Where Can I Get A Colonoscopy – 45 is the new 50! When it comes to colonoscopies, there’s been a significant change recently that you’ll want to make yourself aware of right away.
Prompted by a recent alarming rise in colorectal cancer cases among people younger than 50, an independent expert panel has recommended that individuals at average risk for the disease begin screening exams at age 45 instead of the traditional 50.
Where Can I Get A Colonoscopy
Thanks to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force issuing this new guideline, many health insurance companies are now allowed to cover the cost of testing at younger ages, including preventive procedures like colonoscopies and stool tests designed to detect colon cancer in to detect its early stages.
Pros And Cons Of Colon Cancer Screening Options
A colonoscopy is a procedure that allows your doctor to see the entire length of your large intestine and straight. It is the “gold standard” of colorectal exams because it is the most accurate colon cancer test. It not only detects abnormalities but can eliminate them before they become malignant. This makes a colonoscopy a large part of a preventive health regimen.
A colonoscopy is a procedure used to detect and treat ulcers, polyps, or cancers in the large intestine (colon) and rectum. It is also used to investigate the cause of:
The colon, also known as the colon or large intestine, is a five-foot-long tubular organ in your abdomen that helps digest food, absorb water, extract electrolytes and nutrients, and process food residue for excretion as a bowel movement. The process of moving food through the intestines and out as a bowel movement takes 24 to 72 hours.
The large intestine also contains 100 trillion “good” bacteria that are essential in the digestive process. These bacteria have many functions, including:
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Of all the colorectal exams available, a colonoscopy is the best at detecting and removing growths or lesions before they become dangerous. Many other types of screening only detect an abnormality after it has begun to bleed or show signs of a more advanced condition.
This procedure can ensure an accurate diagnosis without resorting to surgery. This is why a colonoscopy is the best choice for maintaining colon health.
To prepare for a colonoscopy, you must do a bowel preparation before the procedure, which removes all traces of feces from your colon. A bowel prep typically involves medication changes or adjustments. Your doctor may adjust your medication up to seven days before your colonoscopy. At the top of the list are blood thinners, including:
Your doctor will put you on a clear liquid diet a day before the colonoscopy. A clear liquid is one that you can read a magazine with. This includes:
What To Expect During Your First Colonoscopy
One of the most important parts of colon prep is clearing all traces of waste from your colon. This is so that your doctor has an unobstructed view of your bowel and can clearly see any abnormalities. You will be asked to take a laxative or an enema to flush out any fecal matter. Because of this, you will have diarrhea until your colon is completely evacuated.
You will be asked to change into a hospital gown when you arrive. You will lie on an examination table, and intravenous sedation will be administered. You will not be aware of what happens during the colonoscopy or remember anything afterwards.
After the anesthesia takes effect, your doctor will insert a colonoscope into your anus and guide it through your bowel. A colonoscope is a flexible tube equipped with a light and a camera. It is about five feet long (the length of your colon) and half an inch wide. Air is also introduced to inflate the colon, making its walls more visible.
The colonoscope’s camera transmits images to a monitor so your doctor can see a detailed, real-time view of your bowel. The scope also has an attachment that can remove polyps or suspicious-looking tissue for laboratory analysis.
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After the colonoscopy, you will remain under observation for one or two hours to make sure you are well. You will feel groggy and sluggish. You can’t drive, so you’ll need someone to drive you home. This should be someone you know rather than an Uber or taxi driver. You should not drive for about 24 hours after the procedure.
You may feel bloated or cramping later as air is released from your colon. Walking can help pass the gas. Don’t be shy. The staff knows this is a normal part of the process.
Because your colon is completely empty, it may take several days for your body to produce bowel movements. You may have a bowel movement earlier if you eat a lot of raw foods, such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
The bowel prep you did is very draining. You need to replace the electrolytes and fluids that you have lost. Since the lining of the colon can be irritated, your doctor may recommend that you drink generous amounts of fluids and eat soft, bland foods for the first day or two.
