Self Breast Exam

Do you check your breast monthly? Every so often? Do you feel confident that you are doing it right? A proper self-breast exam isn’t hard, and it isn’t that much time to invest in yourself and your health. It can certainly bring peace of mind and you don’t have to wait for your yearly physical. Besides, you know your breast best!  50% or more cancers are found this way.  Be aware and observant but not fearful.  Breast tissue can change month to month, with our cycles, stress, or lymphatic health. You may notice lumps that appear and disappear or changes that happen when you do something different. These are all normal. A regular practice of self-breast exam can help you determine what is normal to you and what is new. Dr. Christiane Northrup says, “to project light from your hands into your breast when doing your “exam”.  Think good thoughts and say nice things while you are performing the exam. Things like:

“I am peaceful. The cells in my body work perfectly. My immune system is functioning optimally. I let go with love and trust. I am worthy. I am confident, calm and capable.” Anything at all that is encouraging and kind to yourself. Please do not say anything negative: “I hope I don’t find…., I don’t want the big “C”.

How to do a great self-breast exam adapted from My Breast Friend method:

Give yourself time in a comfortable place and flat on your back. Turn or use extra pillows if needed, gravity you know. 😉 Use your arm as a pillow and cross over your body to exam opposite breast tissue. Start under the arm and go down in grid pattern.  Be sure to go under breast and up to collar using three fingers to make circles using light medium and firm pressure in the same location. Then move one finger length over and start again until the whole breast is covered in the grid pattern, up to collar bone and down under breast tissue. Switch to other side when done with the first. Pay especially close attention to upper outer quadrant near under arm, 85% of cancers are found here.

Check out My Breast Friend for full detail and a great practice tool.

What do you need the most?

NuVision is truly innovative technology and can be a game changer in the way you evaluate and approach your health and seek the best for your well-being. Finding custom solutions just for you. Designed in Europe by Holographic Scientists, and a TX naturopathic Doctor on is a technology that has over 50,000 items in its database that can be used to test your personal hologram with incredible accuracy. Imagine being muscle tested for over 50,000 health related possibilities all at once?

Discover the cause and best solution in these areas: •Allergies and Food Sensitives • Breast Health • Dental • Digestion / Gut Health • Disease Residue • Emotions • Immune System • Nutrient Deficiencies • Sleep • Spine • Thyroid • Environmental Toxins • Heavy Metals • Pain • Pathogens • Geopathic Stressors • Self- Care • and More.

How can this work? Everything has a measurable energy frequency. Each person’s energy is unique like a fingerprint. Our frequencies are all connected, and we can be found in the energetic field. NuVision is a database of all of these frequencies that can be matched with your resonance.  Asking your body what is going on. NuVision finds targeted solutions/remedies that best resonate with you and the issue. NuVision sends energetic support to restore balance and vitality to your body.

To really get to the root cause, a filter of all the issues is added to the program and it asks your body what the causes and solutions are. As the practitioner I look at all the information and decern what theme or what the biggest concerns are and make recommendations.

Embrace NuVision technology and be in control of your own health and wellbeing!

Frequency at the Breast Thermography Center

Micro Current Frequency Analysis & Sessions

Healy is a microcurrent medical device that has been cleared by the FDA for relief of acute, chronic, and arthritis pain and muscle soreness due to overexertion.  Healy also has non-medical applications using individualized frequencies to help balance your mind, body and relieve stress.

This body tune up device offers applications to help you stay fit, bio energetically regenerate and reduce pain. Healy is meant to help you to increase your vitality to improve the flow of your energy reserves and to activate your energy reservoirs. We are noticing incredible results using frequency.

Based on over a decade of experience with over 2,500 doctors and therapists and over 500,000 users, this cutting edge product uses 140 specific programs spanning 144,000 frequencies, all built to enhance every area of your life and positively impact the lives of hundreds of millions.

It is the high energy molecule that stores the energy we need to do just about everything we do. Body cells lose energy over time. With proper frequencies body cells can increase energy levels and repair damage in the body. Frequencies can bring back energy to cells and help the body and organs function more effectively.

Frequencies have been shown to enhance:
Energy, Strength, Fitness, Balance, Mood, Learning, Sleep, Beauty, Immune response, and so much more. Frequencies have also been shown to assist with discomfort and improve health conditions.

How does it work?

The transport of matter into and out of the cell occurs through a somewhat magnetically controlled valve mechanism. The voltage potential, i.e., the difference between the voltage inside the cell and the voltage between the cells, is responsible for healthy (physiological) cell metabolism. This mechanism explains why frequencies can be applied for many different purposes and disorders.

Fun new ways to support you on your wellness journey.

