Have you been experiencing too many abnormal bowel movements or heartburn perhaps you have been experiencing rectal bleeding? The first step would be to visit your general physician and listen to what they have to say about it. Maybe they’ll run a few tests and then recommend a good gastroenterologist to you. But what is a gastroenterology specialist and why do you need one?
What Is a Gastroenterologist?
A gastroenterologist is the field of the gastrointestinal system of the body and it consists of much more than just the stomach and intestines, there are bile ducts, colon, rectum, esophagus, pancreas, hormones, and much more that are involved in the processes that go on in the digestive system of your body. A gastroenterologist is someone who will study these complex systems and diagnose diseases and illnesses based on these normal body functions. Now if you’re thinking of why you would ever need one then there are many gastroenterology symptoms that may require that you visit a professional gastroenterologist. Here are a few symptoms that absolutely require that you visit one when you experience them:
Unusual Bowel Movements:
These may be related to either constipation or Diarrhea. If you have passed fewer than three bowel movements in a week then you might be facing a physiological blockage in your system or some sort of a malfunction with your diet, digestion, hormones, or other factors. A professional will be able to help you determine the cause of the issue and the full dynamics of what this malfunction entails in terms of the changes in your body. Diarrhea is another thing that you will have to look out for. If it persists for more than a few days then there are chances that there might be a viral or bacterial infection involved. You might even be facing the issue due to a digestive disorder that you may be facing.
Heartburn:
Experiencing heartburn just a few times is probably nothing to worry about, but if you keep experiencing the issue over and over again then it might be due to something more concerning. The most obvious causes will be an esophageal disorder or disease. This includes Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, esophageal cancer, or even Barrette’s esophagus. If you have any of these things that are troubling you then your treatment will likely be a tough session of medication over a few weeks that will temporarily enhance the discomfort.
Rectal Bleeding:
Rectal bleeding is as serious an issue as it already sounds, It is already an alarming factor to notice any blood in your stool. The possible causes for it could be that there is a hemorrhage, or injury somewhere around your digestive tract or perhaps that you have cancer, which is already a very grave issue that you should not ignore. It requires medical attention and you should immediately take action to control it.
No matter which one of these issues it is that has brought you to the world wide web searching for possible explanations, the most immediate response you must have is to visit a professional general physician.