Inflammation is the root cause of countless chronic health conditions. Infection and inflammation can emerge in any part of the human body resulting in localized temperature changes. Thermography represents an invaluable tool for identifying and monitoring inflammation.
Inflammation is a necessary part of the healing process in the short term and demonstrates that your immune system is working correctly. For example, inflammation cleans out the damaged cells and lets new healthy ones take their place.
However, chronic inflammation is detrimental to your health. It affects all body systems such as the brain, digestive system, thyroid, hormones, and more. Autoimmune conditions and chronic diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis all find a root cause in inflammation.
Understanding the origin of inflammation will set you on the right path to reversing and healing from your health condition; this is where thermography plays a role.
What is Thermography?
Thermography is a technology that creates a visual map of temperature changes in your body through the use of a highly-specialized infrared camera. This camera measures the amount of thermal energy emitted by an area of the body. From this map, a thermographer is then able to identify and explain any areas of concern.
The changes in body temperature can be related to local physiological processes or systemic responses. There are two possible reasons for temperature elevation in the body. The first is the inflammatory response and the second is the process of carcinogenesis or the beginning of cancer formation.
Since thermography does not use radiation as most visual monitoring equipment does, it presents a useful tool for repeatable monitoring of inflammation, and potentially cancer, that will not harm the patient.
How Does Thermography work?
Thermography is a straightforward technology that has grown by leaps and bounds over the last decade. It is a noninvasive procedure. A thermogram does not require any contact with your body so there is no discomfort. Additionally, unlike other imaging procedures, thermography doesn’t emit any radiation.
Thermography utilizes digital infrared thermal imaging, or DITI, to detect changes in your body, especially in the musculoskeletal and vascular systems. In this way, skin temperatures, thermal and vascular patterns, and sympathetic nervous system responses can distinguish between normal and abnormal physiological functions of the body.
Thermography serves as an additional diagnostic tool for many conditions. It complements the anatomical images from MRI scans, CT scans, ultrasound, mammography, or X-ray.
What Are the Benefits of Thermography?
Thermography is a wonderful tool to help practitioners get to the root cause of your symptoms. By alerting your practitioner to any areas of inflammation, a thermogram can help you pinpoint where to focus your efforts. Then, you can begin to implement a lifestyle and protocols that will address, reverse, and prevent any adverse health conditions.
Here are a few of the benefits of thermography:
- It’s a non-invasive, contactless, and painless process.
- Infrared technology means there is NO radiation.
- It’s safe to have it done even during pregnancy.
- It supports the early detection of abnormal areas.
- It helps assess a patient’s progress during treatment.
There is so much to love about thermography. Here’s the deal, thermography has been successfully used in the diagnosis of breast cancer, diabetes neuropathy, and peripheral vascular disorders. It has also been used to detect problems associated with gynecology, kidney transplantation, dermatology, heart, neonatal physiology, fever screening, and brain imaging.
To explain further, one exciting benefit of thermography is its applications in breast cancer screening. DITI is very sensitive to subtle changes in breast tissue. In addition to mammography, thermography may support the early detection of breast cancer. For example, the technology can detect the extra blood supply that may be feeding a small malignant tumor.
Additionally, researchers recommend thermography as a diagnostic and monitoring tool for patients with neuropathies, particularly in complex regional pain syndrome, and stroke.
Are There Risks to Thermography?
Here’s the best information yet, there are no risks to thermography! It is a noninvasive test that uses a camera to take images of your body. There is no radiation exposure and no real risks to thermography.
Who Should Use Thermography?
Anyone who suffers from a chronic illness may benefit from thermography. This tool helps practitioners know where the body is inflamed. It helps them to identify the root cause of your inflammation and target it. Furthermore, if you are looking to optimize your health, thermography could be a tool to help you do just that.
By mapping inflammation in your body, you can focus on reducing it and preventing any potential chronic illnesses down the road. Looking for integrative health care and thermography in the Saint Louis area? We’d love to answer your questions and support your health journey. Contact us to get started with using thermography to address inflammation.