know about gastroenterologists

Having stomach problems can be irritating (Irritable Bowel Syndrome, anyone?), and that goes double if you have never been to a gastroenterologist before.

You might want to know a thing or two about gastroenterologists when visiting one. This information can help you learn from the start all of the important things you need to tell them to be able to solve your problem(s) more efficiently.

1. You Should Be Completely Open With Your Gastroenterologist

A doctor in this specialty is one of the last people you should avoid giving details to. If they ask about your poop color, texture, and whatnot, you should give answers as accurately as you can. Every detail matters when giving an accurate diagnostic, that’s why gastroenterologists are so sought after, proof of this statement being the number of gastroenterology jobs alone.

2. They Hate It When You Self-Diagnose (Especially Regarding Gluten Allergies)

For a couple of years now, in what seemingly started off as a trend on Tumblr, many young girls and boys have started claiming that they are allergic to gluten. All this craze regarding gluten-free produce has reached new heights, and sales seem to be increasing ever so slightly.

Well, this fad is toxic and it needs to stop.

Avoiding gluten when in reality you’re healthy can have severe consequences. As such, leave your gastroenterologist to establish the diagnostic. Stop self-diagnosing! Seriously, it’s embarrassing and it only causes more harm.

3. You’re in for a Long Detective-Esque Ride

Believe it or not, your belly aches and related problems might not be of a gastrointestinal order after all. Sometimes, stress can cause abdominal pain and other related issues. Your intestinal system is loaded with the same receptors for serotonin that you’ll find in your brain.

That means that you’ll need to be (a patient) patient. Ok, too many puns. Leaving that aside, many GI conditions can be hard to detect, so you’ll have to go through a process in which your doctor puts all of the symptoms together and then asks you multiple questions so they can figure out what’s the actual cause.

4. Be Prepared for a Rectal Exam

Like it or not, your doctor might need to stick their finger up your behind. While it sounds embarrassing (it kinda is), it’s a necessary process when trying to figure out what’s wrong with the patient.

More importantly, a rectal exam can answer questions that a CT scan might not. For example, your doctor can ask you to contract your anal muscles during the exam to see if the problem isn’t tied to pelvic floor dysfunctions. That certainly won’t appear on a CT!

5. Not Everything Is An Emergency

If you’re passing gas after eating beans, lettuce, or similar foods, then there’s probably nothing to worry about. It’s a completely natural process. The same goes for feeling bloated, having loose stools, or hearing weird noises from your stomach from time to time.

The only scenario where you need to worry about these issues is if they keep persisting. Unless it’s a continuous problem, then you might not need to alarm yourself, as these bodily functions can mishap from time to time and they often solve themselves.

The Bottom Line

GI physicians handle a lot of patients throughout the day despite the fact that they need quite a lot of time with one patient or another to provide the necessary investigation and care. Make sure that you tell your physician everything and that you don’t skip any important details, as even the smallest thing can influence the diagnosis.

In any case, we hope that you now feel less ashamed of going to a GI. Regular checkups with a GI are essential, as many patients can rid themselves of colon cancer before it even appears by simply going for a checkup once in a while.

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