Feeling a tad unwell? It may be a bad case of Google-itis

MILLIONS of people convince themselves they are seriously ill or even dying after using the internet to diagnose themselves, according to new research.

More than six out of ten adults turn to the web rather than their GP or hospital when they feel under the weather - and almost half then convince themselves they have a serious illness.

One in five said they had worried themselves into believing they were in the early stages of a heart attack after Googling their symptoms. Other misdiagnoses include mistaking a stomach upset for food poisoning and thinking lower back ache was kidney disease.

The study, carried out among 3,000 adults by Engage Mutual Assurance, also revealed more than a third of those with headaches believed they had a migraine, while 28 per cent of people with abdominal pain mistakenly self-diagnosed appendicitis.

Tina Clare at Engage Mutual said: "We seem to be a nation of worriers when it comes to our health.

"Forty six per cent of people are worried about getting a terminal illness, and many are convincing themselves that everyday symptoms are indicative of serious ill health. While the internet can be a great information resource, it is always best to see a doctor when ill.

"Not only can a medical professional put your mind at rest, they can also check out all the symptoms and tell you what the matter really is."

It also emerged many people have mistaken stiff joints for arthritis or a hang-over for "something they ate" or "food poisoning".

Sixteen per cent of migraine sufferers have convinced themselves they had a brain tumour and 15 per cent of those who felt short of breath concluded they had lung disease.

The study also found only a quarter of respondents phone NHS Direct if they feel ill.

Nineteen per cent of survey respondents admitted to having felt embarrassed when they realised their symptoms were not connected to anything serious.

And 11 per cent have been advised by a doctor that they were slightly over-reacting.

On average people in Britain visit a nurse or doctor two or three times a year.

Tina Clare added: "It is important to keep things in proportion.

"Not least because over worrying, and high stress levels can have a negative impact on our health.

"Take action to stay as healthy as you can with a nutritious diet and regular exercise. And bear in mind that research on the internet is not a substitute for consulting a health professional."

Catherine O'Neill, service manager with Anxiety UK, (www.anxietyuk.org.uk) said: "Health anxiety is one of the subjects we get most calls about."One of the hardest things for the organisation is trying to convince people that what they have is an anxiety disorder and not a serious illness.

"We do a lot of training with Cancer UK staff as they get calls from people who think they have cancer, and also the HIV charities as they get people with anxiety issues.

"We get a lot of referrals from people who have been tested, checked and double checked and found to not have health problems but are constantly worried they have the symptoms," she added.