While health anxiety and hypochondria are used interchangeably, they are the same. Hypochondria was the previous medical term used to describe those living with health anxiety.
Today, having an irrational fear about one's health is referred to as health anxiety by medical professionals. Though many people still refer to this condition as hypochondria.
Hypochondria or health anxiety means that a person has an excessive fear of their health. As a result, these individuals often take frequent trips to the doctor or convince themselves that they have a serious medical illness, even though they've never been diagnosed with anything.
Having health anxiety is serious enough that it often interferes with a person's daily life. Many individuals will spend their time obsessing over their health rather than carrying out their daily routine, which is why seeking the help of a medical professional is important to help manage this condition.