What is Thermography?
Thermography offers a non-contact and non-invasive way to identify and assess areas of inflammation which show up on the skin as variations in temperature. The skin is the body’s most intelligent organ and is “wired” with a communication network connecting all other organs and physiological processes in the body. In other words, the skin responds to physiological changes and a thermography device records those changes.
There is now a consensus that chronic inflammation is a clinical marker for a compromised immune system and the onset of chronic disease – even as the initial inflammatory condition may be asymptomatic for an extended period of time. Thermography measures the temperature at every point of the body and generates thermal maps of temperature variations.
Clinically, thermography is a test of physiology that relies on the sympathetic nerve control of skin blood flow and the ability of the sympathetic nervous system to respond to and react to pain, pathology, injury or dysfunction anywhere in the body. By providing information on the biological activity of the body (metabolism and circulation), thermography is classified as a functional test. By contrast, technologies such as x-rays, ultrasound, MRIs and mammograms provide information on the internal anatomy of the body and are therefore considered to be structural tests. As recognized by the FDA since 1982, thermography is a complementary tool to these other technologies, and while none of these tools are stand-alone diagnostic tools, there is growing evidence of a substantial increase in the effectiveness of screening procedures when multiple tests, including thermography, are included in health assessments – precisely because each test provides unique information about the state of health.
As the human body is one large inter-related system, and as the inflammatory markers associated with specific conditions can manifest in different areas of the body and be associated with different symptoms, there is often substantial value-added from analyzing the wider set of information available from more comprehensive thermography studies. For this reason, it is generally indicated that a full-body study, or at least an upper body study, is preferable over studies which covers only a specific region (such as the breast or the cranial study). The additional understanding, including correlation of different manifestations of inflammatory markets, is often valuable for practitioners in devising an individualized treatment approach. Every person deserves the truth about their state of health.
Find out if you have inflammation before it becomes a chronic condition:
- Baseline Study visualizes current state of health and prioritizes areas of concern.
- Follow-up Studies monitor progress towards optimal health and wellness.
By producing a thermal map of the body, thermography allows you to visualize your health and encourages a more proactive and participatory approach to health and wellness.
At TMC and Nature’s Touch Naturopathic Clinic, we call thermography a Health Discovery Tool and we consider it to be a very important part of a preventive wellness program. It is always important to discuss your thermography report with your healthcare practitioner.
Thermography Services
Breast Thermography ($215) – 30 min
A thermography study can help to identify abnormal vascular patterns and significant temperature differences which are associated with the development of chronic disease in the breast region, and it can also aid in monitoring the structural integrity of implants. In the area of the breast, thermography can aid in the detection of the following potential conditions:
- Breast Cysts
- Lymphatic Congestion
- Estrogen Dominance
- Generalized Inflammation
- Fibrocystic Breasts
- Hormone Imbalances
Women’s and Men’s Upper Body ($295) – 45 min
The Upper Body Study covers the head and neck, breast, chest, upper back, abdomen, and lower back. In upper body studies, for example, thermography has been shown to be an effective tool for assessing the functional status of the digestive system, cardiopulmonary system, the lymphatic system, and muscular skeletal system. By seeing what the human eye cannot see, thermography can also assist the clinician in locating the optimal treatment areas.
Women’s and Men’s Full Body ($365) – 60 min
The Full Body Study covers the entire body—head to toe. Thermography helps to identify inflammatory, neovascular and neurological phenomena based on levels of temperature, differences in temperature, and appearance and location of thermal patterns. With thermographic imaging, we can identify areas of suspected inflammation and infection because they present with heat. Once an area of concern is identified, recommendations for specific follow-up tests and/or examinations become an important part of the thermography report. In addition, many dietary, lifestyle and environmental factors have been shown to play a part in the inflammatory process.