Who is a gastroenterologist?
Gastroenterologists are healthcare professionals with specialized training in diagnosing, treating, and caring for people with a host of issues in their gastrointestinal tract. It is a subspecialty of internal medicine. According to the American College of Gastroenterology, training in gastroenterology includes an in-depth understanding of the gastrointestinal organs, the motion of materials from the stomach and intestines, the digestion of food, the absorption of nutrients, the functioning of the liver, etc. Gastroenterologists treat body parts such as the esophagus, colon, rectum, pancreas, gallbladder, bile ducts, etc.
To become a gastroenterologist, a doctor must undertake a three-year medical residency after finishing medical school. Gastroenterologists often work in tandem with hepatologists, radiologists, and oncologists. Your doctor may refer you to a gastroenterologist if you are experiencing symptoms such as stomach ache, nausea, constipation, jaundice, heartburn, etc. A gastroenterologist will assess your health and chart a treatment course if necessary.
What conditions do gastroenterologists treat?
Gastroenterologists prevent, diagnose, and treat disorders affecting the gastrointestinal tract. People generally consult them for:
- Hepatitis: It is a condition in which the body's liver cells get damaged following a viral infection. There are five types of hepatitis, including hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. All kinds of hepatitis are associated with jaundice, where the skin and white portion of the eyes appear yellow. The color changes due to the malfunctioning of the bile ducts, which increases the bilirubin levels.
- Pancreatitis: It is a swelling in the pancreas that leads to severe abdominal pain, cramps, vomiting, and smelly stools. The two types of pancreatitis are acute and chronic.
- Celiac disease: It is an autoimmune disorder involving gluten. Foods such as wheat, rye, and barley contain gluten. People with this condition cannot digest gluten-containing foods; any exposure to gluten leads to swelling of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD): Also referred to as acid reflux, in this disorder, the acids produced in the stomach move back into the esophagus and cause heartburn and damage to the tissues.
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): It is when several foods trigger and disturb bowel function, leading to diarrhea, constipation, or both. It is also known as nervous colon or spastic colitis.
- Gallbladder disease: It is a condition where the gallbladder doesn't function properly. The gallbladder is a body organ that stores bile juice, aiding digestion. The liver produces the bile juice, and the gallbladder releases it into the small intestine. Commonly seen gallbladder diseases are gallstones and cholecystitis. Gallstones consist of cholesterol and solidified bile, and they block the bile duct. Severe bile duct blockage leads to gallbladder swelling, which is cholecystitis.
- Colon polyps: These are tissue growth found in the most extended portion of the large intestine, known as the colon. Most colon polyps do not show signs and symptoms and generally require routine tests to detect them. Symptoms include pain in the abdomen, change in the color of the stools and bowel habits, rectal bleeding, and iron deficiency anemia.
- Cancers affecting the gastrointestinal tract: Common cancers of the gastrointestinal tract include colorectal cancer, liver or hepatic cancer, pancreatic cancer, stomach cancer, and esophageal cancer.
Reasons to see a gastroenterologist
You can visit a gastroenterologist for various reasons, such as:
- Nausea: Nausea is a symptom of various health conditions, including gastritis and peptic ulcers. You can treat it at home through diet and lifestyle changes. However, if the symptoms persist, seeing a doctor can help you understand what is making you nauseous and seek further medical help if required.
- Indigestion: Occasional indigestion is common and easily treatable. But if you have indigestion frequently, it can signify a medical condition, such as eating disorders, gallstones, hiatal hernia, and small bowel obstruction. Indigestion can also occur due to stress, anxiety, overuse of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and alcohol and tobacco consumption. A gastroenterologist can identify the cause of indigestion and suggest diet and lifestyle changes, medications, or further treatment.
- Abdominal pain: Abdominal pain refers to discomfort anywhere in the region between your ribs and pelvis. It has several causes, ranging from gas and indigestion to more serious problems like food poisoning and chronic acid reflux. Therefore, seeing a doctor for abdominal pain can help them detect any digestive conditions at early stages and prescribe treatments accordingly.
