Your doctor can usually tell you right away what they found during your colonoscopy. But if they removed polyps or tissue for biopsy, it may be several days before you get the results. Before your colonoscopy, prepare by taking a laxative the night before and the morning of your exam. Also talk to your doctor about any medications, vitamins or supplements you take, because they may need to be adjusted before the procedure.
Colonoscopy Phoenix is a medical exam that lets your doctor see the inside of your large intestine (colon). It can find the cause of problems like rectal bleeding, abdominal pain or changes in bowel habits. It can also catch pre-cancerous growths called polyps before they become cancerous.
The test is done with a long, thin flexible tube called a colonoscope that has a light and camera on the end. You may be sedated during the procedure to keep you comfortable and unaware of what’s happening. Your healthcare provider might also remove tissue or polyps for biopsy, and he or she can treat any problems found during the colonoscopy.
Aside from finding cancerous or pre-cancerous polyps, a colonoscopy can find and treat conditions like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis; and diverticulosis (pockets in the colon lining). It can also check for inflammatory bowel diseases early and prevent the damage they can do, such as scarring, pain, malnourishment and intestinal blockages that might require surgery.
It is important to get a colonoscopy when your gastroenterologist recommends it. A screening colonoscopy every two years can reduce your risk of colorectal cancer by catching abnormal growths early.
The procedure is safe for most people and can be performed by a gastroenterologist or colon surgeon. Before the colonoscopy, your doctor will give you detailed instructions about eating and drinking. You will also need to follow a bowel prep plan to empty your bowel. The bowel prep usually starts 1 to 2 days before the procedure.
Your health care team will give you medicine through an IV in your arm or hand to provide sedatives and anesthesia. You’ll be able to talk to your doctor during the colonoscopy, but you won’t feel any pain or discomfort.
When the exam is over, you will need to arrange for someone to drive you home because the sedatives and anesthesia will take some time to wear off. You may have some gas, bloating or mild cramping after the colonoscopy. You should also expect to have small amounts of blood in your first bowel movement after the test.
How is a colonoscopy performed?
During the procedure, you lie on your back with your knees tucked up against your chest. Your gastroenterologist inserts a tube-like instrument called a colonoscope into your rectum. It has a light and a camera on the end that transmits real-time video to a screen so your doctor can see the inside of your colon lining. The doctor can also use a snare in the colonoscope to take tiny samples of your colon tissue (called biops) and to remove abnormal growths called polyps. Air can be pumped in through the colonoscope to help your doctor get a better look at your colon and its lining.
If your doctor finds any polyps, they will likely take out a small portion of each one and send it to a lab for analysis to determine whether it is cancerous or precancerous. They may also remove any other areas of abnormal tissue during your colonoscopy. Depending on what your doctor finds, they might recommend that you change your diet.
After the colonoscopy, you will spend about an hour in a recovery room until your sedative wears off. During that time, the healthcare team will monitor your vital signs. Your doctor will review your results with you and let you know what they found, including whether they removed any tissue for biopsy. If they did, it will take a few days or weeks to receive the results of your test from the lab.
If the bowel prep doesn’t work well, you may experience bleeding during or after your colonoscopy. This is usually not a serious problem, and your doctor will be able to control it. In rare cases, you might need a blood transfusion or other treatment to stop severe bleeding. You might also have a reaction to the sedative used during your colonoscopy. If this is the case, you might need to stay in the hospital for several hours or longer. Make sure you have someone to drive you home after your colonoscopy, and follow any discharge instructions your doctor gives you. This includes not driving or working until your sedative wears off.
What are the risks of a colonoscopy?
A colonoscopy can be performed on an outpatient basis at a hospital or a physician’s office. You will be asked to fast for a certain amount of time before the procedure begins, and then you will drink a special laxative formula to empty your bowels.
Then you will have a small intravenous line installed in your arm, through which medications are delivered that will make you feel relaxed and drowsy. You will not feel any pain during the exam. Some people are put under general anesthesia, but most just experience what is called conscious sedation (sometimes referred to as twilight sleep). As with any medical procedure, there are some risks associated with a colonoscopy, but they are relatively minor.
If a doctor discovers polyps during the exam, they will send them to a lab for testing. If the polyps are cancerous, they can be removed at that time to prevent them from becoming larger or causing cancer. In fact, most colon cancers begin as polyps, and early detection can significantly improve your chances of treatment success.
There is also a possibility that a biopsy might be needed to test for the presence of precancerous or cancerous tissue. During this part of the procedure, you may feel a little gas pain or pressure, but it is not painful.
After the procedure, you will be given something to drink and eat, and you should stay at the facility until you are fully awake and feel safe to drive home. This is because it takes a while for the sedatives and anesthesia to wear off.
If you have a family history of colorectal cancer or other hereditary diseases, your doctor will likely recommend that you get a colonoscopy at least every 10 years. This is especially true if you have more than one first-degree relative who has been diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Your risk for developing colon cancer increases as you age, so it’s important to get regular screenings. It’s also a good idea to get a colonoscopy if you have symptoms such as:
What are the benefits of a colonoscopy?
A colonoscopy helps to diagnose and treat a variety of issues that affect the colon. This includes colon cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and polyps (small growths on the lining of the colon that can sometimes be cancerous). A colonoscopy allows doctors to identify any signs of inflammation or infection in the colon and then treat them accordingly. This can prevent symptoms such as abdominal pain and rectal bleeding from getting worse over time.
The other major benefit of a colonoscopy is that it can detect any precancerous or cancerous growths throughout the entire colon and then either remove them or biopsy them. This can save lives by catching colon cancer in its early stages when it is easier to treat and may be less serious. It can also help to prevent colon cancer by removing polyps before they have the chance to become cancerous.
In addition, a colonoscopy can also be used to treat symptoms of other conditions such as diverticulitis or gastrointestinal tract infections. This can be done by using a lighted instrument called a colonoscope to remove or treat the cause of the problem. In many cases, this can be done right at the doctor’s office without having to be admitted to the hospital or other facility.
Most people do not feel any pain during a colonoscopy because they are usually under sedation or anesthesia. However, they might feel some gas or bloating as the doctor moves around in their colon with the colonoscope. They might also feel a little bit of pressure or discomfort as the doctor inserts or withdraws the colonoscope. In addition, some people might experience a small amount of blood in their first bowel movement after the procedure, which is normal.
It is important for people to follow a special diet the day before and the morning of their colonoscopy so that they can be prepared for the exam. Typically, they will need to drink only clear liquids such as water, tea and coffee without milk, broth, or carbonated beverages. They might also need to take laxatives in pill or liquid form or use an enema kit to clean out their colon before the exam.