Internists create overview with the most unnecessary treatments

Many treatments are unnecessary and even endanger our health
When people go to their family doctor or visit a hospital, they are usually ill or suffer from other medical conditions. Then they hope for quick help and effective treatment from the doctor of their confidence. Because unnecessary treatments are usually expensive and can even endanger our health, experts have now created a list of ten commonly used, unnecessary treatments.

A doctor's visit has usually only one purpose: Diseased persons hope for a quick treatment relief of their complaints. Some treatments may be preventable and even dangerous to our health. Physicians of the Swiss Society of General Internal Medicine (SGAIM) have now published a list containing some of the unnecessary treatments that patients should better seek a second opinion.

When we go to the doctor, we expect a treatment that frees us from our complaints as quickly as possible. However, there are many types of treatment that are simply unnecessary and expensive. (Image: Gina Sanders / fotolia.com)

List of unnecessary treatments:
1. Antibiotics against harmless respiratory infections
Patients often require antibiotics for colds and other respiratory illnesses to treat problems quickly. However, such a treatment is unnecessary, due to the excessive, unjustified use of antibiotics increases only the risk for the emergence of resistant germs, warn the experts from Switzerland.

2. Regular blood or X-ray examinations without a specific occasion
Some examinations, such as taking blood or x-ray examinations, are often performed at certain intervals in the case of illnesses. Physicians and experts warn against these unnecessary treatments. Without a specific reason such investigations are usually just a waste of money. Both physicians and patients should spare themselves these unnecessary burdens, advise the doctors.

3. Too long prescribed bed rest for elderly patients
When elderly people visit a hospital, they often have to stay in bed for too long. Usually, however, other therapies are in demand at this moment, the doctors criticize. For example, the length of time spent lying down can worsen the ability of the affected patients to walk, warn the authors.

4. sedative and sleep aid
In general, patients are too often prescribed unnecessary tranquilizers and sleep aids. According to the experts from SGAIM, studies show that these unnecessary prescriptions increase the risk of traffic accidents and falls in everyday life. Thus, even this is an unnecessary treatment, which is even associated with risks for us and our fellow human beings.

5. Permanent catheter for incontinence without urgent need
The use of a permanent catheter in the event of incontinence is often intended only to facilitate the work of nursing staff, explain the physicians of the SGAIM. However, the permanent catheter also increases the risk of infections.

6. More blood transfusion than really needed
If people need to receive a blood transfusion, it should only contain the minimum necessary amount of blood and should not exceed it. Otherwise, the unnecessary nature of the treatment will only increase the costs and, above all, the risk to our health, say the experts.

7. Early X-ray in case of back pain
Some physicians first undergo x-ray examination for patients with back pain. However, X-rays do not help in the first six weeks to improve the diagnosis of back pain, say the researchers from Switzerland. Thus, even this treatment is unnecessary and even endanger our health, because the affected patients are exposed to unnecessary radiation.

8. X-ray before surgery
X-rays of the ribcage are sometimes performed before surgery, but this treatment is unnecessary, because doctors do not receive any essential, vital information from these X-rays, the authors explain. In addition, the patient is exposed to unnecessary radiation.

9. PSA screening as prostate cancer examination
The doctors also say that the so-called PSA screening should be one of the unnecessary interventions. The exact benefit of this investigation is usually unclear. However, there is a threat of an over-investigation, warn the experts.

10. Treatment with proton pump blockers
An unnecessary treatment with so-called proton pump blockers can often bring with it many side effects, according to the experts at SGAIM. In this type of treatment, the side effects often outweigh the benefits, the doctors warn. (As)