Thermal imaging or Thermography utilizes a special camera to create a digital map of your body that illustrates heat patterns -- patterns that may detect some condition or abnormality. It uses a scanning-type infrared camera that measures your body surface temperature, presenting the information as a digitized image.

Thermography is pain free and radiation free. You are not required to ingest any radioactive tracking substances, nor are you subject to radiation like you are during x-rays and mammograms. Your body does not come into physical contact with any machinery. Thermal images of your body called thermograms are taken by a computer-interfaced camera. The images are normally saved in a digital format, and sent to qualified medical doctors who specialize in Thermography for review and analysis.  A series of baseline images are taken first. If no major abnormalities are detected, the patient normally returns after a period of time (30, 60, 90 days depending on the findings) for another round of images. Then the two sets are compared and analyzed for changes and abnormalities that may be signs of disease in your body. Since your body should be thermally symmetrical under normal conditions, thermal asymmetries can be an indication of problems. (Note that one is normally partially, or fully naked and free of make-up, lotions and deodorants in order to provide the special camera a clear view into the body. The images do not look like ordinary surface camera images so your modesty is preserved and you are basically “unrecognizable” as “you”.)

Thermography is a safe, diagnostic tool that detects hidden areas of inflammation in living tissue.   Inflammation has been found to be a precursor to many types of chronic diseases such as cancer, arthritis, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Early detection of inflammation followed by a healthcare program designed to eradicate it may help prevent you from developing these chronic diseases. Inflammation can be reduced through dietary changes, nutritional supplements, antioxidants, detoxification, IV treatments and stress reduction to name a few. Many of the healthcare providers associated with Natural MD Search can help you with programs to reduce and eliminate inflammation. Thermography is a great tool to assist you and your health care practitioner in its identification. This is a reliable, non-invasive, painless, proactive way to significantly increase early detection and reduce your risk of developing disease, or detect disease in its very early, reversible stage.

Natural MD Search can help you locate a Thermography practitioner in your area.

Mammograms

Mammograms detect and focus on anatomical changes in the breast, as they detect masses or lumps in the breast tissue. Thermograms look at vascular changes in the breast tissue- they detect blood flow patterns, inflammation and asymmetries. Developing blood flow patterns could be an indication that they are feeding very early stage, very small tumors
There is evidence that mammograms, which do utilize radiation, can only detect tumors once they get to a certain size. Many medical practitioners feel that detection at this stage in a tumor’s development is often too late. For a tumor to be large enough to show up in a mammogram, it may indicate that the cancer is already far along. Thus Thermography is gaining in popularity as a tool for early detection of breast cancer.

If there is a history of cancer in your family you may want to consider supplementing any testing you are currently doing with Thermography as well.

What else can Thermography detect?

• Arthritis: Thermography can help you detect early signs of arthritis -- and differentiate between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid. Effective early treatment strategies can then be implemented, before you experience further degeneration.
• Neck & Back Pain: Thermal pain patterns ‘light up' white and red hot on a scan in the involved area. You can get relief faster and begin restorative care that more precisely targets the correct area.
• Dental Issues: If you have TMJ, gum disease, or an infected tooth, this will show up on a thermal scan as white or red hot.
• Sinus Issues & Headaches: Significant heat in your forehead or sinus region revealed on a thermal scan is an indicator that these systems in your body are not functioning properly.
• Immune Disorders, Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue: The immune system correlates to the T1 and T2 areas of your spine -- high levels of heat in that region can indicate immune dysfunction. On the other hand, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and aching joints are just a few complaints that correlate to cool patterns seen in this area.
• Digestive Disorders: Irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulitis and Crohn's disease are often visible with Thermography. If you're able to address these conditions early on, you'll find that successful treatment of these conditions is more likely
• Other Conditions: Including bursitis, herniated discs, ligament or muscle tear, lupus, nerve problems, whiplash, stroke screening, cancer, may also be detected.