Learning About Medical Conditions on Usenet
The Usenet system is a great source of information about more topics than can conveniently be listed. Many individuals use this service to network with others with whom they share medical conditions. These conditions span the gamut; from simple things such as neck pain to very serious conditions, such as congenital heart disease. If you use these services right, you can get very good information.
One advantage about using the Usenet system for this research is that you can ask very direct questions and get specific information while retaining your anonymity. Quite understandably, most people are not comfortable with sharing their medical information online or even in a regular public situation. To make sure that you are not crossing any of your own personal boundaries in this regard, start small and generic.
Say, for example, that you have just found out that you have something that affects your life but which is relatively innocuous beyond pain, such as tennis elbow. You could use Usenet to find groups about tennis, for starters, and then get into more specific groups, such as those that deal specifically with sports medicine or tennis elbow. You can post whatever questions you have and, in all likelihood, you will not be the first to ask them.
Most often, people on Usenet will be more than happy to share whatever information they have. After all, that is the whole point of the service. There have been studies done that show that the amount of writing done about any particular condition increases when that condition is in the news. If you have something like Restless Leg Syndrome, which has gotten a lot of press lately, you will find plenty of references to it on the Usenet at present. This also makes it a good source of information about seasonal illnesses.
If you worried about the qualifications of the people who give you advice, do not be afraid to ask them point blank about their competence. Usenet tends to appeal to people who are pretty knowledgeable in their fields. If you get truly bad advice - put ice on that root canal to dull the pain, for instance - someone will likely speak up and let you know. Usenet is rather self-policing in this regard.
Make very certain that you are not relying on Usenet for diagnostic information. Information about how to cope with a diagnosed condition is one thing, asking a stranger why you get constant migraines is quite another. Only a doctor can diagnose you and they can only do it in person. After they do, however, you will likely want more information about your condition and the Usenet system can be a good way to go about finding it. The vast majority of conditions are represented.
About the Author:
Marion Marshall specializes in writing and advising people on Usenet technologies. By visiting his website http://usenetreviewz.com you can learn about supernews usenet and supernews reviews
Article Marketing
5 people like this article
