WebMD for Android is probably the best health app around

Finding out why your body behaves in a certain way in a situation, or what to do when someone else requires medical attention or first aid, is often not an easy task, provided that you are not a doctor or knowledgeable when it comes to that.

Having an app at hand can save valuable time, as it may provide you with the means to look up information that you require at that point in time.

It all comes down on the other hand on what the app has to offer, and how easy it is to find and go through the information it makes available.

In the case of WebMD for Android, it is excellent both in terms of usability but also in terms of what the application has to offer.

WebMD for Android

The application displays six entry points on start.

1. Symptom Checker displays a human body which you can use to point at the location that you want information about. You can alternatively switch to list mode here if you prefer that. If you pick chest for instance, the list of symptoms includes difficulty breathing, bruising or discoloration, or food getting stuck.
2. Conditions offers a huge list of conditions that you may want to retrieve information about. From asthma over breast cancer to mumps and menopause.
3. Drugs & Treatment displays information about drugs that you may need to take, or consider taking. Uses, side-effects, precautions, interactions and overdose information are displayed for each drug. You can search by name, or by shape, color or imprint which can be useful if you only have the pill available and want to find out more about it.
4. First Aid information displays a large selection of first aid topics to you. You can access the top list, an A-Z list, or use the search to find topics that you want to look up. As far as topics are concerned, they range from Allergic Reactions over Fainting to choking and bruises.
5. Local Health Listings enables you to search for physicians, pharmacies and hospitals. This includes a map view and directions based on your current location or primary address. Note that this appears to be US-only at the time of writing.

The information that the app makes available are detailed. Depending on what you look up, you may get an overview article at first -- that includes links to related topics -- as well as information about symptoms and additional articles that cover the subject.

Another interesting feature becomes available after you sign up for a free account. Once you have done so and signed in to the app, you can save personal topics of interests so that you can access them faster.

This includes drugs and treatments that apply to you or others, information about conditions or first aid information.

As far as first aid information are concerned, they do always begin with information when to call 911, before information about treatments, prevention and monitoring are displayed.

You can add a pin to the app to protect its information from being accessed by others that may get hold of your mobile phone or tablet.

Closing Words

WebMD for Android is most suitable for people living in the US, and to a lesser degree, to users from other English speaking countries and English speakers.

The information that it makes available are detailed and useful, and can help in many situations. From parents who need to find out what is wrong with a child to situations where you are the first responder to a medical emergency.

The option to save personal favorites in the app is excellent, as you can use the feature to quickly open topics of interest without having to use the search or navigate the app.

Now Read: First Aid for Android helps in emergencies

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