When to have a gastroscopy? Abdominal pain, persistent acid reflux, difficulty swallowing, unexplained weight loss: These symptoms may require a gastroscopy. This is a fundamental diagnostic test to identify problems such as gastritis, ulcers, celiac disease or more serious conditions
Gastroscopy is an important endoscopic examination that allows you to obtain an accurate diagnosis relating to gastrointestinal conditions or pathologies. This is an exam often feared by those who need to carry it out but, as well explained by the following article published on Gastroscopytransnasale.it, today it is possible to do a gastroscopy with an innovative and completely painless technique.
Let’s see in which cases it is advisable to undergo the exam and what can be seen when the gastroscope passes through the three organs that need to be sieved, namely the stomach, esophagus and duodenum.
When should a gastroscopy be done?
Let’s start by saying that a doctor should recommend the exam. There are, however, circumstances or, in any case, symptoms that could suggest the need for a gastroscopy. Let’s start from a simple yet important observation: a gastroscopy is always recommended when a patient experiences persistent or severe gastrointestinal symptoms, such as:
Acid reflux may feel like a burning sensation in the back of the throat and chest. Many people experience burning before or after meals and at night.
Abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and swallowing problems could also be symptomatic of gastrointestinal problems. Clearly, one cannot be certain a priori that these symptoms are necessarily associated with a problem affecting the stomach, esophagus and duodenum. In fact, some of these symptoms are common to many conditions, gastrointestinal and otherwise.
For this reason, it is always advisable to contact your GP or, even better, a gastroenterologist before having a gastroscopy. In fact, through a gastroenterological examination, the expert may be able to reach an initial diagnosis and, if necessary, prescribe a gastroscopy as an in-depth examination.
What can be seen with a gastroscopy?
Gastroscopy, an examination available throughout Italy, even with a painless technique, at one of the centers affiliated with Medical Excellence, allows you to discover certain pathologies or conditions such as:
Helicobacter pylori
Helicobacter Pylori is a bacterium that can survive in the stomach for years without any symptoms. The presence of this bacterium is an important risk factor for stomach cancer. Although there are various tests through which helicobacter pylori can be detected, there is unanimous opinion that a gastroscopy with biopsy is the most effective test.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease
Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a condition in which stomach acid repeatedly backs up into the esophagus. Many people suffer from acid reflux sporadically. If, however, this condition becomes chronic then it is called gastroesophageal reflux.
Most people can manage this discomfort through adequate drug therapy or simply by changing their lifestyle and diet.
Barrett’s esophagus
Barrett’s esophagus is a change in the cellular structure of the lining of the esophagus. The esophagus is the swallowing tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach. As with the entire gastrointestinal tract, the esophagus has a protective mucous lining inside.
If something irritates this lining for a long time, the fabrics may become damaged. The consequence is that such changes could affect the structure and appearance of the lining of the esophagus. This condition represents a risk factor, albeit low, for esophageal cancer. For this reason, it is important to keep an eye on and follow the evolution of Barrett’s esophagus.
Peptic ulcers
Peptic ulcers are open sores on the inner lining of the stomach and the upper part of the small intestine. The most common symptom of a peptic ulcer is stomach pain. If the sores develop inside the stomach, they are called gastric ulcers. If, however, they occur in the upper part of the small intestine then the ulcers are duodenal.
Celiac disease
Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition characterized by inflammation of the small intestine, triggered by an inappropriate immune response to ingested gluten. A gastroscopy with duodenal biopsy can prove essential for an accurate diagnosis of gluten intolerance.
Gastritis
Gastritis is a set of conditions that share one main symptom: inflammation of the stomach lining. This lining protects the stomach from the acids, enzymes and microorganisms that pass through it every day. Gastritis occurs when the immune system detects a threat to this barrier.
Gastroesophageal cancer
During a gastroscopy, the endoscopist may notice suspicious areas in the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. The presence of an abnormal area does not always coincide with a tumor. It could also be a simple inflammation. In any case, to confirm or exclude the presence of esophageal cancer it is necessary to take and subsequently analyze tissue samples.
Esophageal cancer is when cell growth begins in the esophagus, the long tube that runs from the throat to the stomach. Alcohol consumption and smoking are the main risk factors for this type of cancer.
Stomach cancer can originate in any part of the stomach. Let us remember that the stomach is an organ that is part of the digestive system, whose main function is to facilitate the process of digestion of food. The severity of stomach cancer depends on its size, whether it has spread and the patient’s general health condition.
Duodenal cancer is a cancer located in the first portion of the small intestine. It can interfere with digestion and absorption of nutrients. In the initial stages of the disease there are no particular symptoms. As the disease progresses, however, the patient may experience constipation, abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting. The main treatment options are surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
