18 Diseases That Are Pure Scams and a Waste of Money: The Medical World's Open Secret You'd Be Foolish to Miss

Many times, because we lack sufficient medical knowledge and cannot treat ourselves, we rush to the hospital over the slightest ailment. But in doctors' eyes, many diseases sound scary yet actually need no treatment at all - it's all just a waste of money!

Secret

01

Bone spurs

are the body's self-protection

Most people, upon hearing "bone spur," immediately think of pulling out a thorn and want to get rid of it as quickly as possible. They even often associate it with "bone fracture," worrying whether a "bone fracture" caused the tiny "bone spur." Everyone has been completely deceived by the name "bone spur" - bone spurs are actually a form of self-protection by the human body.

Chief Physician Zhang Wencai, Third Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Orthopedics and Traumatology Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine

explains,

bone spurs, or bone hyperplasia, are a self-protective response of the human body

and are not the main cause of pain. Moreover, most bone spurs need no treatment. If treatment is needed, it can only target the underlying disease causing the bone spurs - osteoarthritis - such as weight loss, choosing appropriate exercise methods, and pain relief medication.

Secret

02

Chronic superficial gastritis

is just indigestion, and the vast majority of people have it

According to surveys, the detection rate of chronic superficial gastritis reaches 80%-90%. In hospitals, as long as you undergo a gastroscopy, you will almost invariably receive this mildest-level diagnosis: chronic superficial gastritis. Clinicians rarely see a normal gastroscopy report stating "no abnormalities in the stomach or duodenum." Therefore, almost everyone has chronic superficial gastritis.

Associate Chief Physician Bai Yang, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University

explains that in fact,

many cases of chronic superficial gastritis in gastroscopy reports are merely functional dyspepsia or non-ulcer dyspepsia, not true chronic inflammation of the gastric mucosa, and require no treatment at all.

If you experience bloating or indigestion after meals, taking some multi-enzyme tablets or various probiotics can relieve it - there's no need to worry.

Secret

03

Thyroid nodules

95% are benign

Another "high-frequency" disease in health checkups is thyroid nodules. Many people panic when a checkup reveals "thyroid nodules," thinking they need immediate treatment and worrying excessively about it turning into "thyroid cancer"!

Teng Weiping, former Chairman of the Chinese Society of Endocrinology

explains that the reason so many people have thyroid nodules is mainly due to advances in ultrasound technology - even nodules as small as 3 mm can now be seen.

In fact,

"thyroid nodules" under 1 cm need no worry at all, nor do they require further examination. The vast majority are benign and will certainly not become "thyroid cancer."

Most thyroid cancers are "indolent tumors," meaning "they are lazy, don't like to metastasize, and don't like to progress." If a nodule is between 1 and 4 cm in size, regular checkups are a must.

Secret

04

Premature heartbeats

No treatment needed without symptoms

When the heart beats normally, if some beats occur early - like a dance tune with the rhythm slightly off - this condition is called "premature heartbeat."

Many people think that detecting "premature heartbeats" is linked to heart disease and believe immediate treatment is needed. In fact, they spend a lot of money treating a condition that needs no treatment. Note: premature heartbeats are not a disease in themselves; they are mostly accompanying symptoms of other heart problems.

Associate Chief Physician Pan Hongtao, Department of Cardiology, Fourth Hospital of Jilin University

reminds,

if premature heartbeats are detected during a health checkup and the patient feels nothing, with no impact on daily life, this situation needs no treatment.

Even if treatment is needed, the best approach is not medication but actively resolving and channeling the patient's anxiety. Such people are advised to drink less strong tea, coffee, and similar beverages; maintain a regular schedule and stay up less late. If premature heartbeat symptoms are obvious and affect daily life, anti-arrhythmic drugs can be used for symptomatic treatment under a doctor's guidance.

Secret

05

Hemorrhoids

Fumigation and sitz baths

As the saying goes, "nine out of ten people have hemorrhoids." Hemorrhoids are very uncomfortable,

but fumigation and sitz baths can achieve good therapeutic results.

