Masters Series: Don't Let Your Doctor Talk You Into Getting These Dangerous Tests

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Editor's note: Despite what you may think, your doctor is not always looking out for your best interest. Many doctors frequently prescribe medical exams that they know are too aggressive.

But Retirement Millionaire editor Dr. David "Doc" Eifrig – a board-eligible eye surgeon and researcher for several peer-reviewed medical studies – says there is an "epidemic of overtreatment" in this country. He has seen the harm of doctors' negligence firsthand.

In today's edition of our weekend Masters Series – originally published in the September issue of his Retirement Millionaire newsletter – Doc and his team researched five medical exams you should avoid. These tests waste your time and hard-earned money… and can often harm your health more than help it…

Don't Let Your Doctor Talk You Into Getting These Dangerous Tests
By Dr. David Eifrig, editor, Retirement Millionaire

Never forget... the medical industry is a business.

Despite his insistence that he's just there to help you... your doctor isn't just working for you. Pharmaceutical companies are paying your doctor thousands of dollars – hundreds of thousands, in some cases – to push their drugs. Allergan, for example, paid one Florida doctor more than $160,000.

This is a serious conflict of interest. And it's contributing to an epidemic of overtreatment.

Worse... many doctors know they're overtreating patients. A 2011 survey found 28% of doctors say they treat patients too aggressively. Only 6% think their patients don't receive enough medical care.

This doesn't surprise me... I worked in the industry for years... After I left Wall Street, I went to medical school and became a board-eligible eye surgeon. I've done research for peer-reviewed studies. (You can even find me in PubMed, the National Institutes of Health's clearinghouse for medical research.) I saw this overtreatment firsthand.

Of course, not all medications are useless... And some medical exams are critical. But some commonly prescribed exams are harming your health more than helping it. And they're wasting your time and hard-earned money.

What can you do? Without spending hours doing research, how do you know whether to follow your doctor's advice to get whatever "oscopy" or "ostomy" he's recommending?

To help you, my research team and I have created a list of medical exams you should avoid. The five exams we chose are:

We'll get to the specifics of each test in a moment... But first, know that these tests (except dental x-rays) received a "D" grade from the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF). The USPSTF is a panel of 16 MDs and PhDs whose specialties range from behavioral health to pediatrics. These experts make recommendations on the usefulness of screenings, counseling services, and preventative medications.

Its grades range from "A" to "I." If the USPSTF recommends against getting the exam, it assigns the service a "D." If the task force feels there's not enough evidence to either recommend or advise against a service, it could opt to assign the service an "I" for inconclusive.

The reasons for the five tests I listed vary... Some of these tests are just useless, when the patient is actually free of the disease. Others are harmful. The largest issue we found in our research on these exams is the potential to receive a false-positive result.

A false positive occurs when an exam shows the presence of a disease, even though the patient does not actually have the disease. This can lead to undue stress and anxiety, more invasive testing, and the medical side effects that you get with overtreatment.

One of my friends was almost a victim of this...

On a trip last year, my friend Pat experienced a sudden and unbearable abdominal pain. She went to the emergency room and some of her symptoms led the doctors to give her a blood test. The test showed positive for cancer.

Doctors decided to start her on chemotherapy immediately. But chemotherapy can be just as dangerous as the cancer it's treating. In fact, the drugs doctors recommended for Pat kill around 2.5% of the patients who take them.

Thankfully, Pat decided not to panic and blindly follow the advice of the doctors. She demanded a pathology report to determine the type of cancer. The results of the report proved she didn't have cancer.

After visits with several other doctors, she was diagnosed with large, benign masses, called "chocolate cysts," that are related to a disease called endometriosis... much less serious than the initial cancer diagnosis. The fact is, her persistence may have saved her life.

The next time your doctor tells you that you need a specific exam (or treatment), make sure to question him about the reasons and the usefulness of the test. And if a test is positive, confirm it before dangerous treatment begins.

To help you, we've created this list of five exams that most healthy adults won't need (but doctors try to perform anyway)...

