OMG – I Think I’ve Got It! Cyberchondria

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When I was in massage school, third semester meant it was time to take pathology. On the first day the instructor warned us that at some time during the semester as we learned about various diseases and afflictions we would think we had them. We all laughed when she said it. However, over the next several weeks, each of us at some point were indeed convinced we had some sort of something serious wrong. Since our pathology instructor was also a medical doctor we, of course, went to her with every complaint which she assured us would go away, and probably recur several times over the semester. By the time school was over the symptoms would most likely – almost miraculously – disappear forever.

Back then the computer was not as influential as it is now. We weren’t carrying smartphones in our pockets with instant access to medical information, and symptom-checker apps and AI tools didn’t exist yet. Today, people can look up anything within seconds — often before they’ve even considered calling a healthcare provider. This means everyone who has access to the Internet is capable of looking up what it means to have a headache, belly pain, double vision or any other physical or mental symptom.

What Is Cyberchondria?

Cyberchondria is defined as a form of nosophobia – or fear of having a disease. It has the added dimension of a person being able to research his or her symptoms, whether real or imagined, on the Internet. That person now thinks he or she has the disease described. It does not refer to the individual who occasionally checks out a medical website, but more to the person who obsessively researches a collection of relatively mundane symptoms believing he or she has some serious affliction.

Cyberchondria is a somewhat more intense version of what we and other healthcare professionals experience in pathology classes. Our minds are highly suggestible when it comes to thinking something is wrong with us. Some individuals get a pain in their abdomen and think the worst, some ignore it, and others go online to get a second opinion. With healthcare costs constantly on the rise it may seem faster and cheaper than a doctor’s visit, but cyberchondria can ultimately be costly. An inaccurate diagnosis can result in a person not seeking or putting off appropriate healthcare, taking self-prescribed over-the-counter medications or taking medications given to him or her by well-meaning friends.

Nearly all adults with Internet access search for health information online at least occasionally. Data from the National Center for Health Statistics found that in 2022, 58.5% of adults had looked up health or medical information within the past 12 months. The line is crossed into cyberchondria when the searching becomes obsessive and begins to fall into the category of an anxiety-driven behavior. A headache becomes a stroke or a tumor, a chronic cough turns into lung cancer, a misplaced item evolves into Alzheimer’s disease.

Commonly Searched Symptoms

The following are some commonly searched symptoms and their most likely causes:

• Headaches – The reality of a headache, or even chronic headaches, is not that it is a brain tumor. More likely it is a tension headache, a migraine, or even sinus pressure. If a headache persists for several days without relief, becomes so bad that it is unbearable or is accompanied by vision problems, don’t try and self-diagnose – get yourself to a doctor.
• Cough – Most likely this is due to an allergy, cold, postnasal drip, or acid reflux and not lung cancer. In recent years, people have become more aware that persistent coughs can have many possible causes, so it’s understandable that they may worry. Staying hydrated helps, as does taking various over-the-counter cough syrups and allergy medications. Coughing up blood or having a cough that lasts several weeks should be evaluated by a doctor.
• Chest Pain – Chest pain can occur at any age, and while you should never ignore intense or sudden chest pain (call 911), most chest discomfort people experience is caused by muscle strain, heartburn, or gastric reflux. It’s always better to have a healthcare professional evaluate symptoms that are severe, unusual or persistent.
• Memory Loss, Forgetfulness – Many people equate perceived memory loss with the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, but less than 5 percent of the population under 65 is diagnosed with it. Memory loss is usually the result of fatigue, stress, dehydration, medication side effects, or simply doing too much. In this day and age, with so much information overload, it is no surprise that we forget where we place our keys or accidentally leave our cell phone in the freezer.
• Thirst – If a person is thirsty, it is probably because he or she is not drinking enough water and not because the person has diabetes. Thirst is the body’s way of saying it needs more fluids. Hydration needs vary widely from person to person and depend on activity level, environment, medications, and overall health. A general guideline is to drink water regularly throughout the day and pay attention to your body’s cues. Coffee, tea, soft drinks and alcohol don’t hydrate as effectively as water. A diabetic often feels the need to drink constantly and urinate frequently, and usually has other symptoms such as unexplained weight loss, blurry vision, or extreme hunger.

If a symptom persists, by all means check it out on the Internet, but don’t become obsessed with a worst-case scenario. Use the vast knowledge bank available to research an already diagnosed ailment. It is often helpful and even reassuring to get as much information as possible.

The Internet can be a great tool. Many people have been helped by looking up symptoms or diseases and even using it to reach out to others, but self-diagnosis can be dangerous. Today’s online information — including AI-driven symptom checkers — can be helpful, but it can also be inaccurate or overwhelming. If you or one of your clients experience symptoms you think may be a sign of something serious, make an appointment to see a qualified healthcare provider who can make an accurate diagnosis. And as always, don’t ever try to diagnose your client’s symptoms — stay within your scope of practice.

Originally posted August 2012. Updated December 18, 2025.

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