RESIDENTS of Carlisle may be surprised to learn that they live in the 22nd most likely place to self-diagnose via Google.

This comes from data provided by contact lens retailer Lenstore, which analysed terms used to search for the symptoms of over 70 health conditions to determine where in the UK people are likely to be struggling with so-called 'Cyberchondria'.

Residents of Carlisle rank 22nd in the UK for Googling their health symptoms.

Each month, residents make on average 3,300 health-related searches, but the real number is likely much higher, Lenstore said.

The conditions residents of Carlisle are most likely to search the symptoms of on Google are diabetic retinopathy, arthritis, bronchitis, dermatitis and high cholesterol.

In the UK, people are now 114 per cent more likely to search health-related terms online than three years ago.

The top three cities on the list were Durham, Chester, and Glasgow respectively.

Nationally, diabetes is the condition checked for the most, followed by mental health-related conditions such as anxiety and depression.

The flu, lung cancer, chlamydia and high blood pressure are all in equal fourth place, with an average monthly search volume of 60,500.

When it comes to eye-related health conditions, people are most worried about the symptoms of glaucoma.

The second most-searched-for condition is dry eyes, with the UK searching on average 10,020 times per month.

A spokesperson from Lenstore said: "While searching symptoms online might be a more convenient option, where we do this in the hope for peace of mind that what we’re experiencing are not symptoms of scary illnesses, but completely normal.

"However, if we see this is the case, we may skip the doctors and risk missing something that could have been an early indicator of a potentially life-threatening disease.

"Or, what we often find is that the information provided could lead us to believe that our symptoms are more serious.

"This kind of result could actually make people avoid seeing the doctor because they fear bad news is coming and can be incredibly anxiety-inducing.

"Either way, if people are experiencing symptoms that are not usual for them, it’s best to check with a healthcare professional just to rule out anything more sinister and get help."