Gastroenterology
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What Organs Are Part of the Digestive Tract?
Gastroenterology services from Northern Nevada Health System focus on the causes, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases.
The gastrointestinal tract is essential in the digestive process. This includes everything you eat, how it’s digested and how it is broken down into waste. The organs of the digestive system include the:
- Esophagus
- Stomach
- Small intestine
- Colon and rectum
- Pancreas
- Gallbladder
- Bile ducts
Digestive Health Warning Signs
Northern Nevada Health System gastroenterologists evaluate signs and symptoms related to digestive conditions to find their root cause and get you the help you need. If you are showing any of the warning signs for digestive health issues, reach out to a doctor today.
Some of these symptoms include:
- Abdominal pain
- Acid reflux or heartburn
- Blood in vomit or stool
- Bloating or gas
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Difficulty swallowing
- Indigestion
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Testing for Gastrointestinal Problems
How Does Digestive Disorders Treatment Work?
Diagnosing your symptoms is the first step to obtaining successful treatment. What is a gastroenterologist from NNHS doing to determine your treatment options?
- Reviewing your medical history
- Conducting a physical exam
- Ordering lab tests
Among the tests conducted may be:
- A colon cancer screening (colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy)
- Lab tests that look for blood in the stool
- Imaging tests that help your physician see how your digestive system processes food and waste
- Tests that help show the strength and function of muscles in the esophagus, rectum or anus
Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders
NNHS gastroenterologists manage common conditions, such as heartburn and stomach ulcers, as well as more complex diseases including:
- Esophageal conditions, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and esophagitis
- Autoimmune conditions, such as celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease
- Liver diseases, such as hepatitis, fatty liver disease and cancer
At NNHS, we have gastroenterologists to diagnose, treat and help you manage your gastrointestinal disorders, whatever they may be.
What is Endoscopy?
Endoscopy is an aspect of medicine in which disorders of the intestinal tract are diagnosed and treated utilizing advanced endoscopic equipment. In endoscopy, the physician uses a thin, flexible tube called an endoscope, which has its own lens and light source, and views the images on a video monitor. The physician can pass instruments through the endoscope to directly treat many abnormalities — this will cause you little or no discomfort.
A physician might use upper endoscopy to obtain a biopsy to distinguish between benign and malignant (cancerous) tissues. However, biopsies are taken for many reasons, and your physician might order one even if he or she does not suspect cancer. For example, your physician might use a biopsy to test for Helicobacter pylori, the bacterium that causes ulcers.
If you need a referral to a physician at Northern Nevada Health System, call our free physician referral service at 775-356-6662.