At the Breast Thermography Center, we have been working hard during our stay at home orders.  Wanting to bring you more ways to dig into your wellness. We searched for tools to add knowledge to your health decisions.   We are super excited to add 4 new programs to our health tool box.   

Micro Current Analysis and Sessions-Healthy cells make healthy organs, healthy organs make healthy people!

This body tune up uses individualized frequencies to help balance your mind and body and relieves stress. This device offers applications to help you stay fit, bio energetically regenerate and reduce pain. Micro current frequency will help to increase your vitality and improve the flow of your energy reserves. 

Come in for an assessment and see what your body is asking for.

The Soul Essence Technique helps you let go of what is holding you back from success and happiness. It can shift your hidden beliefs and emotional patterns that are blocking you from the life you are meant to live.  Using essential oils and other products to work through emotional areas needing support.

The Itovi DNA 

If your DNA could talk, what would it say about you?  Unlock the secrets of your genetics and match wellness products to you based off your unique genetics.

Viome’s Gut Intelligence™ Test 

Analyzes your microbiome, providing precise food & supplement recommendations determined by your stool.  When the microbes in your gut are out of balance, your body can’t absorb nutrients the way it should.

Ultrasounds at BTC

We are so excited to introduce Polsono Mobile Ultrasound and announce they will be offering Ultrasounds starting January 15, 2020. Ultrasounds are a great addition to breast health monitoring.

Ultrasound Examinations are:

  • Non- Invasive
  • Painless
  • Affordable
  • Life-Saving
  • State-of-the-Art Ultrasound Comes To You.

Diagnostic ultrasound is a non-invasive screening which aides in the early detection of potentially life threatening conditions such as blood clots or cancerous masses. Ultrasound imaging is a painless medical technique used to generate real-time images of body’s organs, blood vessels, and internal structure which helps physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions.

The Polsono team is dedicated to providing you with the quality and compassionate care that you deserve. They specialize in a variety of imaging examinations including: general, cardiac, vascular, and OB.

Echo ultrasounds provide a live picture of the heart. This examination takes a closer look at the size and shape of the heart and shape of the heart muscle as well as at the competency of the heart valves to determine if the heart has sustained any damage.

Abdominal ultrasounds assist in the diagnosis of abdominal pains which can be attributed to liver, gallbladder, or pancreas disease.

Right Upper Quadrant This exam is effective in identifying liver or gallbladder disease and depicts right kidney pathology.

Renal (Kidney) Ultrasound Kidney screenings are effective in the early detection of painful kidney stones and potentially cancerous cysts.

Renal Artery Duplex Renal artery scans aide in the diagnosis of high blood pressure and kidney disease.

Abdominal Aorta* This ultrasound examines the abdominal aorta and aides in the early detection of  developing aneurysms.

Thyroid Ultrasound Thyroid ultrasounds inspect improperly functioning thyroids and can detect potentially cancerous masses or cysts.

Pelvic Ultrasound** Pelvic ultrasounds aide in the early detection of cervical, utarin, and ovarian cancers. An additional intra-vaginal examination which utilizes a high frequency probe to detect subtle differences between benign and malignant cystic structures is also available.

Breast Ultrasound Breast ultrasounds help diagnose breast abnormalities. They are an effective way to detect difficult to find breast cancers.

Venous (Extremities) Venous ultrasounds are generally used to detect blood clots in the legs or arms. Early detection of clots is Ultrasound imperative in the prevention of potentially life threatening conditions.

Carotid Duplex Carotid artery scans aid in the detection of potentially harmful plaque build-up or blood clots. A Doppler ultrasound may be administered to examine the condition and blood flow of the blood vessels.

Arterial Duplex Arterial duplex ultrasounds examine the lower and upper extremities to assist in the diagnosis of arterial (Extremities) narrowing or arterial disease.

OB OB ultrasounds accurately depict fetal anatomy and aide in the detection of maternal abnormalities. 

Patient Prep Instructions

*Fasting Prep: Patients are not to eat or drink anything for at least 6-8 hours prior to the following ultrasound examinations:

  • Abdominal Ultrasound
  • Gallbladder / Liver / Pancreas
  • Renal Artery
  • Aorta

**Full Bladder Prep:   Patients should drink a minimum of 32oz. (4 cups) of water prior to the examination. Please refrain from using the bathroom. Full bladder prep is required for the following examinations:

  • Pelvic Ultrasound
  • Prostate Scan

Ultrasound services are available by appointment only. Call the Breast Thermography Center 224-358-2741 to schedule your appointment.

