Steer clear of risky, unnecessary scans for low back pain
One minute you’re fine, the next your back is in agony, and you can barely make it to the sofa.
If the pain doesn’t go away in the next few days, that certainly calls for a doctor’s appointment along with a CT scan or MRI, right?
Not exactly.
Unnecessary testing like this can take away your time, money, and peace of mind – all for no good reason.
But that hasn’t stopped doctors from ordering them like crazy. And you may be shocked to find out the reason why.
The scan scam
There are stacks of evidence showing how unnecessary medical testing isn’t just pointless, it can be downright dangerous.
But where scans are concerned for low back pain, all that proof seems to be doing is collecting dust.
A new study by researchers from the Veterans Affairs Center for Clinical Management Research in Ann Arbor, Michigan surveyed hundreds of VA doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers about the practice. A test scenario was set up to determine what they would do if a patient with low back pain asked for a scan.
And while over three quarters of the health professionals said they would be concerned that the tests would do nothing but lead to more unnecessary tests or procedures, they would still go ahead and order them. And that’s even while calling CT scans or MRIs “inappropriate” for most complaints of low back pain.
And get this: Over half the VA healthcare workers said they would be worried the patient would get upset if they didn’t receive the testing they asked for!
Dr. Erika Sears, who coauthored the research, added that while almost all the doctors she surveyed knew full well those tests aren’t indicated for simple low back pain, they just don’t have enough time to explain the risks and benefits to patients.
Of course, that’s certainly not the only reason.
As I told you a few months ago, Dr. Jane Oriert, head of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, claims that while “it’s terrible,” doctors get paid for “following insurance company recommendations.”
And those may come from committees that have “conflicts of interest” in what they propose.
But the real danger here isn’t just spending your time and money on a test you really don’t need.
As the medical director of Consumer Reports noted, unnecessary testing opens the gates for false positive results and can lead to a “spiral of unneeded invasive procedures, medications and even surgeries.”
Plus that, CT scans and X-rays come with a dose of radiation that, while small, adds up.
Whatever the reasons, overuse of diagnostic tests is a problem not only in the VA, but in private practices as well.
To avoid it, Dr. Sears said that before dashing off for testing, a thorough patient history should be taken along with an examination to rule out symptoms that might indicate a more serious condition than just back pain.
And after that, the next stop, she says, should be physical therapy – and not the MRI machine.
So instead of heading off to your doctor’s office thinking getting one of these tests is a given, a better approach (if one is ordered) would be to ask him these two questions:
- Do I really need this test?
- Could this problem improve on its own?
You might be surprised by the answer!
Also, chiropractic care and activities such as walking, yoga, or physical therapy might be all you need to stop the pain… and keep it from coming back.
“Doctors still order imaging for low back pain, against recommendations” Kathryn Doyle, October 17, 2016, Reuters, reuters.com
