How Much Flu-Related Advice Should You Take From the Internet?

The flu is particularly nasty this year. Flu season is typically the worst at the beginning of the year, but can start as early as October and last as long as May. And this year's virus is especially bad.

On social media, 626,379 people reported having the flu in the last six weeks — a 2,336% increase from the previous month. With the recent outbreaks of both colds and flu, whether you're sick, or trying to avoid getting sick, we're guessing you've turned to Google to search for information. But how much cold and flu information can you trust from a web search?

Dr. Charles Chiu, M.D., Ph.D., an infectious diseases physician at University of California, San Francisco Medical Center, tells Mashable you should be very cautious with any information you find using a Google search.

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"I'm actually not in favor of members of the general public searching for online (health) information and making self-diagnoses without sharing this information with their physician," he says. "There's a lot of inaccurate information out there and in some cases it's inconsistent."

However, the online source from which you find your health information is very important, he says. Sites like the CDC website, state and local public health departments, and dedicated medical sites are much more reliable than message boards, for instance. If you're finding information from articles, message boards and forums, that information could be inaccurate. Whereas health information on sites like WebMD, PubMed, UpToDate or MDConsult may have been reviewed by doctors, Chiu says. Those sites could be a good place to find information, but shouldn't take the place of a doctor visit.

Chiu says he thinks it's OK to diagnose yourself so long as you confirm your suspicions by talking to a doctor.

"It is possible, for instance, that the illness is not routine flu but something more serious that needs medical attention," he says. "Such as strep throat, atypical bacterial pneumonia, hantavirus (if history of exposure), etcetera."

A basic Google search is also OK for specific things related to health, like if you want to know if something is covered by your health insurance, or if you want to read others' reviews about which OTC medication is best for treating the flu, so long as you don't diagnose yourself using information from the web.

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"I think of it as this can give you important ancillary information so long as you're not using that as your only source of information and not exclusively relying on that," Chiu says.

Dr. Michael Smith, chief medical editor for WebMD tells Mashable, that the information on WebMD is "intended to educate and inform readers on health and wellness issues, so that they can have more efficient and more informative discussions with their doctors."

Smith is confident you can rely on WebMD's information. However, the website also encourages patients to always consult with their physicians.

To ensure the flu information you're reading on the Internet is reliable, make sure there is a physician involved in creating the content, Smith says. And make sure sources are cited. Credible sources include the CDC and NIH, nonprofit health organizations and peer reviewed medical journals. Also, make sure the information is current. Based on how often health information changes, your best bet is to look for flu information that has been reviewed within the last couple of years, Smith says.

"Medicine, just like any other field, is rapidly changing," Chiu says. We have websites that review doctors and healthcare providers, but he predicts that in the future that will expand into rating medical advice, like forums and other health information on the Internet so consumers can find the most accurate information. Regardless of what you find on the Internet, it's probably best to see a specialist if you're experiencing new symptoms or just want to be sure.

Do you search for diagnoses, treatments or other health information on the web? Tell us in the comments.

Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, ozlemonal