A person who feels discomfort in the abdomen is advised to be examined by a gastroenterologist. It should be noted that if the field of activity of the surgeon or psychiatrist does not raise questions, then the specificity of the latter is of interest to many patients. It is not surprising, because not every person knows what kind of doctor a gastroenterologist is, what heals? Meanwhile, this specialist observes and treats diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT).
Field of activity
So, let's figure out what a gastroenterologist does. What is the cure? It should be noted - the doctor observes all the organs that take part in the digestive process.
Unfortunately, today a gastroenterologist is one of the most sought after doctors. Since many reasons can lead the patient to the doctor’s office. Consider them:
- Stomach disease. A gastroenterologist treats peptic ulcers, gastritis, polyps, cancer.
- Gallbladder ailments. The doctor is treated with cholecystitis. This is a large-scale inflammation of the bladder. As a result, digestive functions are significantly impaired. The doctor also treats biliary dyskinesia. The disease is characterized by reduced patency and mobility of the ducts. Moreover, dyskinesia is not an inflammatory, but a somatic phenomenon. As a result of which the patient may have difficulty and even completely stop the digestive processes in the body. At the same time, the patient experiences a significant deterioration in well-being.
- Diseases of the pancreas . As a rule, in most cases, the doctor is faced with pancreatitis. This disease is an inflammation of the pancreas. It is characterized by a delay in the production of digestive enzymes in the gland. Subsequently, these processes lead to the destruction of the pancreas. Often, such an ailment from an acute form becomes chronic.
- Spleen disease. The doctor treats cysts, tumors of this organ. And other pathological conditions of the spleen are included in the specifics of the doctor.
- Bowel disease. Patients with various inflammatory processes in this area are referred to a gastroenterologist. These are colitis, duodenitis. And also a gastroenterologist treats dysbiosis. This is an ailment that provokes a change in the composition of the intestinal flora. They also turn to the doctor for enterocolitis, parasitic infestations.
When should I visit a gastroenterologist?
Unfortunately, gastrointestinal diseases are quite common today. And therefore, gastroenterology is one of the common areas of medicine. In this case, patients of doctors of this direction are people of all ages. After all, often even infants need to consult a doctor such as a gastroenterologist. What does the doctor treat for babies? Of course, dysbiosis is relevant for infancy.
When should you seek help from this specialist? As a rule, a patient’s visit depends on many reasons, the main of which is the patient’s well-being. While the symptoms are slightly pronounced, a visit to the gastroenterologist is postponed. And only with obvious signs of the disease, affecting the general well-being and quality of life, does the patient come to the doctor.
And attention requires any discomfort associated with the digestive system. This can be severity, pain in the stomach or intestines, frequent constipation, bloating and other similar circumstances.
When a visit to the doctor should not be postponed
If we talk about symptoms, then there are a number of signs, the occurrence of which requires an appeal to a gastroenterologist.
These reasons include:
- frequent occurrence after eating heartburn;
- bitter taste in the mouth;
- unpleasant burping (often occurs after eating);
- smell from the oral cavity;
- pain, heaviness in the stomach, nausea (manifests itself before eating and disappears after it);
- violation of the stool;
- frequent occurrence of pain in the hypochondrium, intestines, stomach;
- diabetes;
- non-infectious skin rashes, peeling, eczema, causeless deterioration of the condition of hair, nails, skin;
- unusual shade of fecal discharge, the occurrence of vomiting (this symptomatology requires immediate medical attention).
Do not neglect the advice of a doctor and those people who have been treated with medication for a long time. It is recommended to visit a doctor for patients undergoing radiotherapy or chemotherapy.
Gastroenterologist treats diseases
The list of ailments falling under the competence of this doctor is quite extensive. It should be remembered - a gastroenterologist is involved in all diseases associated with the digestive system. What does the doctor treat?
We will try to give the most complete list of ailments that are specific to this specialist:
- colitis antibiotic-dependent;
- achalasia;
- Whipple's disease;
- botulism;
- Crohn's disease;
- Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (gastrinoma);
- bloating;
- gastroenteritis;
- hemorrhagic colitis;
- gastroduodenitis;
- glucagonoma;
- bowel obstruction (dynamo);
- dysphagia;
- dyspepsia;
- lusoria dysphagia;
- diarrhea, constipation;
- spasm (diffuse) of the esophagus;
- jaundice;
- insulinoma;
- intestinal lymphangiectasia;
- lump in the throat;
- acid reflux;
- sugar intolerance;
- ulcerative colitis (non-specific);
- foodborne infection caused by bacteria Clostridium perfringens and staphylococcus;
- regurgitation;
- membranous esophagitis;
- lazy bowel syndrome (colon);
- liver steatosis;
- malabsorption syndrome ;
- nausea, vomiting;
- irritable bowel syndrome ;
- tropical sprue;
- food poisoning (chemical);
- enlarged liver;
- chronic pancreatitis;
- peptic ulcer;
- celiac disease;
- excess in the body of vitamin A;
- ailments provoked by salmonella, enterobacteria;
- esophagitis;
- enterobiosis;
- gastritis;
- Barrett's esophagus.
Organs observed by the doctor
As you can see, a gastroenterologist is involved in many ailments. What the doctor treats (what diseases) is now clear.
To complete the picture, let us dwell on the human organs that the doctor observes:
- stomach;
- liver;
- esophagus;
- the intestines are thick and thin;
- bile ducts ;
- duodenum;
- gall bladder;
- pancreas.
The doctor's consultation
Having examined what diseases a gastroenterologist treats, we will consider a modern diagnostic technique.
Doctor consultation includes:
- A preliminary survey of the patient, a detailed history.
- Examination of the patient with palpation of the abdominal wall.
- Diagnostics (ultrasound, FGDS).
- Testing (blood, feces, urine).
- Selection of effective treatment.
- Dietary adjustment. Selection of the appropriate diet.
- Constant monitoring and monitoring of the course of treatment.
Esophagus
One of the common ailments with which patients get an appointment with a gastroenterologist are:
- Hernia of the esophagus. With this disease, the natural valve located between the esophagus and the stomach does not function. The patient experiences pain in the hypochondrium. Often the symptoms are accompanied by an unpleasant odor from the oral cavity, belching.
- Dysphagia. Inflammatory and other pathological processes in the pharynx, larynx, oral cavity, esophagus lead to difficulty in swallowing.
- Esophageal ulcer.
Diseases of the stomach and ailments of the duodenum
The specifics of the doctor include many pathologies of the above organs. Most often, the following ailments are diagnosed:
- Duodenitis. A disease characterized by an inflammatory process in the duodenum.
- Gastritis. A disease in which the mucous membrane of the stomach becomes inflamed. Such a pathology seriously disrupts digestion. And this is reflected even in the general well-being of the patient.
- Gastric or duodenal ulcer.
Quite often, various ailments are accompanied by an unpleasant aftertaste, belching, rumbling in the abdomen, violation of the stool. It should be understood that all such signs signal a pathological process in the body. Therefore, it is imperative to tell the doctor about them.
Along with serious pathological processes, a gastroenterologist treats constipation and diarrhea. Consequently, from unpleasant symptoms will allow you to get rid much faster and easier. Postponing the problem for later is fraught with serious consequences.
Ignoring frequent constipation causes very serious complications. In most cases, such patients are diagnosed with hemorrhoids. The fight against ailments with such consequences is greatly complicated. Since now it’s not enough to get rid of only problems with the stool. In this situation, a gastroenterologist treats hemorrhoids, as well as the main problem, ignored for a long time. That is why you should not postpone a visit to the doctor, even if it is inconvenient to voice “ugly” symptoms to the doctor.
Liver disease
The importance of this body to humans is enormous. The liver performs more than 500 various functions in the body. And, unfortunately, until today, it has not been possible to artificially reproduce its activities.
Therefore, any pathology is a serious reason to consult a doctor. You can start visiting the clinic with a therapist. However, you should know that it is a gastroenterologist who treats the liver.
The most common are:
- Different types of hepatitis. This is an inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis can be chronic or acute. As a rule, these ailments are characterized by a viral nature. To date, there are six varieties - hepatitis A, B, C, D, E, G. The disease becomes chronic if the inflammation of the liver continues for six months.
- Cirrhosis of the liver.
Gallbladder and duct ailments
This organ performs an important function in the digestive process. The bubble supports and regulates the pressure of bile in the ducts, promotes the digestion and absorption of fats, takes part in the absorption of vitamins by the body. Its role in suppressing putrefactive microflora in the intestinal cavity is invaluable.
Timely appeal to a gastroenterologist for various pathologies of the gallbladder and ducts allows you to successfully be treated in a conservative way. This makes it possible to avoid surgical intervention.
What diseases does a gastroenterologist treat? Often the following ailments lead to a doctor:
- Biliary dyskinesia.
- Cholecystitis.
- Cholelithiasis.
- Cholangitis.
- Pancreatitis
- Polyps of the gallbladder.
Skin rashes
The inflammatory process that occurs in the sebaceous gland and hair follicle is a common pathology. Moreover, not every patient who has encountered this problem knows that it is often a gastroenterologist who treats acne.
After all, diseases of the digestive system lead to incomplete digestion of food and its stagnation. As a result, large amounts of toxins accumulate in the digestive tract. They enter the bloodstream. It is known that the skin performs an excretory function in the body. Therefore, the accumulated toxins, leaving through its cover, provoke the appearance of acne.
Rashes can be a symptom of the following ailments and conditions:
- dysbiosis;
- constipation;
- irritable bowel syndrome;
- stones in the biliary tract;
- gastritis (acute, chronic).
Giardiasis
An unpleasant disease caused by protozoa. Infection provokes an inflammatory process throughout the intestines. It is most pronounced in the small and duodenum. Much less frequently, the changes affect the colon or the appendix.
The degree of inflammation in an ailment can vary. Edematous forms are sometimes observed. And sometimes inflammatory changes in the walls of the intestine become hemorrhagic. In this case, erosion and ulcers are often diagnosed.
It is very important to identify the ailment in time and do not forget that a gastroenterologist treats giardiasis. The following symptoms allow you to suspect a disease:
- pain in the right hypochondrium;
- bitter belching;
- a feeling of pain on palpation of the gallbladder;
- bitterness in the oral cavity.
However, do not forget that all of the above symptoms can signal another disease. In this case, self-diagnosis and self-medication is quite unsafe.
With a prolonged course of the disease, the above symptoms may accompany the following symptoms:
- dirty skin tone;
- the appearance of dark "circles" under the eyes;
- increased skin rashes;
- plaque tongue;
- bad breath.
The clinical manifestations of the disease can be neurotic, allergic-dermatological. In connection with such a variety of symptoms, the diagnosis is confirmed by a gastroenterologist only after a laboratory examination.
Conclusion
Understanding who a gastroenterologist is and what he treats, any person in case of gastrointestinal diseases will be able to assess the danger of the situation in time and contact this specialist. Do not forget that there are ailments in which every minute is precious. And in some cases, ignoring the symptoms can contribute to the transition of the disease into a chronic form.
Remember, many ailments of the gastrointestinal tract are perfectly cured, without leaving consequences. The main thing is to carry out the necessary therapy prescribed by the doctor in time.