Avoid These Unnecessary Medical Procedures Or Treatments

Have you ever wondered if all the tests you had before undergoing surgery were really necessary, or if the antibiotics the doctor gave you for sinusitis were a good idea? Many doctors feel pressured to write prescriptions or order tests that are not in their patients’ best interests, research has shockingly revealed. The reasons can vary from it being easier to prescribe than explain to the patient why it’s not needed, to physicians feeling they have to protect themselves from litigation. 

What harm is there in unnecessary treatment or tests?

The risk of inappropriate treatment is exposure to harmful side effects, not balanced by any potential benefit.  

This means the person is diagnosed with an illness or condition they don’t have, possibly receive needless treatment or interventions and experience stress as a result of the worry.

Here's a look at the tests, medications, and procedures doctors might agree to even if it doesn't benefit you — and why you should avoid them.

Antibiotics for sinusitis

It is estimated that antibiotics are inappropriately prescribed in 80 percent of episodes of mild to moderate sinusitis.  They’re generally not appropriate because sinusitis is most often are caused by viruses, and by now we should all know that those are unaffected by antibiotics. Antibiotics are designed for bacterial infections. 

In addition, many antibiotics are associated with side effects such as stomach upsets, and disrupt the natural balance of bacteria and microorganisms in the body. Excessive and unnecessary use of antibiotics has also led to the current problems of growing numbers of drug-resistant bacteria making treatment of some diseases, such as tuberculosis, much harder than it used to be. 

The exceptions are if a case of sinusitis persists longer than seven days, is severe, or worsens after first improving (which may indicate that a secondary bacterial infection has developed, against which antibiotics may be effective).

Expensive imaging for back pain

It is estimated that around 80 percent of us will develop lower back pain at some stage in our lives. In the majority of cases, this back pain is a direct result of poor posture, weak muscles or even the way we walk, and not to anything sinister. It’s also a fact that most cases will improve in four to six week without any intervention.

Also, age-related deterioration in the spine due to wear and tear will show up on imaging and could mislead a diagnosis and treatment.

But if you have other symptoms such as loss of feeling, pain that is severe or does not improve in four to six weeks, see your doctor.

Sleeping pills for insomnia

While it might seem handy to pop a pill for those sleepless nights, you could do better by seeking advice on non-drug ways of encouraging sleep.  

This effect is also associated with increased risk of falls and broken hips in older people. Read up on meditation and sleep hygiene before you ever even see your doctor about insomnia, and even after that, it may be better to see a therapist than your family doctor.

Do You Need That Pre-surgical Test?

Tests such as EKG (for the heart), chest X-ray and blood tests may all be unnecessary in the case of minor surgery on the feet, or eyes or minor cosmetic surgery.

If you have a heart or other medical conditions, some extra tests may be advisable. When in doubt, ask your doctor about the advantages and risks of tests that they propose, and question what the consequences of skipping the tests might be.

Allergy tests which don’t work

Linda Cox MD of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology warns that a blood test known as immunoglubulin (IgG) which is often given for suspected allergy cases, just doesn’t work. She adds that when an allergy is suspected in any given patient, it is common practice to test a wide range of substances by means of blood and skin testing. Instead, by narrowing down the possibilities by careful questioning about where and when symptoms occur, it is possible to give a much smaller number of tests. This can result in a less invasive and cheaper diagnostic process — something everyone likes, right?

Heart screening with no symptoms or low risk

This is a waste of money and runs the risk of false positive results, where people suffer anxiety unnecessarily through being told they have or may potentially have heart disease, when in reality they don’t.

How can I avoid unnecessary medical tests or treatments?

If you don’t feel that you have been given a good reason (or any kind of reason) for a test or treatment, you owe it to yourself to politely question the need for it. It’s your body and you should safeguard it! Doctors are obliged to get your informed consent before a procedure, which means that they should explain:

• The reasons why a treatment is being proposed.
• The benefits of the treatment.
• The risks of the treatment. 
• Alternative options, including doing nothing, and the potential consequences of alternative courses of action.

In particular, your doctor or healthcare professional (ophthalmologist, podiatrist, nurse, physiotherapist etc) should be able to assure you that a test or treatment is really necessary, that it’s backed up by evidence to support its use, is not harmful (or the potential harm is outweighed by the likely benefit) and does not duplicate another test or treatment.

Where can I learn more about this?

The American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Foundation decided it was time to tackle this issue and asked nine medical societies to list their top recommendations for tests or treatments to question or avoid.  From the results received they compiled lists which have been used in an initiative called Choosing Wisely (see ‘Links’ below) which has more information.