What You Can Expect At a Gastroenterologist Appointment

The organs of your digestive system are vulnerable to multiple medical conditions. The professionals responsible for diagnosing, managing, and treating these conditions are called gastroenterologists or gastrointestinal specialists. You need to visit a good gastroenterologist in Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon, or some other urban hub if you are facing issues like chronic constipation, ulcers, and gastroesophageal reflux (GERD). Gastroenterologists can diagnose and treat a wide range of ailments that affect your digestive tract, including your stomach, liver, pancreas, esophagus, and colon. 

Questions to Expect at a Gastroenterologist Appointment

To effectively diagnose your condition, a gastroenterologist would firstly ask you several detailed questions about the problems and symptoms you are facing. You must answer all these questions as accurately as possible to help the gastroenterologist effectively diagnosing your condition and prescribing you a proper treatment. 

The common questions a gastroenterologist may ask are:

• What are the symptoms you are experiencing? (This may include bloating, bleeding, pain, heartburn, and so on.)
• Is there some action that triggers the symptoms?
• Do the symptoms get consistently worse or not?
• Where exactly do you feel the symptoms?
• What is the intensity of the pain you face?
• How often do you experience the symptoms, and for how long?
• Does this pain moves or change its location?
• Do you have a family history of digestive issues and associated health problems?
• Have you ever had any type of gastrointestinal illness or surgery before?
• What over-the-counter medications did you take to get relief from the symptoms?

Physical Examination

Subsequent to gaining detailed insight on your symptoms and medical history, a gastroenterologist may conduct a brief physical exam. This can include:

• Observation of the belly region: The gastroenterologist shall check the abdomen for signs that might indicate abnormalities of any kind.
• Auscultation of bowel sounds: The gastroenterologist shall listen to the abdominal quadrant for bowel sounds or bruits, and make a note of their intensity, pitch, and duration.
• Palpation of the four quadrants in the belly region: It is done to feel around for tenderness or masses.

Based on their observations, the gastroenterologist may prescribe you to go for tests like X-ray, CT scan, and blood or stool exam for an appropriate diagnosis. You can find contact details of the top gastroenterologist in Delhi, Noida, and nearby areas online, whom you can visit while facing any digestive problem.

Visiting Gastroenterologists for the first time? Here is what you need to know.

Primary care physicians usually refer their patients to gastroenterologists if they are suffering from the following symptoms:

• Constant heartburn
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Trouble while swallowing
• Persistent pain in the stomach
• Diarrhoea
• Constipation
• Alternating diarrhoea and constipation
• Blood in stool
• Unusual weight loss
• Jaundice

Patients going to gastroenterologists in Delhi or anywhere else for the first time should know certain things. This blog explains the things that they should be aware of.

What is gastroenterology?

Gastroenterology is the field of medicine in which the health of the human gastrointestinal system is examined. It involves diagnosing and treating the conditions and diseases that affect the digestive system.

Who are gastroenterologists?

Doctors specialising in the field of gastroenterology are known as gastroenterologists. They detect and provide appropriate medications for curing diseases and conditions causing damage to the following organs of gastrointestinal systems:

• Oesophagus
• Stomach
• Small intestine
• Large intestine
• Pancreas
• Gallbladder
• Liver
• Bile ducts
• Rectum
• Anus

Even though the oral cavity is the part of the gastrointestinal system, gastroenterologists do not work towards examining the health of the oral cavity. Taking care of the proper functioning of the oral cavity is the job of dental specialists.

What are the certain diseases and conditions treated by gastroenterologists?

Gastroenterologists diagnose and treat the following conditions, disorders, and diseases:

• Liver Cirrhosis
• Hepatitis A, B and C
• Alcoholic and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
• Appendicitis
• Ulcerative colitis
• Crohn’s disease
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease
• Achalasia
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Pancreatitis
• Gallbladder disease
• Celiac disease
• Colon polyps
• Colon cancer
• Oesophagitis
• Gallstones
• Gastroenteritis

What are some questions that gastroenterologists ask their patients?

• What symptoms are they experiencing?
• Are they suffering from pain in the abdomen?
• How long does the abdominal pain last?
• When did they first experienced the symptoms?
• What are things that worsen the symptoms?
• Do they feel that at times their symptoms become better and get worse at times?
• Is anyone in their family suffering from digestive issues or other health issues?

Usually, based on these questions, gastroenterologists make the diagnosis. They further decide if the patients have to undergo any procedure to detect or treat gastrointestinal problems.

When Should you Consult a Good Gastroenterologist?

The area of medicine which lays emphasis on the health of the digestive system or the gastrointestinal tract is called Gastroenterology. This discipline deals with a number of ailments, from hepatitis C to irritable bowel movement syndrome. Gastroenterology is dedicated to the diagnosis, care, and management of diseases that affect the gastrointestinal tract, which basically includes the organs from the mouth to the anus. This also includes the complete alimentary canal.

Who is a Gastroenterologist?

The specialized physicians whose primary expertise lies in diagnosing and treating diseases related to the gastrointestinal tract are called Gastroenterologists. Several endoscopic procedures are performed by them with the help of specialized instruments, through which they view the gastrointestinal tract in order to make a diagnosis.

