An Ultimate Guide About Colonoscopy

A colonoscopy is a medical examination that physicians recommend for detecting anomalies in the large intestine. It uses an instrument called a colonoscope. The colonoscope is a large flexible (one centimeter in diameter) tube, equipped with a small video camera device.

When you have problems in your lower digestive tract, doctors recommend coloscopy. Colonoscopy is the only nonsurgical medical procedure.  Through the colonoscopy, a doctor can detect the problem in your lower digestive tract in its very early stages. And the most important thing is, the disease is easily treatable when a doctor diagnosis it in the early stages.

Doctors do a colonoscopy to detect the polyps or signs of cancer. Through the colonoscopy, doctors examine the entire colon and rectum. Polyps are small growths in the rectum that can cause cancer. Doctors do coloscopy to remove the small polyps and take tissue samples if needed. Professionals remove small increases through a particular instrument attached to the colonoscope. The colonoscope tube sends pictures and images to TV screens. Colonoscopy is the highly preferred method to examine colorectal cancer in the USA.

Why Does a Doctor Recommend a Coloscopy?

A doctor recommends a colonoscopy when a patient has symptoms like abdominal pain, blood in the stool, blood in urine, or anemia. Therefore, professionals do a colonoscopy to identify the disease and reason for the symptoms mentioned above. Usually, doctors recommend colonoscopy every ten years for the people who are above the age of fifty. This helps to identify the disease in its early stages. The people who have digestive problems or stoma may have colon cancer. Therefore, if the doctor examines you and picks the disease, then it is curable.

High Risk of Colon Cancer

If:

• You are 50 or above.
•  You have had polyps before.
• You have a family history of polyps.

High Risk of Colon Polyps

You have a high risk of colon polyps if:

• You smoke
• You eat a lot of carbohydrates and fatty foods.
• You drink alcohol
• You do not workout
•  You are too bulky

Preparation for the Test

Before a colonoscopy, a doctor needs to know the patient’s general health. As a patient, you should share your entire medical history with the doctor. If you have diabetes or taking any other medical treatment, inform your doctor. If you have any allergy, tell your doctor immediately. You should share your all chronic and regular health issues with the doctor. Before the colonoscopy, a pregnancy test is essential for women.

Before the colposcopy, your doctor suggests you clear up the colon. Your colon should not have any solid material in it. For at least three days before the colonoscopy, the doctor may put you on fluids: soup, water, energizing liquids, fruit juices like apple juice, herbal tea, and lemonade. You should avoid orange juice and prune.

What is Bowel Prep?

As I mentioned in the above para that doctors want your colon clear (without any solid matter) before the colonoscopy. For this, they do a bowel prep. Through the bowel prep, the clear up the solid material so they can see inside the intestine and get images. The bowel prep includes eating a special diet (doctor’s recommended) drink up to a gallon liquid. It also contains some medicines and enemas.

For a doctor, it is necessary to get clear images of the lower bowel. Two days before the colonoscopy, you will be on a low fiber diet. You have to increase your fluid intake before the exam.

One day before the exam, you will not allow taking any solid food. You will be only on the soups and juices.

Procedure

The patient will have to lie down on the left side. After sedation doctor will pass the colonoscope tube through the rectum. He will examine your entire intestinal performance, polyps, and all diseases. Finally, he will tell you the results and medicines.