Bai Keyun, Director of the Proctology Department, Shandong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine

explains,

take Schizonepeta, Saposhnikovia, Sophora flavescens and other medicinal herbs, boil them in water, then pour into a large basin that can hold about 5000-6000 ml of water and fumigate and wash the affected area.

Fumigation and washing can effectively reduce and eliminate patients' symptoms, especially inflammatory thrombotic external hemorrhoids. Generally, once or twice a day, 15-20 minutes per session is sufficient.

Secret

06

Rhinitis

Wash the nose with saline solution every day

Washing the nose with mild saline solution is the best method for relieving and treating allergic rhinitis

，

Cai Changping, Director of the ENT Department, Shanghai Ruijin Hospital

explains that when washing the nose with saline, either submerge your face in a basin of warm mild saline and sniff the water up through your nose to clean it, or use a nasal irrigator.

When washing the nose with saline, the concentration should ideally be that of physiological saline (0.9%), because too high a concentration can damage the nasal cavity, while too low is ineffective. The saline temperature should be close to body temperature, around 36°C-39°C.

Secret

07

Joint pain from cold

Use a hair dryer to blow warm air

If your body is exposed to air conditioning or electric fans blowing directly for a long time, your joints are prone to pain when exposed to cold. Since the problem is caused by cold wind, why not blow it away with hot wind - and a hair dryer comes in handy.

Associate Chief Physician Tian Qingle, Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Jiangsu Provincial People's Hospital

explains,

the reason a hair dryer can treat certain conditions is roughly similar to the effect of "moxibustion" in traditional Chinese medicine - using heat stimulation to treat and relieve illness.

This is especially true for the cervical spine. If joint pain is caused by sudden cold exposure, hot-air therapy with a hair dryer can be used to drive out the cold. Blow over clothing; it is not recommended to blow directly on the skin at close range - be careful of skin burns.

Secret

08

Chronic pharyngitis

Drink honeysuckle steeped in water

Chronic pharyngitis is very uncomfortable, and various medications don't seem to help. At this point, steeping honeysuckle, Houttuynia cordata, wild chrysanthemum, and boat-fruited sterculia seed together in water and drinking a large pot can achieve good therapeutic results.

Liu Hong, Director of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Department, Tianjin Public Security Hospital

explains,

honeysuckle, Houttuynia cordata, wild chrysanthemum, and boat-fruited sterculia seed are all heat-clearing and detoxifying medicines. Boat-fruited sterculia seed can clear the lungs, soothe the throat, and resolve phlegm

- use 4 seeds. Honeysuckle clears heat and detoxifies, with broad-spectrum antibacterial effects. Chronic pharyngitis is often caused by bacterial infection, and honeysuckle can treat it; the usual dosage is 15 grams.

Secret

09

Simple hepatic cyst

No treatment needed if smaller than 5 cm

Many people discover a "hepatic cyst" during a checkup and feel as if they have liver cancer - as if life is hopeless and heaven is jealous of their talents. Actually, there's no need for that at all. Most hepatic cysts are congenital, meaning "brought from the womb," and grow very, very slowly. Most people have no obvious symptoms. If not discovered incidentally during a checkup, some people would never find out in their entire lives.

Shi Futian, Director of the Surgery Department, Zhejiang Jinhua Wenrong Hospital

explains,

the most common hepatic cyst clinically is the simple hepatic cyst, mainly caused by congenital abnormal development of intrahepatic bile ducts or lymphatic vessels. It is a benign liver lesion.

Because cysts grow slowly, most people have no obvious symptoms. Generally, hepatic cysts smaller than 5 cm need no treatment, but regular ultrasound follow-ups at the hospital are necessary (every 6 or 12 months). If larger than 5 cm, treatment at the hospital should be sought.

Secret

10

Uterine fibroids

Most are harmless

The term "uterine fibroids" all too easily makes people think of cancer! In fact, this "tumor" is not that kind of "tumor" - the fibroids of uterine fibroids are mostly benign. Uterine fibroids are also a "regular" finding in gynecological checkups; almost one in three mothers will encounter them. Some small fibroids not only have no symptoms but are even hard to detect during gynecological examinations - they are only discovered occasionally during an ultrasound.

