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Gastroenterologists - Edwardsville, IL

We found 4 gastroenterologists in Edwardsville, IL. See refinement options below.

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gastrointestinal biopsy (4) , gastrointestinal endoscopy (4) , endoscopy (4) , colonoscopy with submucosal injection (3) , esophageal balloon dilation (3) , percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (2) , outpatient hospital care (2) , egd with endoscopic ultrasound (1) , esophageal dilation without endoscopic guidance (1) , colostomy tube replacement (1) , gastrostomy tube replacement (1) , enteroscopy with biopsy (1)

in Nearby Locations

Hazelwood, MO

Other Providers in Edwardsville, IL

Addiction Counselors Endocrinologists Gastroenterologists General Dentists Nutritionists Occupational Therapists Ophthalmologists Optometrists Orthodontists Pediatric Cardiologists Pediatric Pulmonologists Perinatologists Physical Therapists Rheumatologists Surgeons

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.