TY - JOUR T1 - Why Physician Guidance Matters: A Night of Neuralgia, Meningitis, and WebMD JF - The Annals of Family Medicine JO - Ann Fam Med SP - 462 LP - 464 DO - 10.1370/afm.2414 VL - 17 IS - 5 AU - Anson Au Y1 - 2019/09/01 UR - http://www.annfammed.org/content/17/5/462.abstract N2 - During a night of severe pain and weakness, I found several plausible-sounding diagnoses online: occipital neuralgia, nerve damage, and meningitis. The next day, I consulted a physician who did not offer professional guidance; instead the physician suggested tests entirely based on my self-diagnoses. What resulted was an unnecessary array of lengthy and costly testing that did not diagnose the problem. Although my symptoms disappeared on their own, I was left feeling mistrustful of my physician and ultimately stressed and anxious. Against the backdrop of my experience, I highlight the potential harms of Internet-based self-diagnoses and the importance of collaboration and trust in the patient-physician relationship. ER -