- Bloated stomach: A bloated stomach feels full, tight, and often painful. Typically, bloating occurs due to digestive or hormonal issues, but sometimes, it can indicate an underlying medical condition such as pancreatic insufficiency, gastritis, and certain types of cancer.
- Unexplained weight loss: While losing weight through diets, exercise, etc., is normal, losing 10 pounds or 5% of your body weight in 6-12 months without trying is usually not. The latter is known as unexplained weight loss, which can be a sign of serious conditions like AIDS, diabetes, dementia, or cancer. A medical professional can assess and treat the root cause of the problem.
What are the symptoms and causes of constipation?
Constipation is a bowel condition defined by having fewer than three motions in a week or having difficulty passing stools. Other common symptoms of constipation include dry, hard, and lumpy stools, painful bowel movements, and the feeling that all stools have not passed. If left untreated, it can cause hemorrhoids, anal fissures, rectal bleeding, rectal prolapse, fecal impaction, and other complications.
Constipation happens when the stools move too slowly through the large intestine, and your body absorbs more than the required water from your stools. It may occur in the following situations:
- You do not exercise regularly, consume fibrous foods, or drink enough water.
- You hold in your stools quite frequently.
- Your diet includes large amounts of milk and cheese.
- You are constantly under immense stress.
- You are taking medications such as antidepressants, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), certain antacids, allergy medications, some blood pressure medicines, or anti-seizure medications.
- You have medical conditions that increase the risk of constipation, including irritable bowel syndrome, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, hypothyroidism, colorectal cancer, Parkinson's disease, or stroke.
- You are pregnant.
How does a gastroenterologist treat constipation?
You should consult a GI specialist near you if your constipation lasts more than three weeks and starts impacting your everyday activities. Symptoms that indicate an emergency appointment include bloody or blackish stools, bleeding from the rectum, intense stomach pain, bloating, and vomiting. Here's what will happen during your consultation with a gastroenterologist:
- The gastroenterologist will ask you various questions regarding your symptoms, personal and family medical history, medications, surgeries, past constipation treatments and home remedies, and lifestyle habits.
- Next, they will check your vital signs, including your temperature, pulse, and blood pressure.
- Following that will be a physical exam where they will feel your abdomen for signs of pain, swelling, or lumps. They may also take a look at your anus and insert a gloved, lubricated finger into your rectum to check for masses and other abnormalities.
- Depending on the findings, your provider may order additional tests, such as blood work, urinalysis, CT scan, MRI scan, X-ray, colonoscopy, colorectal transit studies, and other bowel function tests.
- They will discuss the final results with you and prepare a personalized management plan. Generally, first-line treatment includes lifestyle and diet changes and over-the-counter laxatives. However, if there is no change in your situation after that, they may suggest enemas, suppositories, prescription medicines, pelvic muscle training, or surgery.
How do you choose a suitable gastroenterologist near you?
When it comes to medical practitioners, choosing the most suitable for you is essential. Generally, if you experience issues in your gastrointestinal tract, your primary care provider will refer you to a gastroenterologist. Below are some points that you must consider before you finalize one:
- Make sure to verify their qualifications
Check for board certification while reading up on the prospective gastroenterologists who may treat you. Your gastroenterologist should be board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in the field of internal medicine and gastroenterology. This certification will enhance your trust in your doctor, knowing they have the requisite training, skills, and experience to administer gastroenterological care.
- Evaluate their experience in the field
Gastroenterological problems can be both conspicuous and complex, owing to the specialized nature of the science. Thus, to obtain accurate results, the more experience your gastroenterologist has, the better. You must also check whether they have completed a specialized fellowship program. Be sure to also enquire about any previous experience they may have had dealing with a specific case like yours. You can also ask the gastroenterologist about the risks or complications associated with your procedures, if any, and the details of any similar difficulties they may have successfully handled.
