Physicians who specialize in gastroenterology focus on the digestive systems of the human being. This is not just the stomach as some people may think. It is also the liver, pancreas, gallbladder, small intestine, esophagus and the colon. These doctors work to prevent and diagnose diseases as well as to offer treatments.
Testing often utilizes endoscopic equipment which is less invasive than other methods. Tubes and tiny cameras are inserted into nose, mouth and rectal areas in order to find out what is going on within the digestive tracts. Endoscopic procedures include the relatively common colonoscopy, and the less well known enteroscopy, ultrasonography and photodynamic techniques.
The colonoscopy is one of the more well known procedures and has been recommended for patients over the age of 50 as routine screening devices. This procedure is no fun for the patient, that’s for sure. But it does beat the alternative of undiagnosed disease. The preparation for this screening experience begins the day before. The patient will need to be on a “liquids only” diet with no solid foods eaten. Then the patient will have to drink a gallon of prep drink which is often flavored with an artificial lemonade powder. Every twenty minutes or so, the patient will need to swig a glass of this concoction. It doesn’t taste great but a person can drink just about anything for one day. It helps to chill the jug of juice and drink each glass rapidly. A person must be prepared to remain in the bathroom for a good portion of the rest of this day while the gallon of lemony liquid does its magic work of cleaning out the intestinal tract.
