Watchful waiting

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Watchful waiting, also referred to as observation or masterly inactivity, is an approach to a medical problem in which time is allowed to pass before further testing or therapy is pursued. Often watchful waiting is recommended in situations with a high likelihood of self-resolution or situations where the risks of a therapy potentially outweigh its benefits.

Watchful waiting is often recommended for many common illnesses such as ear infections (otitis media); because the majority of cases resolve spontaneously, antibiotics will often be prescribed only after several days of symptoms. It is also a strategy frequently used in surgery prior to a possible operation, when it is possible for an illness (for example abdominal pain) to either improve naturally or become more florid. Another example involves the diagnosis and treatment of benign prostatic hypertrophy.