Endoscopy is when your doctor examines your upper gastrointestinal tract with an instrument known as an endoscope. This procedure is used to diagnose ulcers and tumors in your intestinal tract. Endoscopy is used to collect biopsies as well. The doctor that uses this procedure can also treat abnormalities such as polyps and bleeding ulcers.
The actual procedure known as endoscopy is very simple. Your doctor will begin by spraying your throat with an anesthetic. This will help make the procedure more comfortable for you. If the anesthetic is not enough to make you feel comfortable the doctor can always prescribe a sedative that will help to relax you during the procedure. You will then lie down on your side and the doctor will insert the endoscope through your mouth into your gastrointestinal tract. There have been many people who have fallen asleep during this procedure. Realize then that the scope going through your mouth into your gastrointestinal tract is not that uncomfortable. Many people fear they will not be able to breathe or that they will possibly gag or throw up as a result of the tube being in their mouths, this is simply not the case.
After your doctor has completed the test, he will then make sure you are ok by keeping you there for a bit to monitor you. This helps to ensure that you do not have any negative side effects from the endoscopy. You may feel like you have a sore throat for a while, but this will taper after time and shouldn’t be a major issue. You may also feel a little bloated after the endoscopy is complete. This can be caused by air that entered your body and logged in your stomach during the insertion of the scope. This should not be a major issue and you should be able to go back to your normal diet after the endoscopy procedure is completed and you leave the office.
There are a few complications that can take place during and after an endoscopy, but these are quite rare. If the doctor had to remove a polyp there may be some bleeding as a result. Some of the rare side effects of endoscopy are heart and lung disease complications and even reactions to the sedatives. These kinds of reactions can happen after a sedative during any medical procedure as some people do not do well with sedation. It is possible you may notice a lump at the site where the doctor places the needle for the sedative, this lump should go away in time and shouldn’t cause further problems for you. It may be that the lump lasts for a period of a few weeks, but it is nothing to worry about.
Digestive Disease Consultants Clinic is the best place to turn when you need to schedule and endoscopy in Jacksonville. The staff of highly trained specialists make the endoscopy a quick and painless process for every patient.
