A colonoscopy is a diagnostic tool resulting from medical innovation that allows a doctor to check your colon without performing an incision. You might be wondering how observing your colon is possible without surgery. This is possible as the procedure entails inserting a long, thin, flexible tube referred to as a colonoscopy with a camera attached at the far end. Through the camera, the doctor manages to look at your colon. If you need to undergo the procedure for diagnostic or screening purposes, Ven Kottapalli, MD, CNSP, performs colonoscopy Lima.
Importance of Colonoscopy
- Diagnosis
If you experience symptoms related to the digestive system that go unexplained, you must undergo a colonoscopy. The procedure allows the doctor to accurately diagnose what is causing the symptoms allowing you to start timely treatment. If you experience the following symptoms, you qualify for a colonoscopy;
- Abdominal pain
- Abdominal cramps
- Chronic diarrhea
- Chronic constipation
- Colon Inflammation
- Screening
Aging increases the risk of you contracting chronic conditions such as colon cancer. You need to take charge of your health earlier and undergo a colonoscopy to screen and detect early signs of colon cancer. Screening for colon cancer is essential in preventative medicine.
Screening for colon cancer involves looking for cancerous polyps. Polyps are tissue growths appearing as flat bumps or small mushroom-like stalks in the uterine. If you have polyps, the doctor, during colonoscopy, can remove it and send it to the lab for evaluation to determine whether it is cancerous or not.
Preparing For A Colonoscopy
You will have to consult your doctor on the possibility of undergoing a colonoscopy to help you prepare adequately. The test requires you to have an empty colon. The doctor will advise you on the following;
- Adjust Your Diet
If you undergo a colonoscopy, you have to adhere to a diet as advised by the doctor. You will not eat solid food one day before the procedure. The doctor will require that you take clear liquids. You are also required not to eat or drink anything after midnight on examination day.
- Take A Laxative Or An Enema Kit.
The colon should remain empty for better results. Therefore, you can take a laxative the night before and the morning before the examination. The enema kit is also effective in emptying the lower colon.
- Adjust Your Medication
If you are on medication that can affect examination, talk to your doctor. Your doctor will adjust the dosages or request you stop using the medication some days before the test.
The Procedure
After getting to the hospital, you will change into a gown, receive a sedative and then lie on your side with your legs pulled to your chest. The doctor will insert the colonoscope into your rectum pump air into the colon. If the doctor needs to take samples, insert instruments through the channel. The process takes an hour or less, but you should rest after the procedure.
Whether you need a colonoscopy for diagnosis or screening, you must schedule an appointment beforehand. The GI Physicians Inc. has a team of experienced physicians who perform a seamless procedure. Call or request an appointment for timely diagnosis and screening services.
