What Are Your Symptoms Telling You?
Find out with Scripps Symptom Checker
Find out with Scripps Symptom Checker
Is your cough due to a cold or something more serious? Should you see a doctor about the pain in your knee? Scripps Symptom Checker may have the answers. This free, online service for Scripps patients can help you decide if your symptoms may be caused by a condition you can treat at home or if you should be evaluated by a physician.
Symptom Check is just one way to get virtual care at Scripps.
Available through your MyScripps account 24/7, Symptom Checker guides you through your symptoms, asking questions to help narrow down potential causes. The process takes just a few minutes. When you’re finished, you’ll receive recommendations about when and where to seek care and, whether you need to be seen urgently or within a few days, online or in person.
The symptom checker also might recommend self-care strategies for mild conditions, such as over-the-counter medications and home remedies.
“Keep in mind that Symptom Checker is not meant to formally diagnose an injury or illness. Only a health care professional can do that,” says David Wetherhold, MD, Scripps chief medical information officer for ambulatory care. “It can be helpful to evaluate minor, non-emergency symptoms, but if you think your symptoms are serious, contact a medical professional as soon as possible.”
Of course, if you have a medical emergency, call 911 or go to an emergency room immediately.
Which symptoms can you check?
Symptom Checker provides recommendations for the following symptoms and conditions:
- Abdominal pain
- Adult ear problems
- Ankle, foot or toe injury or pain
- Back injury or pain
- Cold/flu
- Cough
- COVID-19 screening
- Diarrhea
- Finger, hand, wrist or elbow injury or pain
- Headache
- Hip injury or pain
- Knee injury or pain
- Pediatric ear problem
- Pink eye
- Rash
- Shoulder injury or pain
- Some mental health conditions
- Sore throat
- Urinary symptoms
- Vaginal discharge
If you have symptoms that aren’t listed here, call your health care provider’s office.
How to use Symptom Checker
Scripps Symptom Checker is available any time of the day or night, so you can log on and evaluate your symptoms when it’s most convenient for you. To get started, you’ll need a MyScripps account; if you don’t have an account, sign up now.
Follow these simple steps to start checking your symptoms:
1) Go to MyScripps. Scripps Symptom Checker is available on both MyScripps.org and the MyScripps mobile app. You can download the free MyScripps app from the iPhone App Store or Android Google Play Store.
2) Launch Symptom Checker by going to Health in the main menu, then Medical Tools.
3) Answer questions about your current symptoms and health history.
Every time you answer a question, Symptom Checker uses the information you provide to determine the next question. Once you have answered all of the questions, Symptom Checker will offer recommendations for care.
Depending on your symptoms, you may be advised to treat yourself at home with over-the-counter medications or other remedies that do not require a doctor’s visit. In other cases, your recommendation may involve being seen by a primary care physician or visiting a Scripps HealthExpress location or Urgent Care facility. In addition, Scripps offers several options for you to get care from almost anywhere with an E-Visit or a Video Visit.
Scripps Symptom Checker can be a convenient and useful tool to help you decide if you need to see a doctor. However, if the Symptom Checker does not recommend a doctor visit and you have questions about your symptoms, never hesitate to call your health care provider.