5 operations you don't want to get

(photo: CNN.com)

Surgery is one of the major advances in modern medical technology. And, like with any new technology, it has a tendency to be over- and mis-used.

I know someone who had one of those benign cysts on her fingers (one on each hand), and I tried to get her to either leave 'em alone (annoying but not terribly painful or obstrusive) or smash 'em with a large book like a family Bible, as it's even called a "Bible cyst" in honor of this age-old folk remedy. But her surgeon talked her into surgery; her one concession to me was that although he wanted to do both cysts at the same time, she had him only do one.

The conclusion? The pain, swelling, and weird scar tissue far exceeds what she had originally, and she had to get therapy so her finger doesn't freeze in a weird position. She's regretful of the time lost/pain and suffering but sooooo glad she didn't have the other one done. From CNN.com/Health Mag:

"The fact is, no matter how talented the surgeon, the body doesn't much care about the doc's credentials. Surgery is a trauma, and the body responds as such -- with major blood loss and swelling, and all manner of nerve and pain signals that can stick around sometimes for months."

What are the 5? Read it here: