Thermography is gaining ground as a valid alternative to mammograms given that more women are seeking non-radiation alternatives for identification of breast anomalies amid a very x-ray happy medical community that seems unconcerned with long term exposure risk. But, are the benefits of thermography for real?
I myself have never had a mammogram. I’ve followed in the footsteps of my wise 86 year old mother who once said, “Why look for breast cancer with a test that can actually cause breast cancer?”
If only our conventional medical community made decisions using this much common sense!
By some estimates, up to 20% of all breast cancers diagnosed in the United States annually are actually caused by the cumulative radiation effects of mammograms. This data point makes the recommendation for annual or semi-annual mammograms after age 40 absolutely ludicrous!
If you don’t have breast cancer when you start screening with mammograms, you probably will years later after all that cumulative ionizing radiation exposure!
Another major problem with mammograms is the compression factor. This sometimes painful aspect of mammograms risks the spread of any breast cancer that may be present. This from Dr. Samuel Epstein MD, one of the world’s top cancer experts:
As early as 1928, physicians were warned to handle “cancerous breasts with care– for fear of accidentally disseminating cells” and spreading cancer. Nevertheless, mammography entails tight and often painful compression of the breast, particularly in premenopausal women. This may lead to distant and lethal spread of malignant cells by rupturing small blood vessels in or around small, as yet undetected breast cancers. (1)
So, what to do if you need to safely screen for breast cancer?
Thermography, or Medical Infrared Imaging, has been heralded by many in the alternative health community as a safe option to mammograms. Indeed, thermography is a very safe and effective breast screening technology. It very accurately identifies the vascular changes associated with breast cancer well in advance of when a mammogram would identify a problem. (2)
In addition, thermography is a much better choice than mammograms in these instances:
- Women on hormone replacement
- Mothers who are nursing
- Fibrocystic breasts
- Large breasts
- Dense breast tissue
- Breast implants
In these situations, there is much difficulty in reading mammograms accurately. When using thermography, however, breast differences do not cause any interpretation difficulties.
Here’s what Christiane Northrup MD, a fan of thermography, has to say:
“The most promising aspect of thermography is its ability to spot anomalies years before mammography.”
“Today, women are encouraged to get a mammogram, so they can find their breast cancer as early as possible. With thermography as your regular screening tool, it’s likely that you would have the opportunity to make adjustments to your diet, beliefs, and lifestyle to transform your cells before they became cancerous. Talk about true prevention.” (3)
Before you run to the phone and schedule your thermogram, however, there are a few more things you need to know.
Time for the reality check.
Thermography Pitfalls You Need to Know About
While thermography is definitely a helpful and nontoxic approach to detecting breast cancer at any stage, it is not the perfect alternative to mammograms as it is frequently portrayed.
First of all, thermography is rarely covered by medical insurance. As a result, the typical fee of several hundred dollars for the initial screen with a required followup screen costing an additional one or two hundred dollars within 3-6 months is completely out of pocket for the vast majority of patients. A single thermogram each year after the initial 2 screenings is recommended – another expense. For many women, this large personal expense is simply out of the question especially in the current economic environment.
Even in my home state of Florida where the law stipulates that all medical insurance providers provide policyholders with a free mammogram every 2 years for women aged 40-50 and an annual mammogram for women over 50 with no deductible or co-pay required, women still must pay out of pocket as no substitution of a thermogram for a mammogram is permitted.
Thermogram? You Might Be Forced to Have a Mammogram Anyway
A second very real problem with going the thermography route is that you frequently get forced into getting a mammogram anyway. All that money out of pocket and you still end up getting doused with radiation!
The reason is that thermography detects any breast anomalies not just cancer. An example is a benign cyst. So, women frequently end up at the gynecologist after having a thermogram which identified anything that looked remotely suspicious. This could be something as simple and common as a clogged milk duct.
Once at the gynecologist, women are shocked to learn that a mammogram is almost always required. Substituting a simple breast ultrasound as the first line diagnosis test to examine the anomaly is not allowed. You have to get a mammogram first even though mammograms are far less effective at identifying breast cancer!
It’s such a racket – I call it the Mammogram Mafia. Those mammograms are such a nice residual moneymaker for (some) GYNs. The situation is much like the kickbacks doctors receive for prescribing certain drugs. You didn’t actually think they would let you bypass it so easily did you?
A large out of pocket expense for a thermogram only to end up forced to have a mammogram is a source of extreme frustration for women trying to avoid mammograms in the first place.
UPDATE: Good news! Women can now get a annual breast ultrasound without a prescription. This means you can skip the mammograms FOREVER! And, a breast ultrasound is about half the price of a thermogram. More on how to schedule this service in this article about the benefits of breast ultrasound instead of mammograms.
Are Thermograms Helpful At All?
Given these very real pitfalls, does it make sense for women to use thermography at all? In my opinion, yes, thermograms are an extremely beneficial test.
However, a woman needs to go down that road with her eyes completely open knowing that her battle to forgo mammograms is not necessarily over!
Be sure to have a discussion with your chosen thermographer before the appointment. This will ensure that he/she has a way for you to get only a breast ultrasound and not a mammogram if a suspicious area is detected.
In my local area, there are thermographers that can provide this service, and others that cannot. Be sure to ask!
My Thermography Adventure
Here’s what happened to me. I got a routine thermogram which discovered a suspicious area which turned out to only be a clogged milk duct (my daughter was weaning at that time) but since we didn’t know what it was when the thermography was done, I was referred for a simple breast ultrasound.
I then discovered to my dismay that no one in town would give me just a breast ultrasound. Unless of course, I had a mammogram first!
Fortunately, coming from a medical family, I was able to circumvent the mammogram madness. I obtained a script for a breast ultrasound with no mammogram. Even then, the battle wasn’t yet over! When I went in for my breast ultrasound, I was read the riot act about forgoing the mammogram by the attending physician. This, after she admitted that a mammogram was not even an appropriate test for me as I have dense breast tissue!
She also denied that each mammogram (4 films per breast) exposes a woman to approximately 1 rad (radiation absorbed dose) of exposure. This is about 1000 times more than a chest x-ray. Amazing that she so vehemently denied this fact even though this information is clearly documented by the Institute of Medicine (4).
These people are so brainwashed! It’s really sad and downright dangerous for those who don’t research for themselves. Clueless, misinformed docs. They are everywhere my friends!
In summary, thermography is a fantastic diagnostic tool that is clearly superior to mammograms. But, be sure to have your ducks in a row about what you will do if anything suspicious is found before you pay all that money out of pocket!
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
More Information
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When Breast Cancer Isn’t Bad News
Komen (Not) for the Cure: The Complete and Utter Pinkwashing of America
The Dangers of Estrogenic Foods, Herbs, and Supplements to Breast Health
I am fortunate enough to live near Ann Arbor here in Michigan so there are a lot of progressive medical offices in the area so in turn a lot of competitive pricing. Yes, I had to pay out of pocket, but both of my first two thermography base line appointments only cost $200.00 inclusive. I was fortunate enough to not have anything that needed further studies. For my own peace of mind the cost is well worth the alternative.
Where in Ann Arbor? I am only 45 min away and that is a god price, thanks.
I am 69 yr retired RN with several risk factors. Had 1st mm at age 35, biopsy @ that time for what turned out to be benign cysts. W/O alternatives at that time I had annual mm most years until 2008. Often they would recommend a repeat in 6 months for suspicion or inability to decipher in one side. In 08 there were new calcifications in one side, US indicated cyst, recommended to return for US in 6 mo. When I returned they insisted on MM and I refused noting I came for US. They acted like I was a complete imbecile and I walked out. There was a message on my phone when I got home to please come back for US which I did. Radiologist said it had improved and MM not needed for another 6 mo. That is the last I’ve had or will have unless indicated by symptoms or thermogram. One thing I think is important for thermogram is that you have a practitioner, MD, ND, who is familiar with them and can help interpret reports and give advice. The first few I had there was no one like that in our area. Now we have several NDs that offer in their office, though I have to travel 50+ miles and have increased $$ (260) it is worth it. Good article Sarah. Good to know about trick for getting US.
