Autoimmune diseases often develop silently, and many people struggle for years with unexplained discomfort, seeking answers, while traditional tests may not fully capture the underlying issues. Thermography is emerging as a valuable, noninvasive tool that can help monitor inflammation and provide deeper insights into the body’s immune activity.
Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system, designed to protect the body from harmful invaders, mistakenly identifies healthy cells as threats and launches an attack against them. This results in chronic inflammation that can damage tissues, organs, and entire systems over time. They are more common in women, they also significantly impact men – sometimes with more aggressive symptoms or different disease presentations.
There are over one hundred known autoimmune diseases, and while each affects different parts of the body, they share a common underlying issue: dysregulated immune function. Symptoms often overlap with other conditions, making autoimmune diseases challenging to diagnose. Common symptoms include chronic pain and inflammation, persistent fatigue, joint stiffness or swelling, skin rashes or irritation, digestive disturbances, muscle weakness, brain fog, and memory issues.
Common autoimmune dieases include:
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA): A chronic inflammatory disease that affects the joints, causing pain, swelling, and stiffness; more common in women, but men with RA often experience more severe joint destruction.
- Lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus—SLE): A systemic disease that can impact the skin, joints, kidneys, heart, and brain. Men with lupus often suffer from more severe organ damage compared to women.
- Multiple sclerosis (MS): A nervous system
disease in which the immune system attacks the protective covering of nerves (myelin). MS progresses more aggressively in men, leading to faster disability rates. - Psoriasis/psoriatic arthritis: Psoriasis is an autoimmune skin condition causing red, scaly patches, while psoriatic arthritis causes joint pain and stiffness. They affect men and women equally, though men tend to have more joint damage.
- Hashimoto’s thyroiditis/Graves’ disease: Hashimoto’s causes underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), while Graves’ leads to overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism). It is more frequently diagnosed in women but also impacts men, affecting metabolism, energy levels, and overall well-being.
- Type 1 diabetes: Results from the immune system attacking insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Unlike many autoimmune diseases, type 1 diabetes affects men and women equally.
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)—Crohn’s/ulcerative colitis: Chronic conditions affecting the digestive tract, leading to severe inflammation, pain, and malabsorption. Symptoms may present differently between men and women.
These diseases impact different organs but all share a common thread: chronic inflammation. Early detection is key to slowing disease progression and improving quality of life.
How Thermography Helps Monitor Autoimmune Health
Thermography is a radiation-free, noninvasive infrared imaging tool that detects heat patterns and blood flow changes in the body. Since inflammation produces increased heat, thermography may visualize immune activity before significant tissue damage occurs.
Benefits of thermography for autoimmune disease monitoring include the following:
- Early detection of inflammatory activity: Identifies heat patterns associated with inflammation before symptoms become severe and can help detect early changes in rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, MS, Crohn’s, and more.
- Safe, noninvasive, and radiation-free: Unlike X-rays, CT scans, or MRIs, thermography does not expose the body to harmful radiation; ideal for long-term monitoring of chronic conditions.
- Tracks circulatory and nervous system dysfunction: Reveals blood flow abnormalities that are seen in Raynaud’s, MS, and diabetic neuropathy. It can detect nerve inflammation, a key factor in autoimmune nerve disorders.
- Helps guide further testing: If thermography detects abnormal heat patterns, individuals can follow up with blood tests, MRIs, or ultrasounds to pinpoint the underlying cause.
- Monitors disease progression and treatment effectiveness: Provides visual tracking of inflammation over time, helping patients assess how medications, diet, and lifestyle changes are affecting their condition.
By integrating thermography into routine health assessments, those with autoimmune diseases can gain a more complete picture of their immune function and overall health.
Integrating Thermography into Your Autoimmune Health Plan
While thermography does not replace standard diagnostic tests, it offers a powerful complementary tool for individuals dealing with autoimmune disorders. By visualizing inflammation and immune system activity, thermography empowers individuals to take proactive steps toward managing their health.
Those who should consider thermography include individuals with undiagnosed chronic pain, fatigue, or inflammation, those with an existing autoimmune diagnosis looking for safe, long-term monitoring, and people at high risk for autoimmune diseases due to family history or symptoms.
While traditional medicine focuses on diagnosing late-stage autoimmune disease, thermography provides a functional, early-stage view of inflammation – helping individuals and healthcare providers make more informed decisions about treatment and management.
If you are dealing with chronic symptoms or managing an autoimmune condition, consider incorporating thermography into your health routine. Early detection and proactive monitoring can make all the difference in maintaining long-term wellness.
April Beaman, RDH, CTT, is a certified medical thermographer with the Professional Academy of Clinical Thermology and a professional member of Breast Thermography International. Beaman has worked in the wellness industry for over 15 years and provides medical thermal imaging for both women and men. She is the founder of CT Thermography located in Farmington, with satellite offices throughout CT and MA.
Connect at 860.415.1150 or CTThermography.com.