Chief Physician Hong Li, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University

explains,

if the fibroids are relatively small, the patient has no obvious symptoms, and examinations show no signs of malignancy, regular follow-up observation is all that's needed. However, if a single uterine fibroid exceeds 5 cm in diameter, it is a relatively serious situation, and timely surgical removal is best.

Secret

11

Cervical erosion

Just a scary name

The word "erosion" is enormously powerful. The first time you hear "cervical erosion," your mind has already conjured up a terrifying picture of "the cervix slowly ulcerating and emitting a foul odor, then spreading to the entire uterus." In fact, this is just a major blunder in the history of medical terminology.

Internationally, the name "cervical erosion" has been abolished, and China's gynecology textbooks have also eliminated this term. Its true identity is "cervical columnar epithelial ectopy," which is a normal physiological phenomenon.

Chief Physician Tan Xianjie, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital

explains,

cervical erosion is a normal physiological change in women and cannot be called a disease. Most women with cervical erosion simply experience epithelial ectopy due to hormonal influence, and once hormone levels stabilize, the so-called "erosion" improves.

Many women are misled by small street advertisements and undergo so-called "physical therapy" for cervical erosion or cervicitis. Done poorly, this can cause unnecessary infections - hurting your wallet and your body at the same time. It's simply a big prank!

Secret

12

Breast hyperplasia

A normal physiological phenomenon

In a single health checkup, 8 out of 10 women have "breast hyperplasia" issues. At this point, many women rush to the hospital to ask doctors, "Will breast hyperplasia become breast cancer?" "What medicine can I take to 'eliminate' the hyperplasia?" In fact, most patients with breast hyperplasia need no treatment at all.

Medically speaking, some breast hyperplasia is a normal physiological phenomenon. The most typical is breast hyperplasia caused by the menstrual cycle: before menstruation, women's breasts feel especially uncomfortable - swollen and a bit painful - but after the period, the swelling and pain gradually disappear. Additionally, some women wear their underwear too tight to show off a "good figure"; or they've recently experienced unhappy events, feel depressed, and are under greater mental stress - these can also cause short-term breast hyperplasia.

Chief Physician Jia Guocong, Breast Department, Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University

explains,

breast hyperplasia is actually a benign lesion, a normal physiological phenomenon, with no specific treatment method. Very few cases develop into breast cancer; regular follow-up exams are all that's needed. In addition, maintaining a good mindset every day, eating less hormone-rich food, and persisting with moderate exercise can effectively relieve breast hyperplasia.

Secret

13

Pelvic effusion

No treatment needed if under 3 cm

"Pelvic effusion" sounds very scary, but in fact the human pelvic and abdominal cavities are not a dry "piece of land." The peritoneum, greater omentum, and intestinal tract all secrete some fluid, which typically serves to lubricate and protect the organs and tissues of the pelvic and abdominal cavities.

"Pelvic effusion" is merely a manifestation, not a disease - more precisely, it is an imaging description of fluid within the pelvic cavity.

Zhang Yi, Director of the Gynecology Department, First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University

explains,

almost every woman has some degree of pelvic effusion, generally under 3 cm. Under 3 cm can be considered a normal range, and if there are no other uncomfortable symptoms, no treatment is needed.

"What if it's slightly more than 3 cm?" If it's during ovulation, menstruation, or just after a period, the effusion may increase slightly, but if there are no other abnormalities, even slightly more than 3 cm is no cause for alarm.

Secret

14

Eczema

A bottle of moisturizer is all it takes

Eczema is both itchy and painful, and many people are extremely distressed by it. They go from one treatment to another, spending a fortune, yet nothing works. But if a doctor told you that for most eczema, moisturizer is enough - would you believe it?

In fact, eczema is a "skin allergic" reaction caused by multiple internal and external factors. To protect the skin well, you must protect its two-layer structure: one layer is the skin's stratum corneum, and the other is the lipid film covering the stratum corneum.

Seemingly ordinary moisturizer can both better protect the skin barrier and reduce irritation reactions.

