Online symptom diagnosis is correct about one-third to one-half of the time. The One-half of the time is only when the right diagnosis in the top three responses. Doctors are better but doctors are still far from perfect.
Medical error is a major factor in ten percent of all deaths in the United States. A medical study finds that 250,000 deaths per year in the United States are from medical error. The BMJ journal study had a higher estimate than the Center for Disease Control estimate of 150,000 per year.
Internet self medical diagnosis can be dangerous. Online symptom checkers accurately diagnosed symptoms about 34 percent of the time. About half the time, the correct diagnosis was one of the top three options on the list; it was in the top 20 in 58 percent of cases.
Online diagnosis inferior to visiting a real doctor for checkups and tests for a better diagnosis.
CNN Had an Alarming Story About A Woman Who Died from a Brain-Eating Amoeba
The CNN story highlights a danger of the fairly common practice of sinus rinsing. People with allergies get a lot of symptomatic relief from stuffed noses by using a saline rinse of their nose and nasal cavities.
Here a woman who rinsed her nose with a Neti pot ended up getting a brain-eating amoeba which killed her over 1-2 years. They also talked about two people in Louisiana who got sick from a different infection. The CNN article then warns about the symptom of a rash or sore on the bridge of the nose after nasal rinsing.
Nasal Rinsing Does Reduce Allergy Symptoms
Nasal Rinsing works. It makes people who have allergies feel a lot better.
Nasal Rinsing and relieving congestion symptoms can reduce the prescription of antibiotics. Overuse of antibiotics can create bacteria that are resistant to treatment. According to the Centers for Disease Control, every year, two million Americans are infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Of those two million, at least 23,000 people die.
What is the FDA Recommendation on Neti Pot and Nasal Rinsing?
Tap water isn’t safe for use as a nasal rinse because it’s not adequately filtered or treated. Some tap water contains low levels of organisms — such as bacteria and protozoa, including amoebas — that may be safe to swallow because stomach acid kills them.
What Types of Water Are Safe to Use?
* Distilled or sterile water, which you can buy in stores. The label will state “distilled” or “sterile.”
* Boiled and cooled tap water — boiled for 3 to 5 minutes, then cooled until it is lukewarm. Previously boiled water can be stored in a clean, closed container for use within 24 hours.
* Water passed through a filter designed to trap potentially infectious organisms.
CNN Says Watch Out for a Nose Rash, the FDA Says Always Use Sterilized Water
I would go with the FDA recommendation.
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
Known for identifying cutting edge technologies, he is currently a Co-Founder of a startup and fundraiser for high potential early-stage companies. He is the Head of Research for Allocations for deep technology investments and an Angel Investor at Space Angels.
A frequent speaker at corporations, he has been a TEDx speaker, a Singularity University speaker and guest at numerous interviews for radio and podcasts. He is open to public speaking and advising engagements.
I used to have severe sinus problems. I used a nasal pump (electric) that Jerry Pournelle, (the SciFi, science writer), recommended. After a long period of use I finally started adding about 5 drops Lugals 2% solution iodine and a few cap fulls of H2O2 with the salt and I cured my sinus problem. I would circulate the Lugals 2% solution iodine and H2O2 out the sprayer and back into the tank for a little before I used it. I think that would kill off most amoeba or other pathogens.
Why it worked. My assumption is that bacteria or something lodged into the sinus cavity continuously irritated the sinuses. I would get so stopped up I couldn’t breathe. It was a real savior for me. I used two different sinus washers Grossan Hydro Pulse and then SinuPulse Elite(which I like better). I have no financial interest in either one they just worked for me very well.
CNN gives terrible advice. It wanted me to vote for Hillary!
Thanks for the medical advice Planned Parenthood surgical implement.
Tap water or swimming in warm water lakes is a risk, even a magic immune system will not help.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztnpOHJjWigTap
Your message is “Trust and Obey” your god, MD.
I say get informed, then listen and decide.
“Human Doctors are Better Than Dr. Google and the FDA Advice is Better than CNN”
But asking Facebook friends for medical advice is totes the best.
Did that brown pear of wisdom originate from your gut or your ‘common sense’?