You have symptoms of gas, bloating and heartburn that you just cannot explain. Because your symptoms are happening frequently, your primary care physician wants you to see a gastroenterologist, a specialist who treats conditions and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and liver. At Swan Gastroenterology in Tucson, AZ, your GI doctor has advanced training in the diagnosis and treatment of gastroenterology issues. Learn more about this medical specialty here.
What is the GI tract?
Basically, your gastrointestinal tract is one long, long tube. It starts with your esophagus and extends through your body to your anus, where waste products exit. In between the two ends, the GI system receives and processes foods, allowing your body to absorb the nutrients, filter the toxins, and eliminate the indigestible parts as feces.
Just as with any bodily system, it can malfunction. Common GI disorders include:
- GERD, or acid reflux disease
- Gall stones
- Cancer
- Diverticulosis
- Ulcerative colitis
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Celiac disease
- Barrett's esophagus
- Hepatitis and pancreatitis
- Rectal bleeding, including hemorrhoids
- Difficulty swallowing
- Constipation and diarrhea
- Peptic ulcer disease
- Lactose intolerance
Your gastroenterology doctor partners with your primary care physician in pinpointing the causes of your symptoms and in providing medications, procedures, and lifestyle counseling to alleviate them.
Treating the GI tract
You should see a gastroenterologist for the precise imaging of the Gi tract and for procedures aimed at curing or controlling chronic or acute conditions. Your team at Gastrointestinal Specialists in Tucson offers both on-site and in-hospital services such as endoscopy, colonoscopy, esophageal dilation, manometry (evaluates swallowing) stent placement, and more.
For adults over 50, and earlier for those with GI cancer in their families, your GI doctor offers colonoscopy screening to keep ahead of the third most prevalent cancer in the United States--colon-rectal cancer (according to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta).
Reasons to go
There are several reasons to see a gastroenterologist. They include:
- Excessive flatulence
- Bloating
- Sudden weight loss or gain
- A lump in the throat or trouble swallowing
- Bleeding
- Anemia
- Black stools
Don't worry
Your gastroenterologist has your best interests and your best health in mind. You can eat, digest, and eliminate waste healthfully when your GI tract is properly tuned and disease-free. So talk with the experts at Swan Gastroenterology in Tucson, AZ. Call today for your personal consultation: (520) 795-3090.