YOU’RE HAVING PERSISTENT bowel trouble, unlike ever before. You’ve not eaten any different food. What could be wrong?
You’re having heartburn more so and longer than ever. You’ve not eaten any different food. What could be wrong?
These scenarios cry out for a visit to a gastroenterologist.
A gastroenterologist is a specialist who treats all the organs in the digestive system, including the gastrointestinal tract (esophagus, stomach, and intestines) and the biliary organs (liver, bile ducts, pancreas, and gallbladder).
Or, as an expert puts it: the digestive system “from mouth to anus, and everything in between.”
So said Brittany Powell, a certified Physician’s Assistant specializing in gastroenterology at The Toledo Clinic St. Mary’s Center for Digestive and Liver Diseases.
“The digestive system is central to our bodies,” she said, “as it’s how we absorb nutrients and remove waste. A healthy digestive system helps prevent infections and chronic inflammation.”
As The Cleveland Clinic explained, “Your digestive system is extensive, involving many different organs and processes. This system is always working, so if some part of it isn’t working quite right, you’re bound to notice by the way you feel.”
It continued, “Gastrointestinal symptoms are common, but understanding what’s causing them is not so easy. That’s where a specialist can help. By understanding how each organ works together, gastroenterologists can better understand what’s not working right in your digestive system.”
“Patients come to us with a variety of symptoms,” Powell said, including stomach pain, diarrhea, blood in the stool, heartburn, nausea, cramps, sudden weight loss, and more.
She said the providers at St. Mary’s are like detectives, asking questions to solve a patient’s problem. “We have to be sure to order the correct tests to properly diagnose the condition,” Powell said.
“There are various foods that can cause inflammation within the body that can cause an array of symptoms that may need to be evaluated,” she said.
“It’s important to listen to your body,” Powell said. “Pay attention to the symptoms. If they’re not normal for you, be evaluated.”
One preventive measure she suggested is being screened for colon cancer, preferably through a colonoscopy. Along these lines, Powell said they see patients mostly in their 40s to 60s, of both genders, but she’s seen patients well into their 90s and as young as 18. She said the first recommended screening was age 50, but that’s been lowered to 45.
Powell said a patient experiencing gastrointestinal trouble can make an appointment directly with a gastroenterologist, without going through the patient’s general physician. “If it’s GI related, we’re able to help,” she said. “If we think it’s something else, you’ll be referred back to your family physician.”
People need to be aware of their health, and if a problem develops and its ongoing, seek a diagnosis.
“The biggest thing is listening to your body,” she emphasized. “If you are having new or worsening symptoms, get evaluated. And keep up with health screenings.”
Dennis Bova is a freelance writer and editor. ✲
