Best Gastroenterologists Near Me in Bridgeport, CT | WebMD - Page 8 (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between a GI doctor and a gastroenterologist? ›

Gastrointestinal refers to the digestive organs as a whole. A gastroenterologist, on the other hand, is a doctor who specializes in the subject of gastrointestinal. A gastroenterologist is uniquely qualified to diagnose GI tract disorders and perform operations such as a lower GI endoscopy.

A gastroenterologist may begin by physically examining you. They may feel and listen to your abdominal organs from the outside, or insert a finger into your rectum. They may order follow-up tests, such as blood tests, poop tests or imaging tests like GI X-ray exams that take pictures of your organs from the outside.

It includes common and important conditions such as colon polyps and cancer, hepatitis, gastroesophageal reflux (heartburn), peptic ulcer disease, colitis, gallbladder and biliary tract disease, nutritional problems, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), and pancreatitis.

Blood tests to check the number of red and white cells and the amount if iron in the blood. They will also test for other substances that may indicate cancer or that the liver is not working correctly. Imaging tests, such as a: CT scan.

A gastroenterologist is a doctor that has additional years of specialized medical training in diseases and conditions affecting the stomach, intestines, esophagus, liver, pancreas, colon and rectum.

"Any time you see blood in your stool or have rectal bleeding that is accompanied by changes in your bowel habits or to the color or consistency of your stool, it's critical that you see a gastroenterologist," warns Dr. Glassner.

Options range from no anesthesia or sedation at all to general anesthesia, but for upper endoscopies, moderate or deep sedation is most common. The anesthetics that may be used to minimize pain and discomfort and reduce anxiety include propofol, benzodiazepines, and opioids. No sedation.

Gastrointestinal (GI) exams are X-ray exams that examine your GI tract, including your esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine and rectum. A type of X-ray called fluoroscopy allows health care providers to take video images of the organs in action.

Gastroenterology is the branch of medicine that focuses on the digestive tract, gallbladder, liver, bile ducts, and pancreas. A doctor who specializes in these fields is called a gastroenterologist, also referred to as a GI specialist or a GI doctor.

What are the serious gastrointestinal conditions? ›

Some common problems include heartburn, cancer, irritable bowel syndrome, and lactose intolerance. Other digestive diseases include: Gallstones, cholecystitis, and cholangitis. Rectal problems, such as anal fissure, hemorrhoids, proctitis, and rectal prolapse.

Common digestive disorders include gastroesophageal reflux disease, cancer, irritable bowel syndrome, lactose intolerance and hiatal hernia. The most common symptoms of digestive disorders include bleeding, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, pain, nausea and vomiting.

Abnormal ALT is defined as the value of ALT >50 U/L, and Abnormal AST is the value >45 U/L.

Hepatologist. This is a doctor who diagnoses and treats diseases associated with the gallbladder, pancreas and liver. They treat acute or chronic liver disease, ranging from fatty liver disease to cirrhosis to liver cancer. Both a hepatologist and a gastroenterologist can help diagnose and treat liver disease.

Your doctor will press down on the skin around your belly. They'll listen for odd bowel sounds and feel for any masses or tenderness. They may ask you to take deep breaths or cough during your exam. They might also put a finger into your rectum to feel for any bulges or masses, and to check the muscle tone.

Having to do with the gastrointestinal (GI) tract or GI system. The GI tract includes the mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, and anus. Food and liquids travel through the GI tract as they are swallowed, digested, absorbed, and leave the body as feces.

It uniquely offers a good breadth of medical knowledge applied in both the acute and chronic settings. If you enjoy procedures but don't quite want to do surgery, consider this specialty. If you're into exciting high acuity situations, there's plenty of GI emergencies through acute bleeds and foreign body ingestion.