What You Need To Know About Having A Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

Learning more about having a gastrointestinal endoscopy can ease any anxieties you may feel about the procedure.  Some negative connotations exist among the general public regarding this procedure but by arming yourself with the facts concerning endoscopies you can worry less about the procedure and focus more on the benefits.

Before you have an endoscopy consider if whether or not the procedure will help you address your condition. Receive an expert medical opinion from a trusted physician before you move forward with an endoscopy.

Technology has come a long way since the first procedure which allowed for viewing into a living body. In the early 1800’s a wax candle, mirror and tiny tube provided doctors with primitive but effective way to diagnose and cure certain gastrointestinal problems.

The Procedure

During the endoscopy doctors are able to view the inside of your digestive tract for any diseases or obstructions. A small TV camera is attached to a flexible fiber optic tube to give doctors a glimpse into your digestive system. Video screens or eyepieces are connected to the camera so an individual or team of professionals can perform an examination and diagnosis.

Facts

Endoscopies can be performed as an outpatient or inpatient procedure. Muscle spasms, ulcers and a series of other medical problems can be diagnosed through a gastrointestinal endoscopy. Alternate imaging tests do not show as thorough a range of medical issues compared to this in-depth procedure.

Different Names

An endoscopy may be referred to by different names depending on the area of your digestive tract being examined. An enteroscopy is an examination of the small bowel area. This procedure can help to identify and treat hidden GI bleeding. Enteroscopies help surgeons find and remove sores without damaging healthy and whole tissues. This type of endoscopy also confirms any small bowel problems which initially appeared on x-rays and can also find the root cause of malabsorption.

Colonoscopies allow for a viewing of the large bowel. Doctors can spot bleeding in the colon, irregular growths, inflamed intestinal lining and ulcers in the colon.

Alternatives

Other procedures can allow doctors to examine your GI tract. X-ray exams which expose the digestive tract, barium enemas and echographies which outline the upper abdomen can be used to study your digestive system.

The blood, stools and stomach juices can each be studied to give a glimpse into gastrointestinal functions.

Conditions Which Can’t Be Benefitted through Having an Endoscopy

Individuals suffering through perforations of organs in the upper gastrointestinal tract, people suffering through massive upper GI blood loss, individuals who’ve experienced heart attacks or severe coronary artery disease and people who suffer from low blood pressure or high blood pressure won’t benefit from having a gastrointestinal endoscopy.

If you suffer from respiratory distress, injuries of the cervical spine, peritonitis, inflammatory bowel disease not including cancer, irritable bowel syndrome, acute diarrhea and severe gastrointestinal bleeding your condition will not be effectively addressed or improved by having an endoscopy.