Search Help

The Health Library search function is powered by Google. Type your search term (the topic you're looking for), and click Google Search. Google searches the Health Library website and lists the pages that contain your search term.

These are the rules for the search term:

• The search is not case-sensitive. Alzheimer, ALZHEIMER, and alzheimer all give the same result.
  
  
• If you type more than one word, Google searches for all of them. If you type back pain, Google searches for pages that contain back and pain anywhere on the page. If you want to search for a specific phrase, put it in quotes: "back pain"
  
  
• Google searches for an entire word (or phrase). It does not do wild card searches. Suppose you're looking for either spine or spinal. You can't do a wild card search for spin*. But you can tell Google to look for any of the words you specify, using the symbol | or the word OR to separate them:
  
  • spine | spinal
  • spine OR spinal

If you want more information about Google and its search function, go to the Google Help Center.

Google lists the page(s) where it found your search term. If there is more than one, examine the results to decide which page seems to be the one you want. If in doubt, choose the first one. Click on the title of the page or on cached to go to it. You're now at the top of a Health Library page that contains your search term.

There are several ways to find the information you're looking for on that page:

• If you clicked on cached, the cached version of the page is displayed. It may be a few days out of date, but your search term is highlighted wherever it appears on the page. Here is an example of a search for colostomy.
  
  
• If you clicked on the title, the current version of the page is displayed. Each page of the website has links to help you find information. At the top are links to each major topic in that section (for example Digestive System). Below that, each major topic (for example Intestinal Disease) has links to the subtopics.
  
  
• If you don't see your search term, use your browser's find function to find it on the page:
  
  
  • To begin the search on a PC, type Ctrl-f (press the Ctrl and f keys at the same time). On a Mac, type Command-f.
    
    
  • In the box that opens, type your search term and press Enter. You don't have to type a whole word here. If you're looking for Alzheimer's Disease, you can type just alz. The first occurrence of that term on the page will be highlighted. If that isn't what you want, look for the next occurrence:
    
    
  • On a PC, click Find Next. On a Mac, type Command-g
    

Return to the Health Library Search page.

Home | Health Information | Services | Contact Us | Stanford | Search | Copyright

IMPORTANT NOTE: Linking to commercial and other sites, or sites where these might lead, does not imply endorsement of products, services, or content. Please keep in mind that The Stanford Health Library dispenses information, not medical advice. Although we're happy to help you find the materials you need, your health care professional is the only person qualified to give you a medical opinion.