Fibromyalgia: the UK’s most searched illness in 2015
Fibromyalgia was the surprise top trending condition that people in the UK Googled before calling a GP in 2015, according to a study carried out by Dr Morton’s – the medical helpline.
Typed on average 165,000 times a month in the UK during 2015, fibromyalgia is a long- term condition that causes pain all over the body and many people are unaware they have it as it is difficult to diagnose. More common in women than men, symptoms include pain and tenderness often with severe tiredness and problems with sleep. The NHS estimates that up to one in 20 of us may have the condition to some degree.
With two million UK searches a year, it is a big topic, particularly as it’s so difficult to treat.
The results of a big data study by the online doctor service Dr Morton’s – the medical helpline, revealed that the top 10 health searches in the UK over the last year were:
- Fibromyalgia
- Chicken pox
- Shingles
- Diarrhoea
- Pneumonia
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Scarlet Fever
- Tonsillitis
- Anxiety
Dr Karen Morton, Founder and Medical Director of Dr Morton’s – the medical helpline, comments:
“A medical search on the internet imparts a sense of empowerment and worry in equal measure. We learn from our symptom searches about the conditions we may have but often can’t be sure until we have consulted a doctor.
“We fear the worst when we Google. This is proven in our data which show that we type pneumonia instead of chest infection and tonsillitis instead of sore throat. I believe this is one of the reasons why NHS GP surgeries are increasingly overrun.”
Photo credit: Petras Gagilas
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