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Reasons To Have An Endoscopy.

Updated on January 20, 2012

Some Common Causes Of Dysphagia, Or Difficulty In Swallowing.

An Endoscopy is a very useful procedure in not only taking a biospy of the throat, in an effort to detect throat cancer for example. But it can also help identify obstructions in the throat, which can be surgically corrected with an endoscope.

Some of us may be familiar with the medical term endoscopy. Endoscopy is a procedure performed by a specialist, such as a gastroenterologist. It can be defined at the opposite spectrum of colonoscopy. Which is an internal examination of your colon with an instrument called an endoscope. The endoscope usually has a small camera on one end, that sends an image back to a video monitor. On the other end of the cable, is a cutting tool. This cutting tool, is used to take samples of tissue, for biopsies. It can also be used to remove excess tissue.

Endoscopies are useful procedures and helps your doctor looks for abnormal conditions going on within the lower and upper gastrointestinal tract. Diseases like cancer are some abnormal conditons that can be detected with an endoscope.hrough, for signs of cancer and other disease processes.

If you have have had an endoscopy in the past, or are scheduled to have one by your physician in the near future. Than your doctor may have ordered this particular medical test; because you have had trouble swallowing lately. There are also a few other reasons that your healthcare provider may order a endoscopy for your.

One reason may be because on a few individual office visits, your doctor may notice that your hemoglobin, or iron level is below normal. There are many different reasons why someone may have a low iron count, on his or her laboratory report. And they do not have to be a direct result of iron deficiency anemia for example.

On occasion individuals develop ulcers within the stomach, or on the esophagus region. These ulcers in turn may bleed, or cause some minimal blood loss over time. This small loss of blood through this route, may in turn cause anemia to occur, in an otherwise healthy individual. An endoscopy will be able to detect bleeding in the esophagus, or stomach areas, that may contribute to anemic conditions.

If you are an individual who suffers from (GERD), or Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease. Then you may be familiar with the term endoscopy. Your healthcare provider may have performed one, or more of these procedures on you in the past. And this was performed, in an effort to look for signs of erosive conditons, in and around the stomach area, or esophagus as previously mentioned.

Another reason why an endoscopy may be scheduled for you, is because you have been have Dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing. And have had this problem for quite some time. But had no idea what could be causing this problem; after swallowing a beverage or food. A friend of mine mentioned to me recently that he told his doctor, that he had difficulty swallowing since he was a teenager.

Now at forty years of age, he still had this problem. After the doctor performed the colonoscopy, which he was originally scheduled to have that morning. He decided to do an endoscopy at the same time. And upon examination found that my friends throat was closed off by more then 75%.

There was a lot of fatty tissue that had developed around the esophagus area since he was a kid. While the scope and camera was down my friends throat, his doctor proceeded to remove this extra accumulation of fatty tisse away from the throat, with a small cutting tool, attached at the other end of the endoscope.

.As a result of having this procedure performed, he is now able to enjoy his food much more, without having to gulp down a half glass of water after each bite of his meal. All he had to put up afterward was a mild sore throat for about a day and a half, after the procedure was performed.

An endoscopy procedure like the one previously mentioned to remove tissue from around the throat area is not uncommon. And people who do suffer from Dysphagia or similar esophageal issue, may find this procedure a solution to their problem.

Endoscopies are virtually painless and to add are minimally invasive. Your are literally in a twilight sleep for about thirty minutes while this procedure is performed. Usually an intravenous drip, with an anesthetic within, is placed in your vein. Also anesthethic sprays are sometimes used; to place you into that twilight sleep longer enough to perform the endoscopy.

So the next time you are at your healthcare provider, for a routine office visit. And he or she suggests that you have an endoscopy. Do not panic whatever you do. Because this is a very simple medical procedure, that can save you from developing much more serious problems in the future.


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    • Jlbowden profile image

      James Bowden 5 years ago from Long Island, New York

      Hi Janet:

      I am glad that you found my article useful to you in someway. Mold spores may cause severe reactions in the body, particularly if you are allergic to molds, or similar funguses, which mushrooms, for example belong to. And as you may know eating a mushroom, that is poisionous will do more then cause ulcerative conditons, within the stomach. They will without a doubt make you very sick, even kill you. As far as their role is in causing problems within the lungs and stomach, that is one area possibly a toxicologist would know more about. Also an endoscopy would probably be useful, in taking a piece of tissue from around the esophagus and/or stomach areas, to further diagnose ulcers as a result of mushroom poisioning, but more likely it would confirm cancers more readily. As far as working in medicine. If I was twenty years younger, i would really would have wanted to be a doctor. And the best one that I could possibly be in helping my patients get better. The best I can do for now is write about medical topics. I like a lot of people was a late bloomer and did not know what I really wanted to do, until my mid thirties. Thanks for all of your insightful comments.


    • profile image

      Janet 5 years ago

      What do mold spores of any species do to the body? Could

      the invasion of different species of mold also invade the body and which could do sufficient damage (like ulcers) which makes one bleed in either the stomach or lungs? Guess I have to do some research.

      Why didn't you persue a career in medicine? It seems like you have much knowledge of medical facts.

    • Jlbowden profile image

      James Bowden 5 years ago from Long Island, New York

      Hi Credence:

      Yes at a certain age, particularly after 50 a colonoscopy is usually suggested by your HCP. However if there is colon cancer in your family history. It may be wise to have this procedure as early as 40 years of age. In terms of an endoscopy, it will be scheduled for a number of reasons, that I mentioned in the article. In particular if the doctor wants to check for bleeding ulcers, or if you could possibly be a candidate for GERD. Glad you found the article useful in some way and thank you for your comments.


    • Credence2 profile image

      Credence2 5 years ago from Florida (Space Coast)

      JL, thanks for information regarding this procedure, I have recently had such an invasion from the other end. Doctors recommend colonoscopy when one passes a certain age, I presume that the endoscopy would be advised only if one experiences certain symptoms?