I have to say I have heard more on thermal imaging at airports than I have about breast thermography. I think something could be wrong here! Recently I came across breast thermography while thumbing through Think Healthy last month (The whole issue is on my blog post I'm So Proud!). That was the first time I had ever heard of it.
I couldn’t help but feel a little sad as I read about what it is and how successful it is at early detection in women with dense breast tissue; typically the age range of 30 – 50 years old. I could spend a lot of time wondering “What if I knew about this? Maybe I could be in a different place than I am now.” There is certainly no sense to “what if” for me, but for those of you reading this blog it may be very important.
Knowledge is power and this is a perfect example. If we know what is available to us, we can know what to ask our physicians for. If they are unfamiliar or hesitant to refer you to something, you have the ability to research and decide for yourself.
I am a firm believer that we know our bodies better than anyone else, but that comes with some age and experience. When I first went in to my primary doctor with a lump, I was a little nervous, and unprepared to ask questions. We ended the appointment feeling somewhat satisfied with our assumptions that is was a fibroid cyst. I agreed to watch it and return if there were changes. I did notice the lump over the next few years, but it would come and go, so I thought no change. Once the lump was consistently noticeable, I knew what it really was.
If I would have known the things I do now, I could have asked for screening or sought it out myself, if for nothing more than to ease my mind.
Here are a couple of links about breast thermography.
The Correct Role for Thermal Imaging *Be sure to read this article completely. Very good.
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