That is exactly why "Dr. Google" is such a bad idea: it is not very helpful.
For people with health anxiety googling our symptoms can greatly increase stress and anxiety. Here are a few reasons why that happens.
1) Checking just one symptom. If you search for just a headache, you'll find that almost everything can cause a headache. Without including your other mental and physical sensations, family history, medication and current health most of these "diagnoses" are just distant possibilities. It's like ordering a meal "with salt", or buying a book "with words". You could get anything, but likely not what you actually wanted.
2) Which pages can be considered reliable? The internet is free, and full of information of varying correctness. Your best bet is to talk to your medical professional about suggestions of pages you can trust.
Be especially careful with sites from clinics you're not familiar with. Anyone can make a website and pretend to be a clinic. Also, some clinics are after your money and will sell you unnecessary tests and checks, which actually tell nothing at all. Their results might even make your anxiety worse. After all, the harder you look and the more you test, the likelier it is that you'll find something. However, that something may not be of any importance whatsoever.
Also, watch out for scientific portals. Unless you are a scientist, interpreting peer-reviewed research reports is not simple. Without extensive medical background you might miss important clues, which render the entire research completely inapplicable to your situation. If you find a research article that backs up your (anxiety-driven) own diagnosis, and you really really believe it, talk about it with your doctor.
3) Googling for a possible diagnosis. So let's say that I have a headache. I google it, and find out that a brain tumor is a possible diagnosis. Fueled by adrenaline and fear I now go reading up on brain tumors, and find out that yes indeed, most people with a tumor do have headaches (confirmation, ensuring I'm on the right path). I see what other symptoms are often associated with a brain tumor, and the more you think about it, the more convinced you are that you have, actually, been experiencing those symptoms as well (hint: This is often your anxiety speaking.) Then you read the prognosis. Anxiety will make sure you focus only on the lowest survival rates. Congratulations: within 15 minutes you have gone from a headache to dying in the next two weeks.
Best solution is not to Google. The next best idea is to google for solutions. Instead of googling for "brain tumor", stay with neutral topics like "stretching exercised for headache".
4) Forgetting the big picture. We'll go with the headache-example. You are now focused on having a brain tumor. Anxiety has a way of locking your brain, so you likely forget the big picture. Let's break it down:
Fact: You have a headache.
Fact: Many people with a brain tumor have a headache... BUT millions more people have headaches for completely different reasons.
Fact: A headache does not mean you have a brain tumor.
5) But Google says I'm DYING omg what do I do now???
Take a step back from the brain tumor diagnosis. What else are you experiencing than a headache, and can you do something about it right now? If you have a headache, take a painkiller. If you're tense, try relaxation-exercises.
You probably cannot "just let go" so don't even try. It'll just give you more stress, because you're "failing to let go". Just admit that you were googling (again) and driving yourself nuts (again), so now you're feeling a ton worse, good job you. Admit it and let it go. It happened. Just breathe.
And the next time...
... for the love of all you cherish...
... DO NOT ASK DR. GOOGLE.
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