How Thermography Works

It’s all about the skin and a special infrared camera. Thermography can be used as a whole body analysis for assessing surface heat temperatures that can be correlated to health or abnormalities. Corresponding research over 30+ years has created standards of measurement.  Uses for thermography are similar to that of an oral thermometer, a stethoscope, or any other medical tool that brings together a better physiological assessment of a patient. 

The human body emits infrared radiation that a sensor on the thermal camera reads and translates into a temperature map.  In certain areas a temperature variances of even 1 degree can indicate an abnormality in the body.  A specialized high tech infrared thermal camera, a trained certified thermographer and an experienced interpreter (like a radiologist reading an x-ray) are the most important aspects to medical thermography. 

Does Insurance Cover Thermography?

This is the most often asked question I get whenever I talk with people about Thermography. The answer is yes and no.

Yes, health savings plans and flexible spending plans can be used to pay for your thermographic scans. Whether it’s using a card with funds or submitting the receipt, both ways work. Many of our clients love having a choice where their insurance dollars go and what they can use them for.

No, in the traditional insurance sense. We cannot submit scans to insurance. At first, I was frustrated by this fact. But after I thought about it more, I’m glad. With insurance comes rules, regulations, and restrictions. Some of our clients would not be able to get the scan when they wanted for whatever they wanted because of these restrictions.

In my opinion, the more information you have to make health decisions the better. Thermography is an excellent tool to provide more information and monitor wellness. If you changed your lifestyle and want to see if there is improvement, get a scan. Started taking a medication and want to see if it is working, get a scan. Have a concern, get a scan. You as the client decide how often you want to scan and for what purpose.

I’m thankful anyone who wants to have a thermographic scan can get one. No need for approvals, Dr. order or some company saying you can’t. Knowledge is power. The more information the better.

Breast Cancer Physiology Simplified

Did you know cancer and pre-cancerous tissue grows faster than normal breast tissue?

Did you know the fast growth produces more heat than normal breast tissue?

Did you know the faster the growth rate, the greater the amount of heat produced?

These are all reasons thermography is a valid breast cancer risk assessment tool. Abnormal findings on thermograms may have higher risk of breast cancer. At the Breast Thermography Center we like to help our clients reduce their risk with lifestyle changes. Thermography is a great way to monitor risk factors and if the lifestyle changes are working.

Some of the heat produced by the tumor can rise to the surface of the skin by conduction through adjacent tissues. Heat follows down stream via circulation, not necessarily where the tumor is located.

Most heat travels from the tumor to the surface of the skin through the blood via convection. The heat also travels in the lymph and fluid in the milk ducts of the breast. This means the thermal findings may not always be in the location of the tumor.

Benefits of Using Thermography

1-100% safe- no risk -There are no harmful side effects, any age or stage of life can have a thermograph scan.

2-No ionizing radiation -If radiation is a concern for you there is no need to worry with thermography. The digital infrared camera doesn’t use it.

3- Non-invasive – There is no contact with your body. No smashing or stretching of breast tissue. It’s compression free! Woo hoo!!

4- Fast -It is a simple procedure. You can be in and out of your appointment in less than half an hour. 15 minutes or so will be acclimating to the room temperature, a few minutes for the technician to take the images and that’s it. The last time I got my oil changed in my car it took longer!

5- Easy – A few simple protocols to follow before your appointment (like avoid deodorant and lotion). While at your visit you will undress (waist up) behind a screen for privacy and acclimate to the room temperature. When it is time for your scan you will sit on stool and swivel side to side for 5 images and you are done.

6- Effective – Breast thermography has an average sensitivity and specificity of 90%. In the last 30+ years there has been 800 peer review studies with over 300,000 women included as participants.
Knowledge is power.

7- Inexpensive -You are worth the investment for your health. Getting a “something may be starting” thermography report where you can make lifestyle changes and monitor the breast is cheaper than insurance deductibles, co-pays, and time off work for treatment when a cancer diagnosis is given.

8-Early detection – Thermography is a physiological test showing the development of disease conditions. It can be an advanced warning screening tool informing you something is in the works. At this stage, you have time to change your lifestyle and seek professional intervention before cancer can take hold and become a tumor.

Thermography is an adjunctive breast cancer screen test. It is not meant as a stand alone screening. Any changes to the breast should be clinically correlated regardless of thermographic findings.

The Journey Begins

Thanks for joining us!  We are so excited to have a permanent office in Mundelein with more scan hours and dates to better serve you!

Conveniently located in downtown Mundelein.  Across the back parking lot from Fresh Cafe and down the block from Corner Health Foods.

We look forward to continuing your breast health journey with you.

Dr. Kelly Paulsen, DC, CTT

Christine Banerjee, CTT, CMHFS

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton