X-rays: How much is too much?

By George N. True II

I had X-rays twice in a week. The first was on Monday and another on Friday. I forgot that I already had one and failed to inform the X-ray technician about this. Should I worry? – Nick Magabo Dotimas, Mabalacat, Pampanga.

X-rays are a type of radiation that create pictures or radiographs of different body parts. These parts appear in various shades of black and white since tissues absorb different amounts of radiation. Your bones block the beam of radiation so they appear white, while soft tissues like muscle and fat are in shades of gray. Air in your lungs normally look black.

Since X-rays help doctors see if there’s anything wrong inside your body, their benefits greatly outweigh their risks. This is an old diagnostic tool that has benefited a lot of patients and has enabled doctors to make the correct diagnosis.

Of course, with radiation, there is always the risk of cancer, especially with too much exposure to X-rays. However, the risk is quite low with chest X-rays (which I presume you had) and with today’s modern equipment. On the other hand, CT scans deliver more radiation, so the more scans you have, the greater your risk, according to the American College of Radiology.

The effects of radiation on the body are measured in millisievert (mSv). Even if we don’t have an X-ray, we still get natural radiation from the sun and earth. In the United States, for example, the average natural background radiation is 3.7 mSv yearly.

With a simple chest X-ray, a person gets an average of 0.01 mSv of radiation, which is almost the same amount of natural radiation you get in a day. With CT scans of the chest, the amount is 4 to 7 mSv. That figure is higher, but it’s still safe since the American College of Radiology said lifetime diagnostic radiation exposure should be limited to 100 mSv.

How much is that? Doctors say that’s equal to 10,000 chest X-rays or up to 25 chest CT scans. So unless you’ve had that much X-rays, I wouldn’t worry.

I have high blood pressure. In the past few days, I’ve experienced pain in my shoulders, nape, and chest. I’m taking 5 milligrams of amlodipine daily which my doctor prescribed. I also avoid oily and salty foods, have stopped smoking, and eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. Should I take amlodipine before or after meals? – Nin Crisostomo, address withheld.

Amlodipine is a calcium channel blocker that dilates blood vessels and improves blood flow. By relaxing blood vessels, the drug lowers blood pressure since the heart doesn’t have to work hard. This medicine can be used alone or in combination with other medicines to treat hypertension. It also treats angina or chest pain and coronary artery disease (narrowing of blood vessels that bring blood to the heart).

Since it was prescribed by your doctor, do exactly what he told you and take the medicine as directed. Amlodipine can be taken anytime – either day or night, but do this at the same time every day for best results. This medicine can be taken before or after meals, but avoid grapefruit or grapefruit juice while doing so.

Your diet is good at present, so keep it up. It’s wise to watch what you eat since obesity can make your condition worse. High cholesterol can lead to hypertension, diabetes, and increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. Doctors say that hypertension and high cholesterol can also work together to wreak havoc on your heart.

Lose weight if needed and avoid salt to manage your blood pressure. If you must use salt, take less than 2,300 milligrams (about 1 teaspoon) every day, less if your doctor says so. Reduce your alcohol intake or avoid it altogether.

For questions, email georgenavatrue@yahoo.com.