1. Screening for Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA): The PSA tests for prostate cancer. I've warned against getting a PSA for years. PSA tests are notorious for giving false-positive results because benign factors can cause elevated PSA levels. Inflammation, infection, recent ejaculation, and even riding a bike can increase your PSA levels.

Studies show the PSA is unlikely to reduce your chance of dying from prostate cancer; most men die of something else because of the disease's extremely slow progression. A positive PSA test can also lead to overtreatment. The treatments for prostate cancer can lead to worse side effects than the cancer itself... including impotence and heart problems.

2. Screening for Carotid Artery Stenosis (CAS): CAS is a narrowing of the carotid arteries due to a buildup of plaque. Some research suggests the buildup of plaque increases the risk of stroke. However, other evidence shows only a small portion of severe strokes are related to CAS, with only 1% of people 65 and older having a severe case of CAS (where 60%-99% of the arteries are blocked).

Like the PSA, screening for CAS using an ultrasound test is well-known for yielding false positives – meaning the test shows artery blockages when there are none.

A false-positive result often leads to more invasive – and dangerous – procedures. And since studies show screening for the disease does little to nothing to reduce risk (especially for people who have no symptoms of CAS), don't do it.

3. Screening for Pancreatic Cancer: When I trained as a physician, a pancreatic-cancer diagnosis was a six-month death sentence. And not much has changed. According to the American Cancer Society, only 20% of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer live longer than one year after being diagnosed.

Imagine getting a false-positive result for a cancer that likely means you have less than a year to live. Thankfully, false positives aren't common. The problem is, the current tests available to screen for pancreatic cancer aren't able to catch the disease in early stages.

Doctors sometimes use an endoscopic ultrasound on individuals with a high risk of developing the cancer. The usefulness of this is currently in testing stages. But due to the short lifespan of people after diagnosis and the inability of current screenings to catch the cancer in early stages, screening has no effect on the mortality rate from this cancer, according to the USPSTF.

4. Screening for Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD): PAD occurs when arteries (typically in the pelvis and legs) narrow. This reduces the blood flow to your legs, leading to pain in your hips and legs. The narrowing of the arteries could be a sign that fatty deposits are accumulating in your arteries, reducing blood flow to your heart and brain and leading to an increased stroke risk.

However, the USPSTF found that screening for PAD doesn't result in any medical benefit (like reducing stroke risk). So don't waste your time and money on it.

5. Dental X-Ray: Regular x-rays are common in the medical world for a variety of health reasons. If you hurt your ankle and it's painfully swollen, a doctor might recommend an x-ray of the bones. If you have pneumonia, you might get an x-ray of your lungs to check the severity of the case.

While they're useful, x-rays come with a big risk in the form of radiation. Any amount of radiation leads to an increased risk of developing several different cancers.

Despite the risks, dentists often recommend their patients have regular dental x-rays (usually annually). I stopped getting dental x-rays in 1996 when I realized the increased risks of thyroid cancer and brain tumors. And I haven't had an x-ray (of any kind) since.

A good dentist doesn't need x-rays to find problems. So if you're not having any dental issues (like pain) or having a procedure like braces, don't bother with the x-ray.

These aren't the only overused procedures. Last year, the American Board of Internal Medicine – a nonprofit that certifies health professionals – helped start a campaign called "Choosing Wisely." The campaign helps doctors and patients make better decisions regarding 45 of the most overly used treatments and procedures.

You can see a list of the most overused treatments (and ones you should question your doctor about before undergoing them) here.

With most health problems, the key is prevention. For the first four diseases – prostate cancer, CAS, pancreatic cancer, and PAD – eating a plant-based diet, cutting out processed meats, and maintaining a healthy weight are all ways to cut your risk.

To keep your teeth and gums healthy, make sure you brush your teeth at least twice a day. And most important, floss regularly.

Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,

Dr. David Eifrig Jr., MD, MBA

Editor's note: Each month, Doc loads his issues of Retirement Millionaire with strategies for improving your health, saving you money, and growing your wealth. He recently released a report describing an unusual strategy for consistently generating extra income that's perfect for retirees. Learn more about Retirement Millionaire – and how to access his new report – here.