Excess radiation comes from unnecessary X-rays, CT scans
Are you getting exposed to UNNECESSARY radiation?
Friend, it’s been a LONG time since the “Atomic Age”…
When Eisenhower tried to make it seem like nuclear power would offer a bright new future… and atoms could be used for PEACE and not war.
But back in the days of bomb shelters and “duck and cover” drills during the Cold War… most Americans were TERRIFIED of radiation exposure.
Friend, remember how it seemed like the world would certainly end in the radioactive fallout of a Third World War?
Then the Berlin Wall came down in the mid-1980s… and in the last decade or two, Americans seem to have forgotten about a “nuclear winter”… instead getting worked up over global warming.
But radiation STILL poses a threat today.
It’s all around us, after all… from the ground to airplanes.
But one of the BIGGEST culprits behind excess exposure to radiation is in the ONE place we’re SUPPOSED to be safe.
Our own healthcare system!
I’m talking about UNNECESSARY dental X-rays during your annual cleanings…
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Radiography on your bones when you’re visiting the orthopedist with a musculoskeletal issue…
Receiving a high-radiation CT scan when a zero-radiation ultrasound or MRI would do the trick…
Or getting ZAPPED by a CT scan for something as minor as a headache.
In fact, according to a 2022 study, the popularity of CT scans among care workers has contributed to the DOUBLING of our exposure to ionizing radiation over the last 20 years!
Problem is, the MORE radiation you’re “nuked” by… through either REPEATED imaging or high-exposure, one-time scans…
The HIGHER your cancer risk!
That’s because radiation DAMAGES your cells on a genetic level… and when your DNA mutates, that’s when tumors can form.
Those are pretty SERIOUS consequences…
Yet according to the FDA, the feds have NO CLUE as to how often unnecessary radiation is being UNLEASHED on Americans in care settings today!
As a patient, it’s easy to ASSUME that you actually NEED whatever tests are being ordered…
But the sad reality is that some of this “nuclear medicine” SHOULDN’T be treated as “routine.”
Take rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, for instance… who undergo imaging DESPITE the fact that only a tiny percentage of those X-rays actually SHOW anything useful!
Why is this happening?
I’m sure you won’t find it SHOCKING that it all boils down to MONEY.
Radiological imaging can be a CASH COW for docs, clinics, and hospitals… especially when they KNOW they’ll be reimbursed by insurance even if the scan wasn’t actually necessary.
Now, I’m not saying you should always DECLINE one of these screenings… because sometimes they’re CRUCIAL to determining a physical problem (like a cavity, or a broken bone)…
And coming up with an appropriate treatment plan.
But there are ways to LIMIT your exposure… if you’re just a little proactive.
If you get X-rays done, make sure you get a copy for yourself. You’ll want to share those with any other doc you get referred to… even though their first inclination will be to take an entirely new set for themselves.
Whenever you go in for imaging, especially a CT scan, ask what level of radiation they’re using… and see if they can turn it down to the lowest effective “dose.”
And, it goes without saying that if your healthcare professional tries to send you over to the radiology department, you could simply ask if it’s REALLY necessary.
You might be surprised how easily they back down when questioned.
Now, if you’re concerned about radiation… whether chronic exposure to low levels of it or acute “blasts”… make sure you’re BOOSTING your intake of antioxidants, which help protect your DNA against damage.
In pursuit of the truth,
Dr. Marc S. Micozzi, M.D., Ph.D.