Safe Body & Breast Cancer Screening via Thermography
There has been a lot of debate in the press about the government decision to suggest that woman between age 40 and 50 do not need yearly mammograms. This may not be from a desire to save money, but because mammograms do not improve breast cancer survival rates over just getting a careful physical examination alone.
A mammogram can expose your body to radiation that can be 1000 times greater than that from a chest x-ray. Moreover research has shown that high risk women who have gotten mammograms are at a 1.5 times elevated risk for breast cancer than high risk women who were not exposed to low dose radiation. What’s more, women at high risk for breast cancer who had been exposed to low-dose radiation before age 20 or who had five or more mammograms were 2.5 times more likely to develop breast cancer compared to those who were not exposed.
Fortunately there is a newer and safer cancer screening tool. It a technique that can visualize inflammation which has now been shown to be a precursor to cancer and many other diseases. This new diagnostic tool is called thermal imaging or thermography. Basically it crates a digital map of your body that illustrates heat patterns. The images created will show if there is a hot spot or thermal asymmetry in the body. Thermography can detect irregular patterns in the breast, conditions that occur before a noticeable lump is formed.
Since one in eight women will get breast cancer at some point in their life, it behooves you to do something that can detects this scourge as early as possible. You can get a baseline of your “thermal signature” then get annual thermograms to allow you to map changes in your body’s heat patterns over time.
You can also get a scan done of your whole body. It is the best methods to find hidden inflammation such as painful areas or hidden sinus or digestive inflammation, or dental issues. It can detect inflammation in areas like the carotid arteries, which can help prevent a blood clot or stroke.
Here are the simple steps you’ll follow when you get a thermogram:
Step 1: You sit in a temperature-controlled room to allow your body to cool from any external conditions. At that time, you’ll complete some simple paperwork, including a health survey.
Step 2: You’re positioned in front of a Thermal Imaging Camera, and the technician takes digital pictures (5-15 minutes). You will be able to see yourself “live” on the computer screen, which can help give you a better understanding of your body.
Step 3: Your pictures are sent out to a certified physician for analysis of 1) the amount of heat and 2) the symmetry of the heat patterns. Heat patterns may indicate inflammation, infection, or a variance from your body’s norm.
Step 4: You’ll receive a report of findings in your mail shortly thereafter. This will help you and your doctor determine any next steps. We also provide recommendations for ways to reduce inflammation, if present, and provide personal health coaching programs if desired.
Step 5: It is recomended that you return for thermograms annually to monitor your health and watch for changes. Since everybody’s body is different, the best way to detect problems is to measure changes from your own body’s norm.
Valerie Zumbusch will be in my office periodically for anyone interested in getting thermography done. Then next date will be Wednesday, January 27th. Call the office at 952-930-3575 to set up an appointment.
