My First Thermographic Experience

I had been a bit nervous all day wondering what my thermogram procedure would entail. Would I need to undress completely? Would I be given one of those paper gowns that opens in the front and barely covers me? Would there be any heat coming out of the camera? I had been avoiding a mammogram after reading the latest information about the risks associated with X-ray; knowing that I was potentially putting myself at greater risk by not taking charge of my health. It was my massage therapist who told me about thermography as an adjunctive tool for breast cancer screening and now I find myself lost in my thoughts as I am driving to my thermographic appointment.

As I entered the lobby, I noticed that the temperature was cool and refreshing. The paintings on the wall were bright and cheerful with many colors that caught my eye. I felt at ease right away.

I was quickly greeted by the thermographer. She guided me to her office and there I felt all the tension melt away. She showed me around the office explaining the need for a cool temperature and allowing me to browse her collection of literature, leaflets, handouts and brochures. It smelled like my grandmothers garden in the spring. Just a hint of orange blossom, honeysuckle, green apple all mixed with a light touch of rain forest greeted my nose. The plants were lush and healthy and soft music was playing in the background. The lights were dim and I could almost imagine myself back in grandmas Arizona room.

The thermographer asked if I had any questions and of course I said no, trying to show her that I was calm, relaxed and not a bit nervous. She smiled knowingly and asked me to please step behind the room divider and change into a robe she set out for me. The robes were soft cotton and tied in the front. She then asked that I fill out the paperwork. She explained that I would need to do my best to keep my arms away from the side of my body so I could cool down and she could get a more accurate image. She then read over my information and asked me questions about my health in general and specifically breast health. All the while, I was grateful for the full coverage of the cool, cotton robe and remembered to keep my arms away from my body.

Next, I moved to the scanning area where I was shown the six different positions required for the scan. She then asked me to sit on the stool and turn my back to her. At this point, she asked me to drop my gown. I was told to keep my hands on my waist while she took my thermal picture. I learned that it usually takes 12-15 minutes for the temperature of my skin to come to equilibrium with the temperature of the room. Once my temperature stabilized, the scanning began. During the scan, she asked that I raise my hands above my head and remain still; allowing me to rest my hands back on my waist between the different poses. The camera did not emit any heat and never touched my body. The total scan time was about 5 minutes.

Once we were done, I changed back into my clothes and thanked the technician for a soothing and comforting experience. Before I left the office, I picked up a few of the breast health brochures to share with my family, friends and colleagues.

Thermographic screening is not covered by most insurance companies but is surprisingly affordable for most people. For more information or to find a certified clinic in your area, go to www.proactivehealthonline.com.

Brenda Witt is co-owner of Proactive Health Solutions in Southern California. She is an American College of Clinical Thermology (ACCT) certified thermographer in the Orange County area.

Screening For Breast Cancer With No Compression And No Radiation
Who would have thought that a technology for detecting breast cancer used today actually had its roots dating back to 480 B.C.? Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging (DITI) is a fairly new technology that represents a practice that was once used by Hippoc...

Recommendations For Early Breast Cancer Screening
Women need to empower themselves about the benefits and risks of mammography and examine the additional screening tools available today. One current philosophy suggests breast health screening should begin at age 25. Where does this recommendation ...

New Advances In Early Breast Cancer Detection
In November 2003, the American Cancer Society stated that breast cancer is the leading cause of death in women between the ages of 40 and 44. In the United States, there are approximately 200,000 new cases of breast cancer and more than 40,000 death...

A Tool for Early Breast Cancer Screening
Who isnt familiar with the expression, early detection is the best prevention? We hear this term throughout the year and most everyone is familiar with this catch phrase as it relates to breast cancer. Obviously, a womans chance for survival improv...

Looking for Panic Attack Help?
Panic attack help is out there. There is not doubt that many people need to seek out this help as well. If you feel that you are in a situation in which you need to seek help for panic attacks, then take comfort in the fact that there are solutions...

How To Hire A Great Wedding Photographer - Wedding Photographers Are Not Equal
Even if a wedding photographer has ten years experience and his fellow counterpart has two, that does not make the guy with ten years experience better. The secret to choosing a great wedding photographer to capture your most special moment lies in p...

Hemorrhoids Symptoms - How To Tell If You Are Suffering From Hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids are one of the most common disorders of the colon. This issue occurs when various veins throughout the area of the lower area of the colon or generally vicinity of the anal area become inflamed and swollen. This devastating condition can ...

Affirmation - Easy, Relax, Healthy, Positive
Over the years I have been putting a lot of hardwork in my career. I always try to do more than expected in any task that was assigned to me. In fact, this mentality has started during I was study in pre-university. I wanted to get a good academic re...

How Nurses are Avoiding Burnout
IntroductionNurses are special people. It is no less difficult being a nurse as it is becoming a nurse. Nursing school is challenging, and the vicissitudes of the job experience can be emotionally draining. Most people are too preoccupied with the...

Is It Stress or an Anxiety Attack?
Stress can lead to a host of problems and manifest itself in many ways. One of the more predominant results of stress is an anxiety attack. An anxiety attack can happen at any time to those who suffer from this disorder. Some studies have pointed to ...