Gastroenterology

Gastroenterology-The medical specialty devoted to the study, diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the digestive system.

Gastroenterologists are doctors who investigate, diagnose, treat and prevent all gastrointestinal (stomach and intestines) and hepatological (liver, gallbladder, biliary tree and pancreas) diseases.

Gastroenterologists treat conditions such as:

Gastrointestinal bleeding
Gastrointestinal cancer
Anaemia – a condition where the haemoglobin the blood (a pigment that carries oxygen) is below normal levels
Inflammatory bowel disease, eg Crohn’s disease (inflammation of the lining of the digestive system), ulcerative colitis (inflammation and ulceration of the lining of the rectum and colon)
Short bowel syndrome
Jaundice – a condition where the skin yellows due to an accumulation of bilirubin the blood and tissues
Management of alcoholic, viral hepatitis (Inflammation of the liver caused by a virus) and autoimmune liver disorders (where the body attacks its own cells)
Diverticulitis – inflammation of the diverticula (small pouches) in the intestine
Gastroenteritis
hepatitis
Common procedures/interventions

These include:

Diagnostic and therapeutic upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy
Small bowel endoscopy
Paracentesis (puncture of the wall of a cavity using a hollow needle)
Insertion of parenteral nutrition line (intravenous feeding lines)
Planning and aftercare of patients undergoing liver transplant
Hepatology (diseases of the liver)
Pancreaticobiliary diseases of the pancreas and biliary system),
Inflammatory bowel disease
Functional bowel disease
Tropical diseases
Gastrointestinal cancer and its prevention
Endoscopic surveillance
Upper GI disease (diseases of the oespahagus and stomach)
Small bowel disease
Pancreatic disease
Transplantation
Clinical pharmacology
Inherited cancer syndromes
Clinical nutrition
When Should I See a GI Doctor?

Adults and children see this type of specialist for gut-related symptoms or diseases, such as:

Trouble swallowing
Heartburn
Stomach pain
Often feeling sick to their stomach or throwing up
Yellowing of the skin
Frequent diarrhea
Ongoing constipation
Blood in their stool
Starting at age 50, people with an average risk for colon and rectal cancer may see a GI doc for routine colonoscopies to check for signs of cancer.

If you have certain liver conditions, you may see a hepatologist. That’s a gastroenterologist with special training in liver diseases.