We’ve all been tempted at one point or another to take a quick peek online to see what our ailment may be. We’ve had a headache, stomachache, strange and unexplainable pain that was bothering us—and we wanted answers! With the evolution of the Internet has come the ability to look up just about anything. This can be good and bad as the number of sites and online tools keep popping up to help us treat our symptoms. These can be helpful, but it’s important to check that you’re using a reputable source to assess what’s ailing you. Here we look at some online tools that can be quite helpful and reputable in your ailment assessment:

Web MD – Sure it’s one of the most mainstream sites out there right now, but it works. You can check into any number of symptoms online and see what could be troubling you. Though this certainly doesn’t substitute for sound medical advice, it can be a good starting point. Based on the fact that it is a community of doctors providing the advice, you can rest assured that it’s a far more reputable source than others you might find out there. Therefore it should be at the top of the free and helpful online tools.

Organized Wisdom – Though this is a search engine in nature, it isn’t as general as other counterparts. The information provided on here is all based in knowledge and practice of health, so it’s quite reputable. You can trust that what you get on here comes from medical professionals and is therefore trustworthy. This is a great one to test out if you have an ailment that is puzzling you.

Mayo Clinic – Academic institutes are getting into the act and this is a great source to rely on. Just hearing the name “Mayo Clinic” provides confidence and security in the information being provided. Though several universities have gotten in on the act, the site for the Mayo Clinic is quite robust and offers some excellent ailment checks. You can find a full assessment of what an ailment may be and even consider some home remedies before rushing out to try alternative methods. This is an excellent online tool to use and shows the reason that it’s just so popular. You can find a symptom check, use an online diagnosis, and look for alternative treatment methods—all at your fingertips!

Mary Frederick is a freelance writer and likes writing about healthcare career topics, such as how to research and choose among online FNP programs.