A colonoscopy is a medical test that is utilized to evaluate your colon for pre-cancerous cells, inflammation, and polyps. The colon is the large intestine, but a colonoscopy evaluates the entire tract from your rectum through your intestine. One of the major benefits of a colonoscopy is that it is not only a test but also a preventive measure in which your gastroenterologist can remove any polyps – which can be cancerous or precancerous – that may be found. Before your colonoscopy, there ... [Read More]
colonoscopy screenings
Bowel Preparation Needed for a Colonoscopy
Specialists in gastroenterology regularly recommend that patients have a colonoscopy as a diagnostic tool, especially once you reach age 50. A healthcare practitioner may also advise having this test to assess for colon cancer because of certain indicators, vulnerabilities, or family history. Preparation for a colonoscopy has become greatly improved even just over recent years, so it is much less of an ordeal than it was before. Let’s talk about some of the key recommendations for preparing ... [Read More]
What Can a Colonoscopy Detect?
Undergoing a colonoscopy may seem daunting. Here at Austin Gastroenterology, we do our best to ensure that the process is smooth-sailing for you. A colonoscopy can help us detect and understand any problems in the large intestine as well as the rectum. While it may seem like an ordinary medical procedure, colonoscopy has the potential to save or prolong your life because of what it is capable of detecting. What Is A Colonoscopy? A colonoscopy is a way for us to gain insight into the possible ... [Read More]
What to Expect During Your Colon Cancer Screening
Colorectal cancer (colon and rectal cancer) is always among the top five most common types of cancer, which is why it is so important to get screened. It is generally recommended for people to begin getting screened at age 50, or sooner if this type of cancer is in the patient’s family history. There are a variety of tests used to screen for colon cancer or precancerous polyps, but the baseline and gold standard of detecting this cancer remains the colonoscopy. It is the single best way to ... [Read More]
Colon Cancer Awareness
Colon Cancer Awareness Month is promoted in March of every year to help everyone across the U.S. learn about the symptoms and prevention of colorectal cancer. This is the third most-common cause of cancer deaths in America. Approximately 1 in 20 adults will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer at some point in their lives, and it is estimated that 60 percent of related deaths could have been prevented with proper screening. Colon cancer is usually a slow-growing cancer, developing over a ... [Read More]