Your Doctor: ChatGPT

There’s one thing that has actually amazed me in the past few months about ChatGPT. The level of accuracy in giving useful tips and information about the health symptoms you may experience and the possible related disease you may have, due to those symptoms.

While it may not be as good as a doctor (or is it?), it can help you by informing you and guiding you toward what you need to do next.

In this article, we will explore how you can use ChatGPT as a personal doctor. I will show how to ask it questions accurately so that the answers you get will be spot-on. Who knows, maybe the advice ChatGPT gives you about your health condition, will save your or someone else’s life.

What questions canChatGPT answer?

ChatGPT can basically answer any question about any data that he was trained on. Considering the humongous amount of data it was trained on — you can basically believe that it can answer almost any question.

When it comes to the medical field, ChatGPT can help with various inquiries, such as:

Quick access to medical information: ChatGPT can provide instant answers to your medical questions. If you want to know about symptoms, diseases, treatments, or medications, ChatGPT can give you accurate and up-to-date information.

Help with assessing symptoms: If you’re not sure how serious your symptoms are, ChatGPT can ask you questions and give you an idea of what might be going on. It can guide you on whether you should seek medical attention or not.

Support for managing your health: ChatGPT can remind you to take your medications, exercise, or follow other health routines. It can offer personalized recommendations and help you stay on track with your health goals.

Wellness and lifestyle tips: ChatGPT can provide guidance on nutrition, exercise, stress management, and sleep. It can suggest healthy habits and preventive measures tailored to your needs.

Support for mental health: ChatGPT can offer resources for managing stress, anxiety, and other mental health concerns. While it’s not a substitute for professional therapy, it can provide information and support. Or, if you cannot afford professional therapy — ChatGPT can be your free therapist!

Medication reminders: If you have a chronic condition and need to take medications regularly, ChatGPT can remind you when it’s time to take them. It helps you stay consistent with your prescribed treatment.

Analysis of your health records: ChatGPT can analyze your personal health records to identify patterns, risks, and provide personalized recommendations. It gives you a better understanding of your health trends and potential preventive measures so that your health doesn’t deteriorate — or it can even help improve the quality of your life.

Of course, those are not all the things that ChatGPT can help with. These are just a few examples to get you started. You can use your imagination to ask him different things, and even combine some points from the list above — as ChatGPT will take everything into account.

How To Ask (Prompt) ChatGPT

Asking ChatGPT simple inaccurate questions will provide simple inaccurate answers most of the time. If you want to find the exact answer to your questions, you need to know how to build the right prompt. Here, I will show you how to best do that.

Let’s start with an example that I’m going through right now. Just a week ago I’ve been through a rhinoplastic surgery (or rhinoplasty) since I couldn’t breathe right, or sleep right due to my breathing issues. Let’s ask ChatGPT what I should avoid doing after this surgery.

The prompt: “I’ve just had a rhinoplastic surgery (rhinoplasty). What are the symptoms I may experience? Also, what should I avoid doing, drinking, or eating while recovering? How long should the recovery take?”

The answer to these questions can be seen below:

“After undergoing rhinoplasty, it’s important to understand the common symptoms you may experience during the recovery process. It’s worth noting that individual experiences may vary, and it’s always best to consult with your surgeon for personalized advice. Here are some general guidelines:

Symptoms: After rhinoplasty, you can expect the following symptoms:

Swelling and bruising around the nose and eyes.

Nasal congestion or stuffiness.

Mild to moderate pain or discomfort.

Numbness or altered sensation around the nose.

Slight bleeding or discharge from the nose.

Difficulty breathing through the nose initially.

2. Avoidance:

Physical exertion: Avoid strenuous activities, heavy lifting, or intense exercise for a few weeks.

Smoking: It’s important to refrain from smoking as it can hinder the healing process and increase the risk of complications.

Alcohol: Avoid consuming alcoholic beverages as they can increase swelling and delay healing.

Certain medications: Your surgeon may advise you to avoid specific medications like aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that can increase bleeding risk. Follow your surgeon’s instructions regarding medication usage.

Sun exposure: Protect your nose from direct sunlight and use sunscreen to prevent sunburn.

3. Diet:

Hydration: Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated during the recovery period.

Soft foods: Initially, opt for a soft diet that is easy to chew and won’t strain your jaw or nose.

Avoid spicy and hot foods: These can potentially irritate the nasal passages and increase discomfort.

Follow any dietary instructions provided by your surgeon or healthcare team.

4. Recovery duration: The duration of recovery can vary depending on individual factors and the extent of the procedure. Generally, initial swelling and bruising should subside within a couple of weeks. However, complete healing and final results may take several months to a year. Your surgeon will provide a more accurate timeline based on your specific case.

Remember, it’s crucial to follow your surgeon’s post-operative instructions carefully to ensure a smooth recovery. Attend follow-up appointments, keep the surgical area clean, and communicate any concerns or unexpected symptoms promptly to your healthcare team. They will be best equipped to provide you with personalized guidance and support throughout your recovery journey.”

