If you have a digestive system condition, such as difficulty swallowing or unexplained vomiting, your doctor might recommend a procedure known as an upper endoscopy. A Katy endoscopy is a medical procedure that examines the upper digestive system. It examines everything from the esophagus and stomach to the duodenum.
The doctor utilizes an endoscope, which is a thin tube with a light and camera attached at its tip. This endoscope transmits video images to a separate monitor, from where your physician can make their assessment. Here are the many benefits of considering an endoscopy procedure.
1. Does Not Cause Any Discomfort
Most people avoid diagnostic procedures because of the fear associated with them. For instance, performing surgery on your stomach entails cutting some inner body tissues. This procedure can result in significant discomfort.
On the other hand, an endoscopy procedure is not painful. Your doctor utilizes a thin, flexible tube to examine your stomach. Furthermore, the endoscopy does not entail any cutting, allowing your doctor to deliver medication without causing any discomfort to the body.
2. Quick Procedure
Another advantage of an endoscopy procedure is that it takes less time. You do not have to worry about spending hours at your physician’s clinic, which could disrupt your daily routine. You will only spend under an hour at your doctor’s clinic.
Other digestive examination procedures may take much of your time. For example, you will require several hours if you elect to undergo surgery. Moreover, your doctor might demand that you spend several days in the hospital for close monitoring as your wounds heal.
3. Provides An Accurate Diagnosis
If you want to obtain an accurate diagnosis of your digestive problems without undergoing surgery, an endoscopy is your best bet. An endoscopy can help your doctor identify various digestive issues, including celiac disease, tumors, blockages, inflammation, and bleeding. The procedure can also help determine the root cause of unexplained symptoms like abdominal discomfort, vomiting, nausea, bleeding, and heartburn.
Besides, an endoscopy provides real-time video images of your upper digestive tract. For this reason, this technique is more precise than gastrointestinal X-rays at detecting unusual growth like cancer. Your doctor can accurately stage your cancer by checking whether the growths have spread to the surrounding organs.
4. It Is A Safe Procedure
An endoscopy is a relatively safe procedure as it bears a reduced degree of risk. Rare complications include issues with sedation, perforation, bleeding, and infection. However, these complications are typically associated with pre-existing conditions.
On the other hand, a procedure like surgery entails cutting the inner body tissues. This procedure exposes the body to external threats, and if you are not careful, you may get other infections and illnesses. Thus, the best way to avoid exposing your inner tissues to infections is to undergo an endoscopy.
5. It helps Treat Conditions
Diagnostic procedures like X-rays only help to provide a diagnosis. With the findings obtained, your doctor then creates a care plan. However, an endoscopy can diagnose and treat digestive problems at the same time.
Your doctor can pass specialized tools through the endoscope to address issues in the patient’s digestive tract during the initial procedure. Common issues your gastroenterologist can treat with an endoscope include eliminating a foreign object, clipping off a polyp, and widening a constricted esophagus. As such, patients can eliminate the need for additional procedures.
An endoscopy is the best way to help identify a health issue within your digestive system. Your doctor can recommend this procedure to diagnose infections, bleeding issues, ulcers, gallstones, tumors, and more. Besides, your doctor can also use this procedure to treat certain gastrointestinal concerns.
However, whereas the procedure has numerous advantages, it also has some risks. Therefore, discussing your unique concerns with your physician is important to determine if you are eligible for the procedure. Also, ensure you find a certified provider to perform the procedure.