What Does a Gastroenterologist Do? When Should You See One?

When you need a gastroenterologist in Bourbonnais and New Lenox, IL, it’s time to consult with Digestive Diseases Consultants. A healthy digestive system is essential to overall health as you need it to process nutrients. These professionals can check for signs of gastrointestinal problems and provide treatments to help keep your internal system running efficiently.

What Does a Gastroenterologist Do?

Your local gastroenterologist in Bourbonnais and New Lenox, IL, can perform a variety of treatments and procedures on various parts of your digestive system. Your digestive system includes your liver, intestines, stomach, esophagus, pancreas, and bile ducts. Therefore, it may be necessary to conduct an endoscopy during your treatment, a procedure that allows the doctor to see inside your esophagus, stomach, and upper intestines using a small camera attached to a tube that goes down your esophagus. 

Your doctor may also conduct a colonoscopy to examine the inside of your colon or rectum. This procedure also uses a camera attached to a tube. However, this device goes through your anus while you're sedated. 

The specialist can help manage, cure, and prevent conditions like constipation, esophageal issues, and hemorrhoids. Gastroenterologists can also help diagnose related cancers.

When Should You See These Specialists?

Hemorrhoids, which are swollen veins in the lower rectum/anus, may go away on their own. However, see your doctor if they become extremely painful, linger too long, or start to bleed. Also, see your doctor if you're having problems relieving yourself during bowel movements. After all, if you're having persistent difficulty passing stools, you may be suffering from chronic constipation. If bowel movements are constantly watery, then you may have chronic diarrhea. 

Other digestive symptoms to see your specialist for include unexplained weight loss or severe bloating. See a doctor about rectal bleeding that may show in blood in the stool or come out during bowel movements. If you have persistent heartburn, chest pain, or difficulty swallowing, you may have signs of esophageal issues that your doctor should check.

Find the Right Gastroenterologist Near You Today

The Digestive Diseases Consultants medical staff in Bourbonnais and New Lenox, IL, can help when you have related problems like pain, bleeding, and reduced function in your digestive organs. If you have signs of problems, call 815-937-5200 for a consultation today.