How it works

MySymptom answers a health question in three steps: you describe what is going on, you answer a few yes or no questions about warning signs, and you get a care level with clear next steps. Safety rules check for emergencies before any AI is involved.

How answers stay safe

What happens when I ask a question?

Each question goes through the same steps, in the same order, every time.

  1. You describe it

    In your own words, with up to 3 photos or a spot on the body map. You choose who it is for, because a baby, a pregnant person, an older adult and a dog all need different warning signs.

  2. You answer a few warning-sign questions

    3 to 6 yes, no or not sure questions, picked from what you wrote. For chest pain, that might be: are you short of breath, sweating, or does the pain spread to your arm or jaw? Not sure is never treated as no.

  3. The safety check runs

    Fixed rules read your words and answers, including numbers like a temperature or blood pressure and phrases like "no fever". They set the lowest care level the answer can have. An emergency sign gets the emergency answer right away, with no AI.

  4. The AI explains

    AI models running on NVIDIA's AI service write the explanation inside strict limits. Code then removes odds, doses and product suggestions. The AI can raise the care level, never lower it.

  5. You get your answer

    Care level first, then what the symptom can be related to, what to do now, when to get care sooner, questions for your clinician and links to public sources.

What can I ask about?

Ask is one place for every kind of health question. You can switch between them in the same thread.

  • Symptoms

    Anything you or someone you care for is feeling, from a headache to a rash.

  • Photos

    A rash, a bite or a swollen joint. Photos are shrunk on your device and location data is removed before they are sent.

  • Lab reports

    Photograph or upload a report. You check every value it reads before anything is explained, and fixed rules flag critical results.

  • Pills and medicines

    Check a pill against your own medicine list. Answers never include doses.

What do I see in an answer?

Every answer has the same parts, in the same order, in plain words.

  • Care level. One of six, with a button for the next step, like calling 911 or finding urgent care.
  • Things this can be related to. Up to 5 possibilities in plain words, including any serious one worth ruling out. No odds or percentages.
  • What you can do now. Safe steps at home while you wait or recover.
  • Get care sooner if. The changes that mean you should not wait.
  • Questions for your clinician. To make the visit count.
  • Sources. Links to public pages, such as MedlinePlus or the CDC, matched to the warning signs and topics in your answer.

What happens after I ask?

A question is the start, not the end.

  • Ask follow-up questions in the same thread.
  • Today checks back later to see whether it is better, the same or worse.
  • History keeps your questions and answers, and trends from your check-ins.
  • The Visit Brief turns it into one page for your clinician or vet.

Questions about how it works

How long does an answer take?

Usually under 30 seconds. Emergency signs are answered right away, because the safety check runs before the AI and does not wait for it.

What if the AI is down or busy?

You still get an answer. The care level, the reason, the warning signs to watch for and the questions to ask come from the safety rules, and the answer is marked so you know the AI part is missing.

Why does MySymptom ask yes or no questions?

A few targeted questions about warning signs, like trouble breathing with chest pain, change the right level of care more than anything else. They are picked from your description and the person's age, pregnancy or species.

Can I add a photo or a lab report?

Yes. You can add up to 3 photos to a question. Lab reports are read into rows that you check and confirm before anything is explained, and critical values are flagged by fixed rules, not by the AI.

Does MySymptom remember earlier questions?

Signed in, your questions and answers are saved to History so you can follow up or build a Visit Brief. Signed out, they stay on this device only.