It is nothing to do with personalities Ruthio and, when I said "the rest of us", I was referring to a few people who have said that is the best option for them.

I know Realist has used the Cochrane Institute to verify many of his posts so I have previously looked into what they do. They are a group who look into many methods of medical practice, but if you want to find something that relates to your own health, it would be faster to read War and Peace in one sitting.

Nobody is saying that mammograms are !00% safe, just as many other medical practices can't be guaranteed so, but I don't think that Cochrane can guarantee that other methods will produce better results. I am also sure that there will be very few ladies, who are able to or wish to, travel long distances for breast cancer checks....mainly because the risk from a mammogram is too small to justify taking time off work or paying the cost of travelling on a regular basis. If Cochrane believe it is so important why don't they ask if they can offer alternative advice , via leaflets, at all breastcare centres?
If the NHS cannot afford the alternative methods, I am sure that many people would be unable to pay additional costs.

All I am saying is that Realist may believe what he reads but, if he wants others to listen, a brief description of what he is suggesting instead of long posts which are often critical of others, is not the way to convince people. If he really wants to make a difference, I am afraid that his long, drawn out posts are more likely to make many people just ignore what he is saying.

Yes I agree, it does hurt, and they say the bigger you are, the more it hurts.

However, a few years ago, I was advised by a friend to take a strong painkiller an hour before the procedure and can confirm that this helped.

Hi Tabby, I don't know where you live nor even if you are in the UK or USA.

However there are clinics all over that can offer you Thermographic scans as an alternative to irradiating Mammograms.

In the UK for example there is this company (and many others):

https://medscans.co.uk/clinic-locator/

Put your postcode in and set the search radius to 1000 miles and it will show you everything in the UK.

If it's important enough to you then travelling to another town or city shouldn't be an issue TBH.

About 3 years ago, l had an X-ray on my jaw at the hospital not the dentist. Then not long after, an X-ray on my chest.

Soon after, l had a letter to go for a Mammogram. I was concerned that l was being exposed to too much radiation in a short time.

I rang the Mammagram helpline and also my doctor to ask if l should cancel my mammogram.
Both assured me that the amount of radiation l was being exposed to was too small to do any harm.

After reading this thread, l am really worried now.

Angel, take it from one who knows. Your doctor and the helpline people are perfectly correct. Decisions are taken based on a risk-benefit basis. There are people who have had far many X-ray examinations than the ones you mention, and they have been done on that clear basis.

I have already explained that people worry unnecessarily about ionising radiation. I have done (only last year) a research project on the levels of radiation on patients undergoing scoliosis (whole spine) examinations, and such people are examined on a regular basis during childhood. The figures I came up with regarding the likelihood of developing cancer, even for these patients who are exposed regularly at an early age, are vanishingly small.

Here is a brief article published by a reliable source which puts into perspective the levels of ionising radiation received by us all. There are many other such sources of information on a far more professional and academic level, but it depends just how deep you care to explore. I hope that sets your mind at rest.

https://www.phe-protectionservices.o...diationandyou/

I had not heard about Thermographic Scans before.