ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the usual alternatives to conventional medical diagnosis, with the exception of complementary alternative medicine (CAM). The human body's ability to repair and heal itself allows us to diagnose and manage many straightforward conditions. With the increased availability of medical information on the Internet, the general public can now access information that previously was only available in medical libraries. The chapter presents a case example of Robert, a quiet healthy-looking male in his twenties, who has presented on a number of occasions to his family doctor and to the emergency department with what he has labeled as "seizures". It also presents a case study of Jim, a 55-year-old male who has been experiencing abdominal discomfort for about a week, which he attributes to constipation, although his bowel movements are usually regular. For infants and children, the first diagnosticians are often immediate caregivers, usually their parents.
