What Americans Are Googling About Health

 Americans ask Google a lot of health questions every day. From worries about monkeypox to the effects of eating mold (or molded food), people want to know. Soliant Health, a company that finds jobs for health care workers, looked into what health topics people in each state search for the most. They found a wide range of concerns. This shows how different things like where people live, the weather, and who lives there can affect what health issues they think about.

For example, people in Florida look up what happens if you eat mold. In Kentucky, they ask if you can live without a spine. People in Maryland want to know what happens if you swallow gum. In New Jersey, they're curious if diabetes comes from family genes. To help answer these questions, Soliant asked Karen Stockdale, a nurse with over 20 years of experience, for help. She gave clear answers to some common health questions.

One big question is whether bronchitis is contagious. The answer is that the sickness itself isn't, but the viruses that cause it, like colds or flu, can spread to others. Another question is about lupus, an illness where the body's defense system attacks its own parts, causing pain and swelling. This mainly affects women between 15 to 44 years old. People also wonder how much water they should drink each day. The answer depends on the person, including how much they weigh and how active they are.

Here's a look at the top health questions in different states.

In Alabama, people are asking how you get monkeypox, why they sweat in their sleep, and how to get rid of allergies. Alaskans want to know how many calories they should eat, what counts as a fever, and what monkeypox looks like.

Arizonans are curious about the right amount of sleep, how to ease bloating, how long allergies last, and if allergies can cause coughing. People in Arkansas are looking up gout, hemorrhoids, diabetes, ear infections, if sinus infections spread, and how to stop nosebleeds.

Moving on, Californians are researching sleep hours, juice cleanses, living without a kidney, constant yawning, stopping vertigo, night sweats, peeing when sneezing, the effects of swallowing gum, removing ingrown toenails, sleeping with a bra, and more.

Delaware folks are googling how to stop hiccups, daily water intake, the number of bones in the body, and anemia. In the District of Columbia, questions include the duration of strep throat, breaking a fever, heartburn feelings, and if poison ivy spreads.

The list goes on with each state having its own unique set of concerns. In Illinois, people are curious if you can live without a spleen, why they drool in sleep, what causes restless legs, and how to kill toenail fungus.

Indiana residents ask about normal blood pressure, bunions, constant hunger, and easing gas pain.

Maine is looking into how to relieve sinus pressure. Marylanders are asking about swallowing gum, skin tags, sleep paralysis, red eyes, and if allergies cause headaches.

Massachusetts folks want to know about back cracking, high cholesterol, preventing shin splints, and pneumonia.

New Mexico searches include going without food, high blood pressure, heartburn, ear infections, and if allergies can cause sore throats. New Yorkers are curious about dry hands, treating food poisoning, swollen gums, genetic allergies, and winter allergies.

In North Carolina, searches include the effects of too much water, feeling lightheaded, and causes of excessive gas. Oklahomans are asking about coffee limits, rare blood types, eczema, and tonsil stones. Oregonians are looking up swollen feet and stopping ear ringing.

The list of concerns reflects a wide range of health issues Americans are curious about. Each state has its unique set of questions, showing the diverse health interests across the country.

Soliant's study with answers from a seasoned practitioners aims to provide reliable information to these curious searchers, bridging the gap between wonder and knowledge.

Photo: Digital Information World - AIgen