Well, that is quite a handful of useful information, that I truly intend to use. Even if, I must admit, I really long to drink an ice-cold beer, considering we’re getting into the hot summer season. However, I will not do that, since my trustworthy doctor, ChatGPT, told me not to.

Let’s try another example, this time directed at problems our beautiful female counterparts may experience. In the next example, we will ask ChatGPT about some symptoms we have, as a woman, and see if it can successfully detect the issue. In this case, we will ask him about the most usual symptoms of Polycystic Ovaries, which are: acne or oily skin, excessive hair growth, hair loss, and irregular periods, among others. Let’s see how ChatGPT performs.

The Prompt: ”I am a woman, and I have acne and oily skin, excessive hair growth on my face and chest. I shed quite a lot of hair around the house, and I have irregular and painful periods. Is there something wrong with me?”

The Answer: “I’m not a doctor, but I can try to provide some general information regarding the symptoms you’ve mentioned. It’s important to remember that these symptoms can have various causes, and it’s best to consult with a healthcare professional for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Here are a few possibilities:

Acne and oily skin: Acne and oily skin can be caused by factors such as hormonal changes, genetics, or certain skincare habits. It’s common during puberty due to increased oil production. However, in some cases, it could be a sign of hormonal imbalance or other underlying conditions. A dermatologist can help identify the cause and recommend suitable treatments.

Excessive hair growth (hirsutism): Excessive hair growth in areas such as the face and chest could be caused by hormonal imbalances, such as an excess of male hormones (androgens). This could be related to conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Consulting with a healthcare professional, such as an endocrinologist or gynecologist, can help determine the underlying cause and provide appropriate management options.

Hair shedding: Some amount of hair shedding is normal, but if you’re experiencing excessive hair shedding, it may be a cause for concern. Factors like stress, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal changes, or certain medical conditions could contribute to hair loss. A dermatologist can evaluate your condition and provide guidance on potential causes and treatment options.

Irregular and painful periods: Irregular periods can occur due to various factors, including hormonal imbalances, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), thyroid disorders, or other underlying medical conditions. Painful periods, known as dysmenorrhea, can also have multiple causes. Consulting with a gynecologist can help identify the underlying cause of these symptoms and provide appropriate management options.

It’s essential to consult with a healthcare professional who can evaluate your symptoms, take a detailed medical history, and conduct any necessary tests to determine the cause of your concerns. They will be able to provide an accurate diagnosis and recommend appropriate treatment options tailored to your specific needs.”

As you can see, in 2 of the 4 symptoms explanations, you can find polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Now, since you’ve seen that PCOS diagnostic appears twice, you can adapt the question to be more focused (and remember that ChatGPT can also look at the history of what you asked it).

The Prompt: “If I have the symptoms above, is it possible I have PCOS?”

The answer: ”While the symptoms you described — acne, oily skin, excessive hair growth, shedding hair, and irregular and painful periods — can be associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), it’s important to remember that these symptoms can have various causes. PCOS is a complex hormonal disorder, and its diagnosis requires a comprehensive evaluation by a healthcare professional.

PCOS is typically diagnosed based on the presence of certain criteria, including irregular menstrual cycles, signs of androgen excess (such as excessive hair growth), and the appearance of polycystic ovaries on ultrasound. However, it’s important to note that other conditions can also cause similar symptoms.

To determine if you have PCOS, I highly recommend consulting with a healthcare professional, such as a gynecologist or endocrinologist. They will conduct a thorough evaluation, taking into account your medical history, and symptoms, and possibly ordering blood tests and imaging studies. These tests can help rule out other potential causes and provide a clearer understanding of your condition.

Remember that self-diagnosis can be misleading, as there are several conditions that can present with similar symptoms. It’s best to consult with a healthcare professional who can assess your specific situation and provide an accurate diagnosis. They will be able to guide you through the appropriate diagnostic process and recommend suitable treatment options if necessary.”

As you can observe, ChatGPT won’t let you know for sure what affliction you have, but it can provide information as well as a doctor can — and for free. It can help you pinpoint the problems you have, what those problems are caused by, and what further investigations you need to perform. At the very least, it will help you cut down on the expenses of doing useless and costly health investigations.

Final Words

If you have ever experienced going to bad doctors, who didn’t tell you much, and told you (after paying to be consulted, of course) what ChatGPT can tell you for free, in a matter of minutes, or even seconds — you can kiss that goodbye.

You can now use ChatGPT as a preliminary doctor, asking him whatever you want about your health, about what to do and what not to do if you have a condition and much more.

If you are not yet sure, just ask ChatGPT about a condition you have, or some symptoms you have — and what the probable causes are. Then, go to Google and search that out to see if it was accurate. If you want to go even further, go to a doctor, and after talking to that doctor, compare the answers ChatGPT has given you to those that the doctor did.

You will see, they will be mostly the same.