How do you know if you have Radiation Phobia, and what is it?
Janet leaned back in the dental chair, just a little anxious. "We're going to get some X-rays of your teeth now", said the hygienist. She placed a heavy drape over Janet's body and a smaller one over her neck saying, "this will protect your thyroid and your ovaries from radiation." Janet felt a little better. The hygienist brought the tube up to Janet's jaw, made some exposures, checked her images, removed the shields and said "they look fine, the doctor will be in soon to check you and review your X-rays."
Tom's dad said "Let's have a fire in the fireplace tonight", and Tom was excited. He loved having a fire while they watched TV in the den. Tom and his sister got under the fireproof blanket, and put on their fireproof face shields and gloves. Tom's dad didn't use the blanket, instead he put on a fireproof jacket and pants so he could tend the fire. Mom brought out the popcorn and soda, after she put on her gear too. Tom loved movie night.
"OK kids, get in the car, now! We are going to be late for school." David and Chris liked to dawdle getting ready for school. They could put on their crash suits quickly, but they would drag their feet on school mornings, just to watch mom fuss. As they slipped on the padded jackets and pants, mom carried their helmets out to the car saying, "You can put these on in the car, now get a move on. I don't know what is wrong with you boys, I can put my driving gear on in two minutes."
If all three of these scenarios don't seem equally ridiculous, you probably have radiation phobia. Thousands of people die every year in America from car wrecks and house fires. The only way a dental x-ray machine is going to hurt you is if you drop it on your foot.
In simple terms, a phobia is an unrealistic fear which can interfere with our daily lives. Radiation phobia is an unrealistic fear of radiation. Every day, in my twenty five years as a diagnostic radiologist, I have dealt with these fears. As a nation we have wasted billions of dollars, and done immeasurable damage to our environment, because of our national phobia.
A small number of Americans have pyrophobia, the fear of fire. Most of us see fire as a very useful tool. We respect it. We teach our children about it from an early age. What we don't do is make it national news every time a small fire occurs. I can't remember the last time I saw a "No More Fire" bumper sticker or rally. By writing this blog, I want you to understand that radiation is just as useful as fire, and far safer.
For the past 15 years, in addition to my private practice as a radiologist, I wrote a regular column in the magazine “Diagnostic Imaging.” DI was a monthly publication designed for radiologists and others interested in medical imaging, most of which has traditionally been done with X-rays. (Like so many printed publications, it recently ceased hard copy publication, and is now only online.) My training as a radiologist included four years of specific education in radiation, radiation physics, nuclear medicine and associated imaging fields, after I graduated from medical school. My column in “Diagnostic Imaging” dealt with a wide range of topics germane to radiology, although I tend to favor more humanistic subjects less commonly discussed in the radiology literature. For the past 10 years I have also been lecturing on Radiation Phobia.
This blog is an outgrowth of my column. and those lectures. Many of the ideas included here have been dealt with before in “Diagnostic Imaging.” The purpose of this blog is to reach a broader audience. Patients, and the public in general, need a more realistic view of the risks and benefits of radiation. As the uses and potential uses of radiation expand in our country, we will need to make informed decisions about which ones we accept, and which ones we shun.
It is important from the very start to differentiate three entirely different areas of radiation; low level radiation, Nuclear power and Nuclear weapons. Many people and organizations tend to blur these areas into one big radiation stew, casting the evils of nuclear weapons on the other two. Nuclear weapons are bad, therefore all radiation is bad. This is the equivalent of banning all plane flights because the military has bombers. Americans need to understand the difference in these areas in order to make informed decisions about our individual and national priorities.
I realize from the start that lot of people may not like this blog. Physicists will say I have grossly simplified their portion, which is true. If you want detailed physics, go to another web site. I will add some links to ones I like. Many radiation safety experts will disagree with my treatment of radiation thresholds and discussion of their field’s contribution to radiation phobia. Environmental activists (many of whom are clearly radiation phobic , and in denial similar to alcoholism) will see me as a threat to all mankind. Well, as the saying goes, you can’t please everyone. After twenty-five years of working with radiation and radio-activity, I’ve written the facts and my observations as truthfully as I could. I don't make data up.
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