What conditions can be diagnosed using endoscopy?

Endoscopy is an invasive process where a flexible tube with a lighted camera gets inserted into the patient's nose or mouth. This procedure examines different parts of the gastrointestinal tract, including tissues, organs, and linings. This procedure is useful to diagnose various conditions like tumors, cancers, ulcers, etc. So, an endoscopy may be required to check the overall gut health.

Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a condition that can be diagnosed by endoscopy. Presently, it is affecting around 15% of the population. It is also known as a functional gastrointestinal disorder. With this disease, your bowel may function abnormally. This condition can be treated with medicines, and there is no requirement for surgery. However, IBS is less harmful than IBD or inflammatory bowel disease.

What are the symptoms of colorectal cancer?

Colorectal cancer doesn't always show up with symptoms. This condition may caused by diarrhea, abdominal pain, or constipation. Also, symptoms of rectal bleeding or excessive weight loss can be dangerous. Other colorectal can symptoms are;

• Change in bowel habits.
• Constipation, diarrhea, or abdominal pain.
• cramps, or aches that don't go away.
• Bleeding with bowel movement.
• Severe weight loss.
• Fatigue throughout the day.
• Change in appetite.

If you face any of these symptoms, immediately consult your physician to get the right advice.

Exploring possible causes of gastrointestinal symptoms

If you face gastrointestinal or irritable bowel syndrome, doctors may suggest a colonoscopy for the diagnosis. They can also suggest blood tests, stool tests, X-rays, and ultrasound. They will need these reports so that they can determine the cause of the symptoms. However, some common causes of gastrointestinal symptoms are;

• Changes in bowel movement.
• Acidity, bloating, or abdominal cramping.
• Recurrent diarrhea.
• Changes in the appearance of stool.
• Frequent indigestion.
• Blood in poop.
• Unexplained weight loss.
• Chronic fatigue or malnutrition.

IBS colonoscopy is the best way to diagnose and know the causes of gastrointestinal symptoms. If your doctor recommends a colonoscopy, you must do that to know the reasons. If required doctors can take a tissue sample as well, that is called a colon biopsy.

Risk Factors of IBS

Various risk factors are associated with IBS or irritable bowel syndrome. The common risk factors are;

• Genetic factors.
• Environmental factors.
• Bacterial overgrowth.
• Bacterial activity in the gut.
• Food intolerance.
• Gender factor.
• Oversensitive intestines.
• Altered hormonal regulation.
• Altered nervous system processing.

Reasons for a colonoscopy test: Why your doctor might recommend one

A physician performs a colonoscopic procedure every three to four years to prevent the chances of colorectal cancer. There are four reasons why a doctor usually suggests a colonoscopy. These four reasons are;

Preventive screening for colorectal cancer

Screening colonoscopy is the most common way to diagnose colorectal cancer in people without any IBS symptoms. Your physician will recommend you get screened if you face certain risk factors like hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, etc.

Screening helps doctors identify colorectal cancer early when it is easier to treat. These preventive health screenings are 100% covered by insurance. Diagnostic colonoscopies also reveal the potential causes of irritable bowel syndrome or IBS symptoms.

Explore possible causes of gastrointestinal symptoms

If your doctor suspects, he or she can recommend a diagnostic colonoscopy. If you experience any problem in your digestive tract or face severe symptoms of functional gastrointestinal disorders, a screening test will help doctors explore the possible causes of colorectal cancer. Some of the significant causes of colorectal cancer are;

• Bloating, acidity, and abdominal pain.
• Changes in bowel movement.
• Recurrent constipation and diarrhea.
• Ulcerative colitis, and frequent indigestion.
• Bleeding with bowel movement.
• Malnutrition or unexplained weight loss.

Follow up on previous colon cancer tests

If you have abnormal colon tissues identified by a previous colonoscopy, a follow-up colonoscopy is recommended to look for and remove more polyps.

Get ready for surgery

A colonoscopy is used to see if you are healthy enough for certain types of surgeries. If you have liver disease and you need an organ transplant, your doctor may perform a colonoscopy to ensure that you don't have colorectal cancer before the surgery.

What should cancer patients know about IBS?

A lot of cancer treatments may trigger abdominal issues. Traditional chemotherapy may affect any rapidly dividing cells in the GI tract. The chemotherapy procedure involves removing the cell and its dividing tissues from the skin and removing them from the body. Blood with stool and abdominal pain is common in patients who have IBS. If you are going through any cancer treatment, you can talk to your doctor about the side effects that you may experience and how to deal with them.

What does a colonoscopy show?

With a colonoscopy, a doctor can examine if you have any growths in your intestine or bowel. Through a combination of visual examination, doctors may identify various conditions that include:

Colon polyps

Colon polyps are mainly growths of tissues that appear in the inner lining of the colon or rectum. Some polyps lay flat against the colon's lining and some others have stalks. However, most colon polyps don't turn into cancer. But, some polyps can be cancerous. People usually don't have any symptoms of polyps. In such a scenario, colonoscopies help to identify any colon polyps and remove them before they become cancerous.

Cancerous tissues

Colonoscopy is also effective in detecting cancerous tissues. Usually, cancer starts in polyps or abnormal cells. As cancer grows it spreads to the wall of the colon and rectum. With time, cancer moves through all the layers of the colon and affects the blood vessels and lymph vessels. In some advanced stages, colon cancer may affect the lymph nodes and other body parts.

Crohn's disease

It is an inflammatory bowel disease that may affect any part of the digestive tract from mouth to anus. In most cases, it is found at the end of the small intestine and the start of the colon. People with Crohn's disease experience abdominal pain, severe weight loss, diarrhea, fever, and fatigue. In some cases, this disease may even affect their eyes, joints, liver, and skin. If untreated, the person may even face serious complications.

Ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis is also a type of IBD that causes ulcers on the lining of the colon. An overactive immune system may cause this situation. Abdominal cramps and bloody stool can be the reason behind this disease. During the diagnostic colonoscopy, doctors will look for sores or swelling.

Besides these mentioned diseases, colposcopy helps to detect some other conditions like microscopic colitis, hemorrhoids, etc.

FAQs

Does IBS affect your cancer risk?

Unlike inflammatory bowel disease, IBS or irritable bowel syndrome doesn't cause inflammation, which is a key factor in colorectal cancer risk. So, IBS doesn't make a difference to your cancer risk.

Is it colon cancer or IBS?

Colon cancer and irritable bowel syndrome have similar symptoms. But both these diseases have some differences that differentiate these two conditions.

Which colon is affected by IBS?

Irritable bowel syndrome affects the large intestine or colon.

* * Medical Disclaimer - The following information is for educational purposes only. No information provided on this website, including text, graphic, and images, are intended as substitutes for professional medical advice. Please consult with your doctor about specific medical advice pertaining to your condition(s).