The UK's Most-Googled Intimate Health Questions In 2017

We all know we shouldn't take health diagnoses from Dr. Google too seriously, but that doesn't stop us from firing off our most intimate questions into the ether faster than we can say "GP surgery waiting times".

So, what are the most common niggles we've been searching online this year? Google has collated data from January to mid-December and ranked our most frequently searched "what" and "why" questions of the year.

The year's most popular "why" question was the most basic of the lot: "Why do I feel sick?" But aside from that, we seem to be a dangerously sleep deprived nation. "Why am I always tired?" and five variations of the same question were among the top 25 most common questions. Bloating, dizziness, sweatiness and "feeling hungry all the time", were some other common concerns in 2017.

"Why do I have spots on my bum?", "Why do I feel sick all the time?" and "Why am I having nightmares?", saw a jump in searches on last year; as did the health benefits of bananas and "why does my vape taste burnt?", because we all know it's about #balance.

Some general topics saw a sharp rise in searches this year compared to last year, including the high-fat, low-carb ketogenic diet, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and questions about the drug Spice. Lupus, the autoimmune disease which made headlines this year after Selena Gomez had a kidney transplant following her battle with it also ranked among the most searched health concerns.

"What is the dementia tax?", one of the most hotly debated issues of the general election, was the most popular "what is" question. The divisive policy for adult social care was short-lived with Theresa May axing it this year.

13 Reasons Why, the Netflix show executive produced by Selena Gomez, was also one of our most-searched topics. The show covers mental health through the lens of a teenager who takes her own life and leaves behind thirteen audio recordings about the people she says are to blame for her decision.

Some mental health experts claimed the show was dangerous for those at risk of suicide and indeed, Google saw a spike in searchers for suicide-related topics months (including the phrase "how to commit suicide") after it dropped on the streaming service. However, as CNN reported, there were also an increased number of searches for "suicide prevention" and "suicide hotline number".