I wish more doctors adopted this line of thinking not only for mammograms but all medical procedures.

“In order to make better informed decisions, I provide my patients with all of their screening options, their strengths and weaknesses, and I reinforce that they have a right to utilize those options. Some of the options may include; self and clinical breast exams, thermography, ultrasound and/or MRI. My role as a doctor is to diagnose and treat, but I am also an educator. I want my patients’ focus to be on prevention to improve their health and well-being.”

There is a great article written by Johnnie Ham, MD on Mercola.com discussing the overall effectiveness of mammograms and risks associated with the procedure.  You can finde the full article here: Mammography: Are There Pros, or is It Just a Con?

Here are some of facts and concerns around the use of mammograms:

• Are incorrect 80 percent of the time (providing a false negative or false positive)
• Require repeated ionized radiation that can cause cancer
• Use compression, which can damage breast tissue or potentially spread cancer
• Are not effective for up to 50 percent of women (women with dense breasts or implants)
• Can lead to over-diagnosis and over-treatment of non-invasive cancers
• Can lead to the disturbing practice of “preventative” double mastectomies

This a must read for every woman! 

“…many women are completely unaware that the science backing the use of mammograms is sorely lacking, and that more women are being harmed by regular mammograms than are saved by them. Many also do not realize that the “new and improved” 3D tomosynthesis mammogram actually delivers even MORE ionizing radiation than the older version.”

Dr. Ham shares my own opinion when it comes to making health decisions: “The advice I give all of my patients is to be your own health advocate, do your own research and always ask questions before agreeing to any therapy or treatment, screening and/or procedure.”

What are your options?

Dr. Ham recommends regular thermography screenings, even for younger women, to determine a baseline reading in conjunction with patient education. Self and clinical breast exams, ultrasound and/or MRI are also recommended as part of a preventive approach to screening for breast cancer.