Patients may experience abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal bloating, excessive belching and/or gas, nausea and vomiting, as well as bleeding, weight loss, fever, and nutritional deficiencies. Primary Care physicians are the best first source of help for short-term gastrointestinal symptoms and management, but when symptoms become hard to manage or worsen over time then referral to Gastroenterology is important.
Diagnostic Studies
Physical examination, blood tests, stool tests, radiology studies such as barium enema Xray or computed tomography, as well as Gastroenterology diagnostic tests including colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, ultrasound, and various types of endoscopy may be required to diagnose the gastrointestinal disorder. These different diagnostic studies help to provide information on the body's electrolyte system, nutritional state, and function of organs such as the liver and kidneys.