A reputed gastroenterologist is able to carry out several diagnostic procedures which include:

• Colonoscopy
• Endoscopy
• Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
• Endoscopic ultrasound
• Liver biopsy

Other than the gastroenterologists who offer the general treatment of the gastrointestinal tract, there are also physicians who specialize in a certain specific disciplines of Gastroenterology. Some of them being – pancreatic disease, inflammatory bowel disease, gastrointestinal cancer, and reflux esophagitis.

When to See a Gastroenterologist?

There can be many conditions which can cause complications in the digestion process. Chronic pain in the abdomen or lingering ailments like bloating, diarrhea, and gas are all symptoms of a possible gastroenterological disorder. In case of such situations, one should definitely consult a gastroenterologist in Delhi or other big cities that have good medical facilities. The condition of your health should never be taken lightly and therefore, consulting a specialist is of utmost importance. Some of the symptoms which should be definitely taken to a Gastroenterologist are as follows: 

• Heartburn: This is a feeling of pain or a sensation of burning which can be felt in the chest or the throat. This sensation mostly occurs when acid from your stomach backs up into your esophagus, which is the tube that connects your mouth to the stomach. Continuous problem of heartburn can be a symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

 

• Negative reaction to dairy products: Having uncomfortable symptoms after consuming any dairy product like milk or cheese may be a symptom of lactose intolerance. Lactose is the sugar found in milk.

 

• Excruciating abdominal pain: Extreme pain on the right side of your abdomen could be due to the presence of gallstones. They are hard nuggets which form in the gallbladder. The pain stops once the stones are removed.

Gastrointestinal disorders if not treated at the right time can eventually take the shape of a major illness. It is therefore advisable that whenever you come across any such lingering symptom; consult a specialist immediately to understand the management of the disease.

 

Symptoms, Causes & Treatments of Gastrointestinal Disease

Individuals; who suffer from ulcers, heartburn, stomach aches, and flatulence constantly, should get themselves checked. This is because, if left untreated, this can result in several complications. The conditions of gastrointestinal diseases can be many. Of late, if you have not been eating properly and have noticed that your bowel movement is not quite normal then you should consult with the gastroenterologist. This is because the problem can vary from indigestion issues to even colon cancer.

Mentioned below are some of the common signs and symptoms of gastrointestinal disease:

• Irregular bowel habits
• Problem in stool movement
• Rectal bleeding
• Stomach cramps
• Fistula
• Flatulence
• Hemorrhoids
• Incontinence
• Diverticulitis

Conditions that Cause gastrointestinal diseases

• People suffering from chronic constipation do not pass stools regularly which cause the nerves to work extra as the stools get harden over time. This extra work damages the nerves as well as muscles in the area.
• During childbirth, women undergoes trauma in the lower abdomen which weakens muscles, create scars and lesions, and results in infections.
• People who have family history of Crohn’s disease or suffer from this are more at risk of gastrointestinal diseases.
• Individuals who do not include enough fiber in the food often finds hard to pass stools which in turn results in gastrointestinal disease.

If you want to consult with the best gastroenterologist; then you should visit Gangaram hospital. The doctor may ask you to go through a number of diagnostic tests like x- ray, ultrasound, colonoscopy or endoscopy or MRI. The test result will help the doctor to prepare a treatment plan for you.

Treatment options for gastrointestinal disease

Once the doctor diagnoses gastrointestinal disease; then he may recommend you any or all of the below mentioned treatment options such as:

• Antibiotics:This helps in preventing the infection from spreading.
• Diet:The physician may recommend a special diet that includes fibers and certain nutrients to fight the disease
• Surgery:In case the medications and therapies do not work; then the last resort that is available is the surgical method. This method may include implanting a device or removing the problem to help the body cope with disease.

So, if want to stay safe from gastrointestinal diseases; make sure that you eat right and follow the physician’s advice.

When to see a Gastroenterologist?

You may have often heard people saying that they have been referred to a gastroenterologist for their stomach ache. Now, that may make you wonder if you too need to see one. But, do not worry if you are really not sure as these tips may help you decide if you need to see a specialist.

Who is a Gastroenterologist?

A gastroenterologist is a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions related to the digestive tract as well as liver, pancreas, gallbladder and bile ducts.

When to See a Gastroenterologist?

• You need to see a specialist when you are having persistent issues with some part of your body. So is the case with your stomach. If you are having a stomach ache that just does not subside after taking OTC drugs and digestive medications, there has to be something that needs to be reviewed by a specialist.




• You must also see a specialist if you notice that you have to depend on antacids in order to get relief from regular indigestion and acidity. Taking antacids once in a while is fine but regular consumption certainly becomes an issue.




• If you are not passing stool or gas but vomiting and having cramping pains then too you must rush to a specialist like a good gastroenterologist in Delhi.

• When the pain is very localized and sharp in just one particular place, then too specialist intervention is recommended.

 

When is it Alright to Wait and Watch?

• You may delay visiting a specialist if you get relief from the stomach ache after taking antacids or some digestive enzymes and the pain does not trouble you soon after.




• You may also wait if you know that you have had junk food from an unhygienic place which may have led to an infection and as such the pain. Such bouts of infections can be easily cured by general physicians.

 

Therefore, if you now know that you must visit a specialist, you can book an appointment with the best gastroenterologist in Gangaram hospital and get yourself thoroughly checked.