GASTROENTEROLOGY

Gastroenterology is the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the digestive system including the stomach and intestines.

Today gastroenterology has become a specialization of particular importance as an important number of therapeutic issues or procedures often require an in-depth analysis of the digestive system.
The specialized doctor in this field is called a gastroenterologist. The specialist examination done by a gastroenterologist is the first step in evaluating the patient’s clinical situation. This visit may be required for a vast number of symptoms that involve digestive system alterations, digestive problems or change in bowel habits, especially if they are frequent or chronic.

It is in fact important to consult a specialist when certain situations tend to occur frequently, as they could be indications of underlying pathologies that require adequate specialist treatment and appropriate diagnostic evaluations. A gastroenterology visit is the first step of approach. It is important however to remember that gastroenterology is a medical science that deals with the entire digestive system, its problems and its pathologies.

The diseases and disorders treated by gastroenterology, as previously indicated, are numerous and can be particularly different, for example:

• coeliac disease
• irritable bowel syndrome
• gastroesophageal reflux disease
• constipation
• haemorrhoids
• flatulence

The gastroenterologist, for either diagnostic or therapeutic purposes, uses various specific procedures. These are the most important ones:

• digestive endoscopy
• laboratory tests
• X-rays, MRI and CT scans
• ultrasounds