What is a Gastroenterologist? A Gastroenterologist is a highly trained and board certified physician who specializes in problems and diseases within the gastrointestinal tract (GI tract) such as; the stomach, esophagus, small intestines, large intestines, colon, liver, pancreas, gallbladder and more. Some of the signs and symptoms of needing gastroenterology treatment in Petal MS are the following:
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Abdominal pain and discomfort
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Bleeding in the digestive tract
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Cancer (colorectal cancer, stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, etc.)
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Constipation and diarrhea
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Difficulty swallowing
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Diverticular disease and other diseases of the colon
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Gallbladder disease
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Heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease (otherwise known as GERD – this is actually common in people of all ages)
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Hemorrhoids
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Hiatal hernias
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Inflammation in the digestive tract
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Liver disease
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Ulcers
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Other signs and symptoms
Once a patient reaches the age of 50, a regular colonoscopy is recommended to monitor the health of your colon and screen against early detection of cancer. If you have a family history of colon cancer, polyps, rectal bleeding, a change in bowel habits or weight loss, a colonoscopy is recommended. Some people have been known to have a gastrointestinal disease that went untreated for a long period of time as they thought their symptoms were caused by other things. Don’t let this happen to you. If you experience any of the signs and symptoms listed above seek out a gastroenterology treatment in Petal MS.
Hattiesburg GI Associates has in office testing services and two creditable Gastroenterologists each with many years of experience. If the patient does not speak English, they offer their services in 7 different languages to suit the needs of their patients. Those 7 languages include Spanish, Italian, German, French, Hebrew, Urdu and Hindi. They make finding the right procedure for their patients easy whether it be a colonoscopy, endoscopy, the BRAVO 48 hour pH testing, infrared coagulation services and more. The GI tract is a very important part of the body that needs to be monitored frequently to detect early stages of cancer and other diseases that can progress quickly.