When you’re in pain, the last thing they say to do is consult your phone. I did it anyway

OpinionAugust 16, 2026 — 5:00amAbout a month ago, I went to bed perfectly comfortable and woke up in pain. The top of my left arm was inexplicably sore, as though I’d been punched overnight by a demon. “Am I having a heart attack?” I asked my phone.“This does not sound like a heart attack,” answered AI, so I took some paracetamol and chalked it up to my sleeping position. At my age, even lying down can be fraught.Can AI help us overcome our fear of medical procedures? I decided it couldn’t hurt to try.GettyWhen the pain worsened, and my left hand kept falling asleep, I became concerned that something was significantly wrong. “It’s unlikely to be a tumour,” said AI, helpfully. Oh my god, I thought. It’s probably a tumour!I saw my GP, who suspected a pinched nerve in my neck and sent me for