i
Loading Page
loading, please wait

Filters

FILTERS

Clear All Filters

CONDITIONS / TREATMENTS

Search for Conditions/Treatments...

MEDICAL SCHOOLS

Search for Medical School...

PRACTICE AFFILIATIONS

Search for Practice Affiliations...

SPECIALTIES

SORT BY

Gastroenterologists - Gardendale, AL

We found 2 gastroenterologists in Gardendale, AL. See refinement options below.

Sort By
  • Default
  • Patient Rating
  • Distance

Related searches

You can further refine your search:

anal fistula (1) , endoscopic ultrasound with fine needle aspiration (1) , polyps (1) , removal of lesion (1) , inpatient hospital care (1) , esophageal dilation (1) , esophageal manometry (1) , gastrointestinal procedures (1) , endoscopic ultrasound (1) , gastrointestinal problems (1) , biopsy (1) , special stains (1) , intravenous chemotherapy (1) , minimally invasive procedures (1) , biological response modifier therapy (1)

in Nearby Locations

Birmingham, AL

Other Providers in Gardendale, AL

Anesthesiologists Clinical Pharmacists Dermatopathologists Emergency Physicians General Dentists General Practitioners Internists & Internal Medicine Doctors Nutritionists Occupational Therapists Pediatric Gastroenterologists Psychologists Rehabilitation Physicians Social Workers Surgical Dermatologists Therapists

What is Gastroenterology?

A gastroenterologist is a doctor that specializes in the normal function and diseases of the digestive tract, which includes the stomach, intestines, spleen, pancreas, and liver. As a specialty, gastroenterology is the study of how food moves through the body, how nutrients are absorbed by the body, and how waste is removed by the body. A few of the conditions that a gastroenterologist might treat are:

  • ulcerative colitis (a condition where inflammation and sores affect the lower intestine)
  • gallbladder disease (where bile stored in the gallbladder thickens and causes inflammation or gallstones)
  • gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD (stomach acid flows back into the throat and causes a burning sensation and tissue damage)

One unique trait that really sets gastroenterologists apart is their training and skill with endoscopy, a procedure where tiny flexible tubes are inserted into the body. These tubes are equipped with lights and cameras to provide the practitioner with a close, inside look at what is going on inside the patient's body. Tools can even be inserted through the tubes to perform certain procedures, such as removing polyps or cancers, stretching open passageways that have narrowed, or applying lasers to stop bleeding.

Gastroenterologists do not perform surgery, but they do perform endoscopic procedures, as well as biopsies to determine if cancer is affecting the digestive tract. Although other physicians can use endoscopes, gastroenterologists devote a significant portion of their medical training and practice to endoscopy. They learn how and when to use endoscopy, the safest and most efficient methods to use, and how to interpret what they see through the endoscope.