How an Endoscopy Helps to Diagnose Your Gastrointestinal Condition

It is easy to take eating and digestion for granted when your body works as it should. Once you develop a gastrointestinal condition, you want fast relief and a quick return to your normal routine. 

That might mean diagnostic imaging as part of your treatment, so the Gastroenterology & Nutrition of Central Florida team can solve your issues. Endoscopy is a versatile, non-invasive tool that permits examination of virtually any portion of your digestive system. 

Endoscopes are used for procedures like colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy, but today, we’ll focus on upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy, a procedure that can diagnose and treat problems from the esophagus to the upper part of the small intestine called the duodenum.  

What’s an endoscope? 

An endoscope is a medical tool used to see inside the body. It usually accesses the body through a natural opening, like the mouth or rectum. 

An upper GI endoscope enters through the mouth using a small video camera outfitted with a light that permits our physicians an unobstructed view of the part of the GI tract suspected of causing your symptoms. 

The endoscope can also accommodate small tools that perform tasks like: 

• Tissue samples (biopsies)
• Fixing bleeding problems
• Performing surgical procedures
• Removing obstructions

We can also inject air or fluid as part of diagnosis or treatment, dilate narrowed regions, or administer laser therapy. 

Why might I need an upper GI endoscopy? 

There are many conditions and disorders for which endoscopy is a valuable diagnostic tool, mainly when symptoms can’t be explained through other methods of observation or testing. A partial list of these includes: 

• Bleeding in the upper GI tract
• Continuous, hard-to-control (intractable) vomiting
• Celiac disease
• Crohn’s disease of the upper GI tract
• Strictures (narrowing) in the GI tract
• Dysphagia (trouble swallowing) 
• Esophageal varices (abnormal veins)
• Unexplained weight loss
• Chest or belly pain that’s not heart-related
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Inflammation or ulcers in the GI tract
• Benign and malignant tumors
• Hiatal hernia
• Swallowing of caustic substances
• Infections affecting the GI tract

An endoscope also helps with the placement of a feeding tube, and it’s expected to view the upper GI tract with an endoscope after you’ve had surgery affecting the area. 

After your endoscopy

You’ll likely receive a sedative before your procedure, and you may have only vague recollections of the procedure itself. This takes time to wear off, and the effects can last up to a day. 

You’ll need a ride home from your procedure and should plan to rest for the rest of the day. A slight fever later in the day is common. We’ll provide you with care instructions specific to your procedure. 

We’ll provide you with results as soon as we can make a positive diagnosis and work with you as we develop a treatment plan. 

When you need an upper GI endoscopy, you have five locations for Gastroenterology & Nutrition of Central Florida from which to choose. Call or click today to book your consultation.