If you have symptoms like frequent nausea and vomiting, acid reflux, or difficulty swallowing, you might need an upper endoscopy. Long Island Gastroenterology Specialists has offices in North Wantagh, and South Wantagh, New York, where their board-certified physicians use upper endoscopy to diagnose and, in some cases, treat your symptoms. Call your nearest Long Island Gastroenterology Specialists office today to find out more or book an appointment online.
An upper endoscopy is an investigative procedure that helps determine what’s causing certain gastrointestinal problems.
It involves using an endoscope — a slender, flexible tube with a light and a miniature camera on one end. Your Long Island Gastroenterology Specialists provider passes the endoscope down your throat and into your stomach.
The camera sends back video of your esophagus, stomach, and duodenum (the start of your small intestine). Your provider uses this information to diagnose your symptoms. In some cases, they can also treat the problem at the same time.
You might need an upper endoscopy if you have certain symptoms and the cause isn’t clear. These symptoms include:
During an upper endoscopy, your provider may perform a biopsy, taking tiny tissue samples for lab analysis.
To prepare for your upper endoscopy, you need to stop eating the night before the procedure. This ensures there’s nothing in your stomach, so your provider gets a clear view.
Your provider gives you a sedative to ensure you feel calm and sleepy. They also spray an anesthetic into your throat so you don’t feel any pain as the endoscope goes down. You won’t be unconscious like you would with a general anesthetic, but many patients find they don’t remember their upper endoscopy afterward.
As the camera goes down your throat and into your stomach, your provider looks for abnormalities like ulcers, bleeding, inflammation, or growths. If you have a stomach ulcer, your provider can pass additional instruments down the endoscope to cauterize your ulcer and stop it from bleeding.
When your upper endoscopy is over, you stay under observation while the sedative wears off. That usually takes around an hour. Your provider visits with you to go over what they found during your upper endoscopy.
They can also advise you on further treatment you might need, which they can confirm after seeing the results of any biopsy.
To find out more about having an upper endoscopy, call Long Island Gastroenterology Specialists today or book an appointment online.