Avoid X-Rays!

Remember when your dentist would x-ray your teeth to check out your wisdom teeth? Perhaps you've broken a bone in the past, and a doctor had to take a better look with an x-ray. New research suggests that those x-rays may have caused more harm than good.

A recent study from the University of California-Berkley shows that diagnostic x-rays may increase the risk of childhood leukemia. X-rays expose patients to radiation, but in low levels. While high doses of radiation are known to cause cancer, there is still much debate surrounding the dangers of low-level radiation, such as x-rays. However, this study is part of a growing body of literature that suggests x-rays may in fact be deadly.

The bottom line is we have to be very cautious about the use of any medical imaging techniques," said Dr. Smith-Bindman. "They can be enormously helpful for making accurate diagnoses, but tests that deliver ionizing radiation are associated with small – but real – risks of future complications related to the radiation exposure, and thus they should be used judiciously. (UC Study)

In other words, avoid them if possible! But that may not be as easy as it sounds. According to Natural News, Americans receive more medical radiation than residents in any other country. This article also states that, "A recent Columbia University study estimated that 20 million adults and 1 million children are being exposed to unnecessary cancer risk from medical scans."

To safeguard against unnecessary radiation exposure, Natural News suggests that:

Patients concerned about their radiation exposure should always ask doctors if a radiation scan is necessary, whether radiation-free alternatives are available, if the scan has ever been performed on them before, how the dose will be adjusted for their sex and age, and if the doctor has a financial stake in the machines to be used. Radiologist Fred Mettler of the New Mexico Veterans Administration suggests asking for a copy of all tests performed.