Americans are more curious about what diseases are contagious and how much water they should drink, according to an analysis of medical searches on Google.
US researchers analyzed Google search data from the first weeks of 2024 in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
They found that, nationally, Google employees were most interested in whether common winter infections, such as Bronchitis, pneumonia and strep throat are contagious.
Searches for details about autoimmune disease were also popular. lupus, which affects 1.5 million Americans, including actress Selena Gomez.
However, responses varied by state.
Researchers at pharmaceutical recruiting firm Soliant Health analyzed Google search results to find the most common medical questions in the country.
For example, Floridians were more concerned about what would happen if you ate mold, while people in Kentucky wanted to know if you could live without a backbone; By the way, the answer is no.
Meanwhile, Alabama, Alaska, Connecticut and West Virginia raised questions about monkeypox, now known as Mpox, which spread rapidly across the United States and the United Kingdom in 2022.
And Minnesota and Wyoming were curious about the blockbuster weight-loss drug Ozempic and its safety.
But with 176,000 monthly searches, the most popular question nationwide was: “Is bronchitis contagious?”, according to the pharmaceutical recruiting firm’s analysis. Soliante Health.
Bronchitis is inflammation of the lining of the bronchi, which carry air to and from the lungs.
This is usually caused by a virus and can cause coughing up mucus, fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain, fever, and chills.
Risk factors include smoking, compromised immune system, and exposure to irritants such as chemical fumes.
According to the Mayo Clinic, bronchitis itself is not contagious, although the virus that causes it could be. For example, the flu, which is highly contagious, has been shown to cause bronchitis.
The five most Googled medical questions in the United States included queries about bronchitis, pneumonia and strep throat, all of which can be contagious.
With 148,000 monthly searches, Dr. Google’s second most popular question was: “Is pneumonia contagious?”
Unlike bronchitis, pneumonia inflames the air sacs in your lungs, which may cause them to fill with fluid or pus.
In addition to coughing up mucus, the condition can cause chest pain when breathing or coughing, confusion, fatigue, fever, chills, low body temperature, nausea, and difficulty breathing.
Bacteria, fungi and viruses like Covid have been shown to cause pneumonia.
The American Lung Association (ALA) states that some forms of pneumonia are contagious, such as those from certain bacteria or fungi. For example, bacterial pneumonia is contagious for about 48 hours after you start taking antibiotics or your fever goes away.
In third place among the most popular queries, with 135,000 monthly searches, was: “What is lupus?”
Lupus is an autoimmune disease that occurs when the immune system attacks the body’s own healthy tissues and organs. Over time, it causes inflammation and pain in the skin, joints, and internal organs.
According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms include fatigue, fever, joint pain, swelling, a butterfly-shaped rash on the face, skin lesions, difficulty breathing, chest pain, and dry eyes.
Anyone can develop lupus, but it is most common in women ages 15 to 45, as well as blacks, Hispanics, and Asian Americans.
Among those affected is the singer Selena Gómez, who admitted that she suffered from the condition in 2015.
Symptoms are usually controlled with medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), antimalarials, corticosteroids, and immunosuppressants.
With 105,000 monthly searches, fourth on the list was: “How much water should you drink a day?”
The old advice is to drink eight eight-ounce glasses a day.
However, some experts caution that there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this, as it depends on your height, weight, and activity level, as well as pre-existing medical conditions that could cause fluid retention.
Penn Medicine suggests drinking 0.5 to one ounce per pound of body weight, depending on your activity level.
And in fifth place, with 92,000 searches each month, was: ‘Is strep throat contagious?’
Strep throat is an infection caused by the bacteria Streptococcus pyogenes, also known as group A streptococcus.
Symptoms include a sore throat that comes on suddenly, painful swallowing, red and swollen tonsils, swollen lymph nodes, fever, headache, rash, nausea, vomiting, and body aches.
The infection is more common in children. If left untreated, it can lead to infections of the tonsils, sinuses, skin and blood, as well as inflammation of the kidneys.
Strep throat is very contagious, although it is less so after 24 to 48 hours of taking antibiotics.