Say one day you’re bathing and you notice a lump on your neck. It could really be anything ranging from a regular pimple, a cyst, or something more worrying like a tumor, so the question is is it serious enough to warrant a trip to the doctor? Sure, you could Google your problem and trawl through pages and pages of websites and forums, but Google wants to make it painless.Just like how Google can display word definitions, the weather, and movie synopsis on its search pages without users have to click the actual websites, Google has announced a similar feature when searching for medical symptoms online. As you can see in the screenshot above, Google will now be able to display some possible reasons as to why you might be having said problem.
Of course this is just a general diagnosis as something as common as a headache could arise from a number of factors, and might not necessarily be a sign that you have a tumor in your brain or that an aneurysm is on its way, but if you want some quick answers that you think could help, then hopefully this new feature will come in handy for users.
That being said, the information Google offers isn’t pulled from the likes of Wikipedia. According to Google, “We worked with a team of medical doctors to carefully review the individual symptom information, and experts at Harvard Medical School and Mayo Clinic evaluated related conditions for a representative sample of searches to help improve the lists we show.”
However as Google notes, it’s still best to consult a doctor if you’re worried about your condition. The feature is rolling out on mobile over the next few days in English and in the US, but Google expects that it will eventually find its way to other countries and will also be available in other languages in due time.