Colonoscopy Prep Tips For Crohn’s Disease
After the procedure, avoid spicy food and anything else that can upset your gut. These foods can also worsen any nausea you may feel from the anesthesia.
It can’t be said enough – 45 is the new 50. The American Cancer Society now recommends starting colonoscopies every 10 years at age 45 if you have no risk factors. Risk factors include:
Lowering the recommended age to start screening will make colorectal cancer screening, which is so important, available to millions more people in the United States. Hopefully, many more lives will be saved by catching colorectal cancer earlier, as well as by preventing colorectal cancer.
Once you start regular screenings, you can typically follow the 10-year schedule until age 75. Then you can have screenings at your own discretion, stopping at age 85. Your doctor will recommend a schedule for you.
What Is A Colonoscopy? How To Prepare For A Colonoscopy.
A colonoscopy is something that, under no circumstances, should not be postponed. Colonoscopies not only detect the disease, but prevent cancer, as precancerous polyps can be removed during the procedure. Thorough and accurate, it is an unparalleled type of colorectal screening. If you are 45 or older and have never had a colonoscopy, our experts will discuss it thoroughly with you and clear up any concerns you may have about the procedure.
Contact us today! The team of professionals at GastroMD looks forward to working with you. We are one of the leading gastroenterology practices in Tampa Bay. We perform a number of diagnostic procedures with modern equipment in a friendly, comfortable and inviting atmosphere where patient care is always a top priority! Colonoscopy (/ˌ k ɒ l ə ˈ n ɒ sk ə p i / ) or colonoscopy (/k ə ˈ l ɒ sk ə p i / )
Is the doscopic examination of the large intestine and the distal part of the small intestine with a CCD camera or a fiber optic camera on a flexible tube through the anus. It can provide a visual diagnosis (eg ulceration, polyps) and provides the opportunity for biopsy or removal of suspected colorectal cancer lesions.
Colonoscopy can remove polyps smaller than one millimeter. Once polyps are removed, they can be studied using a microscope to determine whether they are precancerous or not.
What To Expect From A Colonoscopy
Colonoscopy is similar to sigmoidoscopy – the difference is related to which parts of the intestine each can examine. A colonoscopy makes an examination of the narrow colon (1, 200-1, 500 mm in lgth). A sigmoidoscopy allows an examination of the distal part (about 600 mm) of the colon, which may be sufficient, since appropriate for cancer survivors of colonoscopy are limited to the detection of lesions in the distal part of the large intestine.
A sigmoidoscopy is often used as a screening procedure for a full colonoscopy, often done in combination with a fecal occult blood test (FOBT). About 5% of these screed patits are referred to colonoscopy.
Virtual colonoscopy, which uses 2D and 3D images reconstructed from computed tomography (CT) scans or from nuclear magnetic resonance (MR) scans, is also possible as a completely non-invasive medical test. Virtual colonoscopy does not allow therapeutic maneuvers such as polyp and tumor removal or biopsy, nor visualization of lesions smaller than five millimeters; if a growth or polyp is detected with CT colonography, its removal would be necessary during a standard colonoscopy. Surgeons have used the term pouchoscopy to refer to a colonoscopy of the ileo-anal pouch.
Unexplained changes in bowel habit and suspicion of malignancy. Colonoscopies are often used to diagnose colon polyps and colon cancer,
Colonoscopy Prep Tips
In older patients (sometimes even younger) an unexplained drop in hematocrit (one sign of anemia) is an indication that requires a colonoscopy, usually together with an esophagogastroduodoscopy (EGD), if no obvious blood is seen in the stool (excrement).
Fecal occult blood is a quick test that can be done to test for microscopic traces of blood in the stool. A positive test is almost always an indication to do a colonoscopy. In most cases, the positive result is simply due to hemorrhoids; however, it can also be due to diverticulosis, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis), colon cancer or polyps. Colonic polypectomy has become a routine part of colonoscopy, allowing the quick and simple removal of polyps during the procedure, without invasive
