Primary Function of a Gastroenterologist

The primary function of a gastroenterologist is to take care of your digestive system. Your digestive system begins with your esophagus, continues into your stomach, and then proceeds down your large intestine, small intestine, and finally, your colon and rectum. A gastroenterologist provides diagnosis and treatment for all of these areas. Dr. Sunny Lo at SoCal Digestive Wellness in Arcadia, CA, provides comprehensive gastrointestinal services, to help you and your body keep working efficiently.

What You Need To Know About Gastroenterology Services

Your digestive system converts the foods you eat into energy your body can use. Digestion begins with chewing and swallowing your food, and the food goes down your esophagus. When you have a medical issue involving your esophagus, our gastroenterologist can help. Common medical issues involving your esophagus include:

• Acid reflux
• Esophageal irritation
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease

The food continues down into your stomach. When you have a medical issue involving your stomach, our gastroenterologist can help with that too. Common medical issues involving your stomach include:

• Stomach ulcers
• Gastritis
• Stomach cancer

As food leaves your stomach, it continues down your large intestine, then the small intestine, and eventually the colon. Common medical issues involving your intestines, colon, and rectum include:

• Intestinal polyps
• Crohn’s disease
• Diverticulitis and diverticulosis
• Stomach, intestinal, and colon cancer

Our gastroenterologist will use a variety of diagnostic testing to check for the conditions listed above. Diagnostic tests and imaging include:

• An endoscopy, to check your esophagus and upper digestive system
• A colonoscopy, to check your lower digestive system and colon
• CT colonography, to take bowel scans to check for bowel obstructions and other issues

You should have your first colonoscopy by the time you are 45 years old, and additional colonoscopies as our gastroenterologist recommends. You should also see our gastroenterologist for acute problems including:

• Excessive, sudden weight loss
• Abdominal cramping and pain that doesn’t resolve
• Chronic diarrhea or constipation
• A change in the consistency or color of your stool
• Chronic nausea and vomiting that doesn’t resolve

Want To Know More?

To find out more about the primary function of a gastroenterologist, and how our gastroenterologist can help you, call Dr. Sunny Lo at SoCal Digestive Wellness in Arcadia, CA. You can reach him in the office by calling (818) 659-5887, so call today.