As we near the holidays and the time for New Year's resolutions, it can be fruitful to look back at what a year we survived. And Google is giving us just that, with its annual 'Year in Search 2023.'
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Let's face it: even if googling your symptoms in case of a health issue, is probably not always the best idea, we have all done it. So let's take a look at the most popular health questions you asked in 2023, as reported by Men's Journal based on Google's data.
Top 3 health queries of 2023
Even though we have just lived through a global pandemic, it does not make an appearance in the most queried topics from this year. There's no mention of Covid-19 or any of its variants.
Again, even though there is a growing anxiety and loneliness epidemic, medical questions on these topics are not in the top health queries.
Instead the top two health question this year was about whether 'strep' is contagious, and for how long. Strep throat is a bacterial infection which makes the throat feel sore and scratchy.
Symptoms include fever, pain when swallowing, sore throat, and red and swollen tonsils. And yes, strep is indeed contagious, and spreads through coughs or sneezes, or through shared food and drinks.
Someone with strep can stay contagious for two or three weeks.
The other topic in the top 3 is 'cholesterol' and how to lower it. Seems like many of us have been preoccupied with our health and diet.
The list of top 10
When it comes to the top 10 questions, there is a fair mix of medical issues that most of us might already be dealing with such as bloating and snoring. Preeclampsia, which is a pregnancy complication, also makes an appearance!
Here's the full list of the top 10 health queries:
- How long is strep contagious?
- How contagious is strep throat?
- How to lower cholesterol
- What helps with bloating?
- What causes low blood pressure?
- What causes warts?
- Why do I feel nauseous?
- What causes preeclampsia?
- How to stop snoring
- How long does food poisoning last?
Read more:
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⋙ Woman spots her boyfriend on Google Maps and discovers heartbreaking truth about him
Sources used:
Men's Journal: ' Google Searches Reveal the Top Trending Health Questions People Had in 2023'
Google: 'Year in Search'