I had been doing some researching and checking into thermograms for a couple of years and after having a few health issues I decided to go ahead and give it a try! If you’re playing around with the idea of getting one here is a little bit about my experience!
1. Nothing is smashed or mushed
If you have had any other tests you may know what I am referring to here. This is a very non invasive test. You are not going to have any parts squeezed between two cold parts of metal for further viewing. This is a “touch free” exam. Whew! This was a relief to me!
2. There is no radiation exposure
There is no radiation used for the test. It uses a special infra red camera that senses heat differences in the body. These heat differences can indicate some sort of change going on in the body. If you look at the picture I posted, this is from my actual thermogram. I had been having some pain in the lower joints on my thumbs and you can see the red areas on my pictures. That is most likely indicating that I am getting some arthritis in those joints. Time to be proactive about arthritis!!
3. You will get cold!
Yep this is probably the only uncomfortable thing about the whole test! Especially if you tend to be on the cold natured side. So the test can work accurately it is really important to cool down the area of the body that is being looked at so that only the true inflammation or vascular irregularities will show up rather then just warm spots on your body, so you will be a bit chilly for a few minutes, but hey it’s a small price to pay for your health right?
4. One major difference from mammography
Mammography is used to detect actual structural differences in the body such as a solid tumor or cyst. These anomalies can take years to form. With mammography these irregularities are detected by x rays. Whereas the thermogram will use the infra red digital screening to detect inflammation, nerve damage and specific vascular patterns that could be the START of something forming before the actual visual structure is there to see. Thermograms would be classified as more of a physiological test much like a PET scan would be classified. It shows how the body is performing in targeted areas. It is good to get a good baseline of your body and have further testing each year to see if there have been any changes that are not normal for you.
5. Its very affordable.
With healthcare costs soaring these days I’m always thrilled to not have to take out a second mortgage (ha!) just to go get a test done! I paid a couple of hundred dollars for a half body scan, and even though insurance did not cover it I thought that was quite affordable considering the peace of mind it gave me. Additional tests of just breast tissue is even cheaper. There are actually a couple of insurance companies coming on board and covering them now as well!
So, I hope this answered a few questions that you may have had about Thermograms. There are many tests that are available to us and with this one I felt that it would allow me to take some proactive measures if some things are caught early to change a possible outcome in the future such as the arthritis or even early detection of cancer. I could then take further action by getting additional testing and taking some steps on my own that might alter the final outcome. It’s up to us to take charge of our health. Nobody else will do a better job of looking out for your body then you! Trust yourself and empower yourself to take those steps!
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