3 Other Ways You May Be Overtreated

Screening tests aren't the only medical "miracle" that may be overused.

By Shannon Brownlee

From Reader's Digest

Studies show that doctors tend to be too quick to use several other types of tests and treatments:

• Imaging tests. Not every bump on the head requires a CT scan, which packs a lot of radiation. For the same reason, people without symptoms of heart disease should be cautious about cardiac CT exams. Many MRIs for lower-back pain are also unnecessary, studies show.

• Back surgery. Spinal fusion, which involves welding together vertebrae with bone grafts or metal devices, appears to offer no more relief than less risky (and less expensive) rigorous rehab programs for worn disks. Most back pain goes away on its own.

• Cardiac procedures. Solid evidence shows that, if you have heart disease, unless you're in the midst of a heart attack or in its immediate aftermath, getting an angioplasty or a stent adds no survival edge beyond that provided by drugs and lifestyle changes.

From Reader's Digest - April 2009

• Healthy Heart
• • Your Medical Care
• • Back Pain
• Cancer

• Cancer Screening: Doing More Harm than Good?
• Screening tests can find cancer early -- so why do some experts say they can do more harm than good? Read this before your next mammogram, PSA test, or colonoscopy.
• 
• Screening Tests:
  Are They Right for You?
• Factors to consider before you schedule a cancer screening test.
•