging situation. Direct-to-consumer marketing of medications is widely criticized for promoting inappropriate self-diagnosis. Other conditions that are commonly self-diagnosed include celiac disease.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is the identification of the nature and cause of anything. Diagnosis is used in many different disciplines with variations in the use of logics, analytics, and experience to determine the cause and effect relationships...
, or identifying, medical conditions in oneself. It may be assisted by medical dictionaries, books, resources on the Internet, past personal experiences, or recognizing symptoms or medical sign
Medical sign
A medical sign is an objective indication of some medical fact or characteristic that may be detected by a physician during a physical examination of a patient....
s of a condition that a family member previously had.
Self-diagnosis is prone to error and may be potentially dangerous if inappropriate decisions are made on the basis of a misdiagnosis. Because of the risks, self-diagnosis is officially discouraged by governments, physicians, and patient care organizations. Even physicians are discouraged from engaging in self-diagnosis, because doctors too make mistakes in diagnosing themselves. If the self-diagnosis is wrong, then the misdiagnosis can result in improper health care, including wrong treatments and lack of care for serious conditions.
However, self-diagnosis may be appropriate under certain circumstances. All over-the-counter
Over-the-counter drug
Over-the-counter drugs are medicines that may be sold directly to a consumer without a prescription from a healthcare professional, as compared to prescription drugs, which may be sold only to consumers possessing a valid prescription...
(non-prescription) medications are offered on the assumption that people are capable of self-diagnosis, diagnosing first that their condition is unlikely to be serious and the possible harm caused by incorrect medication minor. Some conditions are more likely to be self-diagnosed, especially simple conditions such as head lice and skin abrasions or familiar conditions such as menstrual cramps, headache
Headache
A headache or cephalalgia is pain anywhere in the region of the head or neck. It can be a symptom of a number of different conditions of the head and neck. The brain tissue itself is not sensitive to pain because it lacks pain receptors. Rather, the pain is caused by disturbance of the...
or the common cold
Common cold
The common cold is a viral infectious disease of the upper respiratory system, caused primarily by rhinoviruses and coronaviruses. Common symptoms include a cough, sore throat, runny nose, and fever...
.
Complex conditions for which medications are heavily advertised, including conditions like ADHD in adults, present a more challenging situation. Direct-to-consumer marketing of medications is widely criticized for promoting inappropriate self-diagnosis. Other conditions that are commonly self-diagnosed include celiac disease.
See also
- CureCureA cure is a completely effective treatment for a disease.The Cure is an English rock band.Cure, or similar, may also refer to:-Film and television:* The Cure , a short film starring Charlie Chaplin...
- CyberchondriaCyberchondriaCyberchondria refers to the unfounded escalation of concerns about common symptomology based on review of search results and literature online. Articles in popular media position cyberchondria anywhere from temporary neurotic excess to adjunct hypochondria...
- Home remedyHome remedyA home remedy is a treatment to cure a disease or ailment that employs certain spices, vegetables, or other common items. Home remedies may or may not have medicinal properties that treat or cure the disease or ailment in question, as they are typically passed along by laypersons...
- Related mental disorders:
- Delusional parasitosisDelusional parasitosisDelusional parasitosis is a form of psychosis whose victims acquire a strong delusional belief that they are infested with parasites, whereas in reality no such parasites are present...
- HypochondriaHypochondriaHypochondriasis or hypochondria refers to excessive preoccupation or worry about having a serious illness. This debilitating condition is the result of an inaccurate perception of the body’s condition despite the absence of an actual medication condition...
- Medical students' diseaseMedical students' diseaseMedical students' disease, also known as hypochondriasis of medical students or medical student syndrome or medical student disorder, is a condition frequently reported in medical students, who perceive themselves or others to be experiencing the symptoms of the disease they are studying.The...
- MorgellonsMorgellonsMorgellons , is a name given in 2002 by Mary Leitao to a proposed condition characterized by a range of cutaneous symptoms including crawling, biting, and stinging sensations ; finding fibers on or under the skin; and persistent skin lesions...
- Delusional parasitosis
- TherapyTherapyThis is a list of types of therapy .* Adventure therapy* Animal-assisted therapy* Aquatic therapy* Aromatherapy* Art and dementia* Art therapy* Authentic Movement* Behavioral therapy* Bibliotherapy* Buteyko Method* Chemotherapy...