Your digestive system is one of the most used systems in your body. Considering that the digestive system plays an essential role in obtaining nutrients necessary to sustain life, any issues affecting it must be rectified as soon as possible to ensure overall body health. You frequently take multiple substances through this system, making it susceptible to various illnesses or conditions. This has resulted in the development of a medical professional known as a gastroenterologist. The best Cypress gastroenterologist can deal with most issues affecting your digestive tract. More about what this medical professional does is discussed further below.
Who is a Gastroenterologist?
Gastroenterology is a branch of healthcare that targets the well-being of the digestive tract, including the liver. Gastroenterologists can handle many issues, including hepatitis C and irritable bowel syndrome but maintain their focus on identifying and treating GI conditions.
Once your primary care doctor notices a problem with your GI tract, they recommend you to a gastroenterologist who provides you with more detailed and informed insight into the situation.
These professionals can do endoscopic operations using specialized devices that enable them to see the GI tract and provide a proper diagnosis. They usually do not perform surgery but may work with a GI surgeon in particular cases. They can be found in hospitals, clinics, or other related medical facilities.
Gastroenterologists have the skill and training to know the normal movement of food through your stomach and intestines, how waste is eliminated from the body, how nutrients are absorbed, and how the liver assists the digestive process. This makes them able to identify conditions like:
- Colon polyps
- Gastroesophageal reflux
- Hepatitis
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Colitis
- Peptic ulcers
- Nutritional issues
- Biliary tract and gall bladder diseases
- Pancreatitis
- Irritable bowel syndrome
The GI system typically includes the mouth, although gastroenterologists do not treat or look into issues in this area. These are left to dentists and dental specialists to focus on the oral cavity’s health. Gastroenterologists also do not deal with issues of the anus and rectum, which are left to proctologists.
Some gastroenterologists treat general issues affecting the GI tract while others specialize in particular types such as:
- Chronic inflammation of the digestive tract
- Pancreatic disease
- Endoscopic surveillance
- Gastrointestinal cancer
- Reflux esophagitis
Gastroenterologists can be able to perform many nonsurgical procedures such as:
- Endoscopic ultrasounds that look at the lower and upper GI tract as well as various internal organs
- Upper endoscopy assists physicians in identifying issues in the stomach, food pipe, and small intestine
- Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography identifies tumors or stones in the bile duct area
- Colonoscopies to detect colon polyps or cancer
- Liver biopsies to check out fibrosis and inflammation in the liver
- Sigmoidoscopy evaluates pain or blood loss in the lower large bowel
- Feeding tube insertion used to put feeding tubes into the abdomen
- Double balloon enteroscopy and capsule endoscopy both examine the small intestine
Any issues affecting your digestive tract, like unexplained blood in your stool, abdominal pain, or frequent digestion issues, warrant a visit to a gastroenterologist. For inquiries about a gastroenterologist, check out our website, or call our offices in Cypress, TX.