- Remember to research the quality of hospitals
While a significant doctor matters, you must also ensure the hospital's environment is conducive to your health and recovery. Surveys show that better hospitals mean fewer complications and higher survival rates. You may also consider factors such as the hospital's response time, location, distance from your residence or place of work, etc. You must ensure that the hospital you finalize encourages timely care, tests, or treatment.
- Observe the gastroenterologist's communication style
Your medical practitioner should support your information needs. You must be comfortable talking to them without any hesitation. Upon the first meeting, ask the gastroenterologist a question and observe how they respond. Do they welcome questions? Did they try to answer your questions in a way you would understand? Were they asking questions about you? You must note all these observations during the interaction and factor them into making your decision.
- Go through reviews by previous patients
Interviewing the doctor once may give you only some information about them. Hence, it is advisable to read what people who previously sought treatment have to say about the doctor to get better insight into their practice. A typical review carries pertinent information about their experience with wait times, friendliness, scheduling appointments, overall environment, etc. You can also learn about how much trust other patients have in the gastroenterologist, how much time they spend with their patients, and how they interact with them.
- Find a gastroenterologist who covers your insurance plan
It is best to choose a gastroenterologist who participates in your insurance. This way, you can receive the highest insurance benefits while making the most minor out-of-pocket expenses.
Finding a gastroenterologist near you in Phoenix, AZ
Zocdoc helps you use all the tips mentioned above by providing a repository of gastroenterology practitioners in your vicinity once you enter your area details. You can browse this list and effectively research all you want about the practitioners. You will find detailed information about their qualifications, licensure, and experience. Their specializations and areas of expertise will also be listed. Zocdoc also lets you know about the languages they are proficient in to maximize your comfort.
You can also know if the gastroenterologist accepts your insurance plan and to what extent using Zocdoc’s insurance detector. If you do not see your plan listed, try taking a picture of your medical insurance card and uploading it. The website will automatically scan the image and show you your most likely plan. You can get in touch with Zocdoc’s service team if you face any problems uploading the picture. Check out Zocdoc’s patient help center for more insurance-related queries.
Zocdoc also lets you view reviews left by patients who have previously sought treatment from the practitioners in question. These reviews are verified and reliable. They help you objectively consider the gastroenterologist's practice and approach to make an informed decision. You can book a consultation once you have browsed through and found the gastroenterologist most suited to your needs.
You can book a virtual or in-person consultation with a gastroenterologist near you through Zocdoc safely and at no extra cost.
Colorectal cancer in Arizona
A deadly gastroenterological disease is colorectal cancer. As per the American Cancer Society, there have been 3,150 estimated new cases of colon cancer in the State of Arizona in 2022. Colon cancer is estimated to take 1,210 lives in the state in 2022. The incidence rate of this cancer in the state is ever-increasing, with 2,600 new cases yearly as of 2008. One in eleven new cancer patients in Arizona had colorectal cancer. It is also the state's second most deadly cancer, with lung cancer being the first.
The African-American population of the state was more susceptible to developing colon cancer. While colon cancer is easily detectable, studies have found that in Arizona, around 76% of adults above 50 years had yet to undertake the recommended blood stool test, while approximately 36% had never undergone a colonoscopy or a sigmoidoscopy. To ensure these numbers become lower, the Arizona Department of Health Services has started the Fit at Fifty HealthCheck Program that helps low-income, uninsured, and underinsured Arizonans avail of quality colon cancer screening and other diagnostic tests.
Sources
Healthgrades
American Cancer Society
Arizona Department of Health Services
MedicalNewsToday
Cleveland Clinic[1]
Cleveland Clinic[2]
Cleveland Clinic[3]
Cleveland Clinic[4]
Cleveland Clinic[5]
Cleveland Clinic[6]
Cleveland Clinic[7]
Mayo Clinic
Stanford Medicine Health Care
Healthline
