When it comes to women’s health, checking for breast cancer is one of the most important annual exams a woman can get. It’s a fact that one in eight American women will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. Are regular breast exams the most efficient way to check for breast cancer, though? Traditional exams could be doing more harm to your body than good.
The key to survival is all about early detection. When you discover breast cancer in its early stages, 95% cure rates are possible. This is why thermography is the best and least harmful breast exam you can get. Using digital infrared imaging (DII), thermography observes the varying thermal and vascular patterns. To put it simply: each person’s infrared map of his or her breast tissue is like a fingerprint. The camera can find any change or abnormality and actions can be taken from there.
Why Thermography Is Effective
First off, 20% of cancers are not detected by mammography. Mammograms, ultrasound, MRI, and structural imaging tools use radiation. Did you know that one mammogram is equivalent to 500 chest X-Rays? This damages breast and hormonal tissues. Considering breast cancer can be caused by a hormonal imbalance, doesn’t damaging hormonal tissue seem counteractive?
Thermography is logical technology and can detect breast cancer within the first year, as opposed to the fifth year, which is when normal exams detect the cancer. This is because mammograms and ultrasounds look for tumors, whereas DII focuses on blood vessel activity. Just as regular exams are recommended annually, so are thermography exams, but the age at which you should get these exams is different than the recommended age.
Most breast cancer cases are in women between ages 35-45. If the recommended age to get checked is 40, isn’t that a little late? With diets rich in processed foods, chemical additives, and GMOs, teenage girls and boys have been getting breast cancer. Because thermography doesn’t use radiation, it can be done at any age. Exams should begin around puberty or in adolescence because of hormonal changes.
You may be thinking, “Why isn’t this technology more popular?” Well, it gained popularity in the 70s, 80s, and 90s, but certain medical professionals bastardized the process. They started performing the procedures incorrectly to make money off people. Doctors started selling these DII cameras without explaining how to do the procedure. The fact is that it isn’t about the camera; it is about how the procedure is conducted.
How the Procedure Works
If the procedure isn’t done correctly, the results mean nothing. The room, which the DII camera is in, needs to be kept at 68 degrees Fahrenheit. The room has to be this cold because blood will leave your extremities (fingers, toes, face, breasts), and flow towards your internal organs. If there is cancerous tissue or a tumor in a breast, blood will flow to it and the camera will show that on the scan.
Other Uses for Thermography
With thermography, you don’t have to worry about radiation damaging your body. It is a private, quick and easy scan that should be done sooner rather than later. Early detection is key! Thermography can also scan for prostate problems as well. By scanning the lymphatic system, the practitioner can identify certain referral patterns that are linked to irregularities with the prostate. Additionally, thermography can be used to check for irregularities with the thyroid, back pain, or hormonal imbalances.
There are many thermography places around the country. Make sure that it is reputable and that they are doing procedures correctly. Do your research and you’ll find some great places!
Vincent Stevens is the senior content writer at Dherbs. As a fitness and health and wellness enthusiast, he enjoys covering a variety of topics, including the latest health, fitness, beauty, and lifestyle trends. His goal is to inform people of different ways they can improve their overall health, which aligns with Dherbs’ core values. He received his bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of Redlands, graduating summa cum laude. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.