Chief Physician Liu Xiaoyan, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Institute of Pediatrics

explains that applying moisturizer should follow three principles: sufficient amount, multiple times, and massage.

Sufficient amount:

In terms of dosage, for dry skin or children with atopic dermatitis, use more than the usual amount of moisturizer - apply a thick layer, because only a large amount is effective. Generally, 250 grams should be used up within a week.

Multiple times:

Besides using enough, you also need to apply it repeatedly many times a day, patiently and without tiring of it, to reinforce the moisturizing effect. Generally speaking, applying it 4 to 6 times a day counts as normal. It is not only applied after a shower; it must be applied even without bathing!

Massage:

Besides using the right amount, you also need to learn the application method, otherwise quickly smoothing it all over in a haphazard way will instead damage the skin. The correct application technique is to form a fan-shaped surface with the palm and fingers, gently push the ointment outward, and gently rub and massage so that the moisturizer is absorbed more evenly and the child is rubbed more comfortably. At the same time, rubbing can also play a role in relieving itching and massaging the skin.

Secret

15

Tinnitus makes it hard to sleep

Add white vinegar to foot soaking water

Qi Junping, associate chief physician of the Department of Otolaryngology at Tai'an Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Shandong Province,

introduces that frequent tinnitus can make people irritable and anxious, making it hard to fall asleep.

The simplest and most effective way to treat tinnitus is:

adding a little white vinegar when washing your feet at night can help relieve tinnitus and let you sleep sweetly.

Before bed, soak your feet in hot water with white vinegar, once a day, for 30 minutes each time. The water temperature is best at around 38°C to 42°C. Put both feet into the basin, rub and wash them back and forth, and keep massaging the Yongquan acupoint on the soles of both feet until you feel soreness and distension at the acupoint, then dry them.

Secret

16

Migraine

Eat more magnesium-rich foods

"A headache is not an illness, but when it hurts it really feels like death." People with migraines often rely on painkillers for relief, and there is no radical cure. To treat migraines, eating more magnesium-rich foods can relieve the pain.

Gu Zhongyi, dietitian at Beijing Friendship Hospital,

introduces that in recent years the medical field has noticed that

magnesium ions may play an important role in the mechanism of migraine attacks, especially after testing migraine patients, it was found that they generally have low magnesium levels.

Patients who often get migraines are recommended to eat some vegetables, millet, buckwheat, beans, bananas, nuts and seafood, etc., which can reduce migraine attacks. Dried seaweed is especially recommended, because seaweed contains a large amount of magnesium and is known as a treasure house of magnesium. And magnesium has a preventive effect on migraines.

Secret

17

Stomach heartburn

Chew peanuts to regulate gastric juice

Many people often experience "heartburn" symptoms after meals. When encountering heartburn and acid regurgitation, you can chew a few peanuts to relieve it.

Take 3 to 5 raw peanuts, chew them carefully, and swallow them slowly, three times a day, to help regulate gastric juice. Peanuts have the effect of benefiting the stomach. After raw peanuts are fully chewed and ground, they produce a kind of slurry that can suppress gastric acid and reduce pressure on the stomach.

Secret

18

Onychomycosis

Soak with garlic + vinegar

"Get onychomycosis and infect two others." Onychomycosis sounds scary, but in fact soaking with "garlic + vinegar" can have a therapeutic effect.

Yao Chunhai, director of the Department of Dermatology at Xiyuan Hospital of the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences,

introduces that

onychomycosis is scientifically called tinea unguium, caused by a skin fungal infection. Aged vinegar and garlic both have antifungal effects, so combining them can be used to treat onychomycosis.

Take 250 grams of aged vinegar and 250 grams of garlic, crush the garlic and put it into a bottle, the bottle should be large enough to put a hand into, pour in the aged vinegar, and soak for one day before it is ready. Soak the hand with onychomycosis in the garlic vinegar, once every night, soaking for 15 to 20 minutes. During soaking, the garlic vinegar liquid must cover the diseased nail. Each soaking should not be too long; persisting for about 3 months can cure it.

Tell more people, and stop letting relatives and friends around you be fooled!