The X-Ray Vision-aries Blog

X-Ray Vision-aries is a healthy and green living blog designed for non-health nuts. We hope that by looking at health and the environment in a non-technical and light-hearted manner that makes learning about and improving one's health, environment and life accessible to everyone, we can all learn a thing or two. Enjoy!

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    • Find Good Medical Resources Online

    There’s so much information available on the Internet, and you can even find great medical resources online. However, not every medical site offers reliable, helpful information, and it’s important that you know the difference between an authoritative medical resource and one that is not to be trusted. Here are a few ways to separate the good from the bad.

    Consider who is supplying information. Trusted resources for medical information include medical institutions, hospitals, colleges, and other groups that are well-respected in the real world. Many of these resources have their own website and blogs that offer useful advice for symptoms, conditions, procedures, treatments, and much more.

    Question qualifications. Before you take information to be true, think about exactly who is supplying the information. Doctors, nurses, and other health professionals can offer authoritative information. Professors and others involved in medical education are also good sources of authoritative information.

    Consider the site’s motivations. Take a look around and consider whether the website is objective or not. Does the website have something to sell you, or is it supporting the views of its sponsors? You should not take medical advice from websites that have an agenda, as they do not place your health as a priority over the profitability of their site.

    Look for the HON Code icon. Many authoritative health websites will proudly display the HON Code icon. This icon indicates that the website follows the HON Code of Conduct, which is designed to promote honesty and integrity in healthcare information online.

    Ask your doctor. Although many people will turn to the Internet instead of talking to a doctor, your own medical professionals can offer helpful resources for online research as well. Many doctors realize that patients don’t want to bother them for every little thing, and they are happy to share suggestions for websites that can offer useful, truthful information.

    Use a trusted search engine. Look for medical search engines that follow the HON code and offer authoritative search results. These search engines can take the guesswork out of finding a variety of websites that can provide you with trustworthy information.

    Although there are many unhelpful medical websites online, there are so many good ones that can provide you with trusted information. Follow these tips to find useful, authoritative medical sites for your medical needs.