Roughly 1 percent of searches on Google are related to symptoms. So the search giant decided to take advantage of this fact, having improved results for symptom searches. Now Google will provide mobile users with quick, accurate facts on relevant related medical conditions up front on their smartphone or other mobile device. These facts include basic answers on common conditions, risk factors associated with the condition, self-treatment options and guidance on when to seek medical care.

In order to ensure quality and accuracy of symptoms, Google worked with a team of doctors, including expert clinicians at Harvard Medical School and Mayo Clinic to review individual symptom information and evaluate related conditions.

In real-life, symptom searches like “my tummy hurts” or “nose blocked” will return a list of related conditions. Some searches, like “headache,” will provide users with self-treatment options and suggestions of when to seek help from a healthcare professional.

The information provided by Google, however, should not replace visit to the doctor’s office. “The information is not intended to be medical advice or a diagnostic tool, and it is presented for informational purposes only,” Veronica Pinchin, a product manager on Google’s search team, said in a blog post announcing the feature.

Google’s symptom search competes with what WebMD has been offering for quite some time, as well as some other new services. Given Google wide reach, the service will soon emerge as the number one used resource for symptom searches.

The new feature will be live first in English and in the U.S. in the next few days. Additional symptoms and languages are planned for the future…