Gastroenterology is the section of medicine that deals with the study of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. These include the stomach, pancreas, liver, gall bladder, and intestines. A gastroenterologist is a narrow-profile specialist involved in the treatment of pathologies of the above organs.

What does a gastroenterologist treat?

All diseases of the digestive tract - this is what the gastroenterologist treats.

These include the following pathologies:

  1. From the stomach - gastritis of various etiologies, inflammation of the esophagus, reflux, hernia of the diaphragm of the esophagus and protrusion of its wall, the presence of ulcers of varying severity, polyps and neoplasms in the organ. All of the above diseases lead to the fact that the organ cannot function normally. As a result, food is not digested properly and in this form enters the intestines, causing problems in this organ as well.
  2. On the part of the liver, these are hepatitis and cirrhosis resulting from infection or abuse of alcoholic beverages.
  3. On the part of the gallbladder - the formation of stones in the organ, inflammation of its walls, dyskinesia (uneven flow of bile into the duodenum 12 during digestion).
  4. From the intestines - any inflammatory diseases of both the whole organ and its departments.

Since the science of gastroenterology does not stand still, at present, for the treatment of certain diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, you should contact narrow doctors specializing in certain organs of the digestive tract:

  1. Proctologist - treats any diseases of the rectum and anus.
  2. Coloproctologist - diagnoses and treats pathologies of the small intestine.
  3. The hepatologist is a specialist in the diagnosis and pathology of the liver and gall bladder.

In case of complaints of the digestive system, the initial consultation is carried out by a gastroenterologist, later consultations of narrow specialists can be recommended.

Organs observed by the doctor

Currently, the main specialization of a gastroenterologist is the diagnosis and treatment of the stomach, esophagus and pancreas. He can also advise patients with pathologies of other organs of the gastrointestinal tract, but subsequently recommend treatment with specialized doctors.

In which cases it is necessary to consult a doctor

Do not postpone a visit to a gastroenterologist if at least one of the following pathologies is present:

  1. Poor appetite, weight loss, bad breath and bitter aftertaste, constant heartburn and belching.
  2. Regularly repeated pains in the stomach and esophagus, which can be so strong that it is not easy for a person to maintain an upright position.
  3. Any long-term stool disorders. Constipation leads to intoxication of the body, and prolonged diarrhea leads to leaching of nutrients and dehydration.
  4. Repeated vomiting, especially if there are traces of blood or bile in it.
  5. Pain in the intestines, profuse mucous or purulent discharge from the anus, feces of unusual color and consistency.
  6. Imperishable feeling of heaviness in the stomach.

The above symptoms may indicate a large number of diseases, many of which should be treated as soon as possible, preventing their transition to the chronic stage.

How is a medical consultation

First, the gastroenterologist listens to the patient’s complaints and collects an anamnesis: the patient’s lifestyle, nature of work, the presence of bad habits, and also finds out if the person has congenital or acquired diseases, at what stage they are.

After that, the specialist makes a visual examination of the abdominal region and its palpation to identify enlarged gastrointestinal organs. Clinical and endoscopic examinations may then be prescribed, including laboratory tests and gastroscopy.

It is interesting:gastroscopy of the stomach - how to prepare?

Going to an appointment with a specialist, especially if it takes place in the morning, makes sense on an empty stomach. Then you can try to complete all the studies in one day, thereby significantly reducing the time for obtaining results and making a diagnosis.

After the doctor has all the results of the necessary studies, he will be able to prescribe an adequate therapeutic treatment.

Diagnostic measures

After the initial examination, the doctor prescribes such studies to patients as:

  1. General and biochemical analysis of blood. Gives an idea of ​​the state of the body. Allows at an early stage to identify inflammatory processes in the organs.
  2. General clinical study of urine, sugar test. Using these examinations, it is possible to identify pathologies of the liver and pancreas.
  3. Gastroscopy allows you to assess the condition of the gastric mucosa, with its help confirm the presence of diseases such as gastritis and peptic ulcer.
  4. An X-ray of the digestive tract, especially the stomach, is performed if it is impossible to perform gastroscopy due to the strong gag reflex in the patient.
  5. Ultrasound of organs will help to identify changes in their structure and size.
  6. Computed tomography and endoscopy are prescribed to patients if there are suspicions of the presence of tumors of the internal organs.

In some cases, consultations with an infectious disease specialist, oncologist or surgeon are additionally required.

Children's gastroenterologist

The causes and diagnosis of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are different in adults and small patients. If the child begins to complain of abdominal pain or discomfort in the esophagus, then he should be examined by a pediatric gastroenterologist.The doctor has observed babies, kindergarteners, schoolchildren and adolescents. Typically, patients at this age suffer from diseases such as inflammation of the gastric mucosa, hepatitis, colitis, peptic ulcer, duodenitis.

You need to see a doctor immediately if you have at least one of the following symptoms:

  1. The child began to lose weight, his appetite noticeably worsened.
  2. There are problems with the stool. It can be both constipation and diarrhea.
  3. The baby suffers from regularly appearing nausea, vomiting. Often there are complaints of heartburn, belching occurs before and after eating.
  4. The child regularly complains of pain not only in the abdomen, but also in the epigastric region.
  5. If you have healthy teeth, you can clearly smell bad breath.
  6. The baby has indirect signs indicating internal bleeding in the digestive system: severe abdominal pain, pale skin, weakness, black feces.

At the consultation, the doctor will examine the patient and ask him about his health, carefully listen to the complaints. The parents of the child will also have questions about the diet, about how long the baby suffers from pain, whether he has acquired or inherited pathologies.

After this, some examinations can be prescribed to make an accurate diagnosis. Usually this is an analysis of feces, blood, ultrasound of the abdominal organs. If gastritis is suspected, gastroscopy, which is often called "swallowing the bowel," will be required. With its help, the doctor will be able to assess the condition of the gastric mucosa and diagnose gastritis at an early stage.

In some cases, consultation with other relevant specialists may be required.

A gastroenterologist is a narrow-profile doctor engaged in the diagnosis and treatment of pathologies of the stomach, pancreas and esophagus. At the initial stage, he also consults patients with diseases of the liver and intestines, but then specialized doctors are involved in their treatment.

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