Think twice about that medical test or treatment this summer
January 2019
Summer in New Zealand is about days at the beach, the sound of cicadas and the smell of melting tar.
But for some
people it can also be synonymous with having skin rashes and
sore knees and backs from gardening or backyard cricket; not
to mention tennis elbow.
It can be tempting to ask
your doctor to send you for a scan just to make sure
there’s nothing really wrong, or to give you
antibiotics.
But Choosing Wisely chair Dr
Derek Sherwood says just because tests and treatments are
available doesn’t mean we should always use them. Choosing Wisely, coordinated by the
Council of Medical Colleges, supports reducing
unnecessary tests, treatments and procedures in health
care.
“There is mounting evidence that more tests
and procedures don’t always equal better care. While
modern medicine has given us more ways than ever to diagnose
and treat illness, sometimes, the best option may be to do
nothing.”
He points to X-rays for people with back
pain as among the tests that need to be considered carefully
before use.
“Back pain is one of the most common
reasons we visit the doctor. But evidence shows most of us
recover without needing scans or other tests.
“Not
only do X-rays and CT scans expose patients to potentially
cancer-causing radiation but many studies have shown scans
frequently identify things that require further
investigation but turn out to be nothing. This means
patients can undergo stressful and potentially risky
follow-up tests and treatments.”
Tennis elbow
causes pain around the outside of the elbow and is often
triggered by overuse of the muscles and tendons of the
forearm.
“People sometimes request steroid
injections,” Dr Sherwood says, “but resting the arm and
avoiding doing things that make the injury worse is the best
way to recover. While steroid injections can provide
short-term relief, in the longer term, they can hold back
recovery.”
He says rashes such as eczema, that are
not infected, will not be helped by antibiotics.
“You can control eczema better with moisturisers. To
relieve itching and swelling, ask your doctor about creams
or ointments containing a steroid or other medicines.
The Choosing Wisely website has lots of resources
about different tests, treatments and procedures that you
might want to discuss further with your health
professional.
They include information on:
• allergies and allergic reactions
• tests before
surgery
• back, knee and ankle x-rays
• using
antibiotics
• blood tests
• coughs, colds and sore
throats
• dementia
• ear
infections
• electrocardiograms (ECGs)
• end of
life care
• reviewing and using medicines.
Find
out more at www.choosewisely.org.nz
Choosing Wisely sponsors are the Council of Medical Colleges, Southern Cross Health Society, Pacific Radiology and PHARMAC. Consumer NZ and the Health Quality & Safety Commission are Choosing Wisely partners, and there is wide health sector support for the campaign.
ends