Had a thermogram and it showed questionable vascular patterns~the place I went to suggested that I get Digital Palpation Imaging (new) which is sort of like an ultrasound, except it has the ability to differentiate between what may very well be a cancerous tumor and fibrocysts etc (based on their density;a cancerous tumor having a higher density). It cost 75 out of pocket and was so worth the peace of mind it bought when they found me to be just fine. Being a new technology it cannot be found everywhere~hoping that will change! Thanks for posting this,
Arlene
Just discovered that Digital Palpation Imagining is available at the Bellingham (WA) Regional Breast Center. Sadly they don’t also offer thermography.
Daily breast massage is a good preventative thing to do, along with ditching underwire bras or any bra that binds or doesn’t have stretchy elastic as the bottom band. Homemade deodorant of coconut oil and aluminum-free baking soda is good as well. Sun exposure and optimizing vit D and iodine are also helpful. There’s so much we can do ourselves to promote breast health that’s inexpensive and effective.
D and K2 which helps direct calcium to where it belongs. Diet and lifestyle to minimize inflammation. I’ve used organic distilled vinegar as a deodorant for a number of years and it works very well. Anyone know any reason not to use vinegar?
Shirley J, I was making coconut oil deodorant until someone mentioned vinegar, too. Now I use Bragg’s ACV as deodorant and it works better than any other deodorant, natural or storebought, that I’ve ever tried. I’ve never heard of any health concerns with using it.
Even if you only get an ultrasound they will steer you towards a mammogram. They always see suspicious lumps in my breasts and the only way they can tell anything is if you will go for a mm, which I did once years ago. Right now, my doctor has threatend to pick my up at my house and drive me for a mammogram. After my us, he received a scathing letter from the doctor where I had an us proclaiming ‘why is this woman not coming in for a mm’ and ‘that he better get me in there.’ So he tells me. I do have small, fibrocystic breasts. And I breastfed all my children and my last two until they were almost two.
I could go for thermography, but the cost…
Not sure what to do anymore. So I just ignore it and try to eat as healthy as I can, etc.
I have had thermographies done. I’m 42 and decided that I didn’t want a mammogram years ago. My first one came back with a 3 in one of my breasts. That means that there could be a possibility for cancer. My results were sent to my doctor, and she called to make an appointment with me . I knew that she’d probably want to do a mammogram, so I didn’t go to the appointment. I went back to the thermographer, followed some recommendations–basically got rid of my wire bras, and my thermography improved. I went a third time and it got even better.
Yes, there is added expense, but for most alternative medicines, there is added expense. My insurance doesn’t pay for acupuncture, but I still go.
As far as it not detecting breast cancer, there is one type it doesn’t and I can’t remember exactly what it’s called, but Dr. Northrup talks about this all of the time and how it’s not really harmful even though the medical community is saying it is. It’s usually a “stage 0” cancer.
Also, I think it’s important to remember that not ever medical tool is 100% accurate, so if a thermography didn’t catch a breast cancer, well the same could be said true of a mammogram. Not every doctor, for that matter, catches everything. Not every test catches everything. That is why some people go years without getting a proper diagnosis to a disease.
I will continue to get one, and if anything starts to look really suspicious, then I will make the choice to do a mammogram or an ultra sound. By the way, one of my friends is a radiologist. She doesn’t know that I do thermographies, and I probably won’t tell her. She doesn’t think they are good, and she thinks the amount of radiation is slight. I’m not going to argue with her, but she won’t sway me to get a mammogram unless I think there is something that needs to be checked out. Please read the “I” as emphasized!
I’d suggest starting with self-breast exams at home, to see if anything changes. If it does, follow up with a doctor and request a manual exam. And then, consider a thermogram if you can pay for it, or an ultrasound if you can’t if anything unusual is found. This seems to be the safest and least-invasive course of action.
just stay away from med science a,l together if you want to b healthy.
My naturopathic physician, when I asked her if there was a place in her town where I could get thermography, told me that one of her fellow N.D.s had had this done but it didn’t detect a cancer in her breast, so I’m rethinking the need to get one.
I was worried by the title! I’m glad you didn’t discover anything harmful about thermogram! These tests are a long way away for me still, but I thinks it’s good to think ahead. Hopefully, things will have changed by the time I need one (I’m not holding my breath). Thanks for all the research and for expressing your personal experience.
Lyza
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