As computers, Internet and technology have become increasingly more available and accepted, so have the applications for using them. Online consultations are something that is becoming more widely used by both medical professionals and those seeking medical advice. But how do you know if online medical consultations are right for you? There are some things to consider before you decide to try out online consultations.

The first thing you should consider is the complexity and severity of the medical condition you are hoping to ask about. If you have a complicated medical history and are under a physician's care for one or more serious illnesses or diseases, you should probably stay in touch with your doctor about new problems. If this is the case, online consultations are probably not a good idea for you. Your personal physician is in tune with your medical issues and has your history at his fingertips. Online medical consultations rely on the information you provide and those medical professionals - while probably highly competent - aren't likely to be able to deal with complex medical histories.

There are lots of cases in which the illnesses are only bothersome and finding a source of online medical consultations is a great way to deal with the problem without the expense and time needed to visit your personal physician. In some cases, you may be alerted to ways of dealing with minor medical issues with only over-the-counter medications or even items that are probably already in your medicine cabinet. You can get general online consultations that will help you decide whether a trip to the doctor is warranted or if you can probably get past the problem on your own.

With the wide array of medications that were once prescription-only but are now available over-the-counter, the odds are good that online medical consultations will include suggestions for medicines you can purchase that might help the symptoms. Remember to alert the person performing the online consultation to any medications you are currently taking so that they can consider drug interactions. If you are on an extensive medical regimen, you should probably avoid online consultations and work directly with your personal doctor.

So does that mean that online consultations aren't ever worth looking into if you have a serious condition? Not at all. There are dozens of websites that have incredible resources for those facing specific health issues. If you're dealing with diabetes, heart disease, herpes, various forms of cancer or other specific illnesses, you'll find online sources of information that include online medical consultations. These online consultants typically are knowledgeable about the specifics of these diseases and can offer quality advice.

Whozylee Aris is the author of various health related articles and recommends EZDoctorsonCall, a service which provides its