People turn to Google when they’re sick.
Google has finally decided to come up with feature called Symptom Search after observing that a huge chunk of its users turn to the search engine for help whenever they’re feeling sick.
Symptom Search will help users ‘identify’ their illness by letting them type in the symptoms that they’re feeling in the application’s search box.
The app will then come up with illnesses that are possibly identifiable with the symptoms related to the user’s input.
A search input, for example, with the words ‘fever, cough’ in it will receive results that include diseases that range from bronchitis to pneumonia.
On the other hand, search inputs with the word ‘headache’, for example, will lead to a description of the symptom, as well as possible treatments that could lead to its cure.
Symptom Search may also suggest for a user to see a doctor, depending on the type of symptoms that the user is searching for, or the severity of the symptom in question.
Most of the time, the results that turn up in the app will also feature illustrations related to the user’s search input.
Google has pointed out that about one percent of the searches made on their search engine are related to symptoms, and that they are currently doing their best to help users find accurate results on the platform, instead of having them settle with information being offered by various websites — which, at times, can be inaccurate.
Developers from the company have compiled a list of symptoms that the search engine can identify with health conditions. Information on these health conditions have been compared with those gathered from medical experts coming from several reputed institutions — including the Mayo Clinic and the Harvard School of Medicine.
Symptom Search is currently available on the Google app for Android and iOS — but Google hopes to make the feature available across all platforms and languages in the near future.
It is still more advisable for users, however, to consult with a doctor at the onset of the symptoms, or if the symptoms still persist.