Useful Search Tips

1. Phrase search ("") <- RECOMMENDED

   By putting double quotes around a set of words, you are telling the search engine to consider the exact words in that exact order without any change.

   For example, search

   "blood pressure is 180"

   will find only discussions where this exact phrase is used.

   
   

2. Search for useful phrases people might use when discussing their health. <- RECOMMENDED

   By putting double quotes around a set of words, you are telling the search engine to consider the exact words in that exact order without any change.

   Example searches:

   "helped my arthritis"
   "nexium caused me"
   "my first ms symptom was"

   
   

3. Search all your symptoms to see who else has it.

   By putting double quotes around a set of words, you are telling the search engine to consider the exact words in that exact order without any change.

   For example, search

   diarrhea vomiting dizziness "metallic taste"

   will find only discussions mentioning all these symptoms.

   
   

4. Search your medication and dosage to see what others are experiencing.

   By putting double quotes around a set of words, you are telling the search engine to consider the exact words in that exact order without any change.

   For example, search

   "lipitor 80 mg"

   will find discussions mentioning that drug and dosage.

   
   

5. Use minus sign (-) to exclude terms or sites.

   Attaching a minus sign immediately before a word or website name indicates that you do not want results that contain that word or results from that website.

   For example, search

   diarrhea vomiting dizziness "metallic taste" -drugs.com

   will exclude all results from drugs.com.

   
   

6. Use 'OR' in ALL CAPS if you if you want results from one of several words or phrases.

   By putting double quotes around a set of words, you are telling the search engine to consider the exact words in that exact order without any change.

   For example, search

   "diagnosed with ovarian cancer" OR "diagnosed with uterine cancer"

   will give you results about either one of these phrases.

   "diagnosed with ovarian cancer" OR "diagnosed with uterine cancer" remission

   will give you results about either one of these phrases that also include the word remission.

   
   

7. The AROUND operator allows you to match words that are within X words.

   By putting double quotes around a set of words, you are telling the search engine to consider the exact words in that exact order without any change.

   For example, search

   lisinopril AROUND(2) "80 mg"

   will find discussions where lisinopril is within 2 words of "80 mg". So for example, it would find "80 mg of lisinopril" as well as "lisinopril 80 mg".