Frequently Asked Questions About Gastroenterology

Gastroenterology is a medical specialty that focuses on the digestive system and its disorders. It covers the diagnosis and treatment of conditions affecting the entire gastrointestinal tract, including the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon and rectum, as well as the liver, gallbladder, bile ducts and pancreas.

Gastroenterologists complete approximately 13 to 14 years of education and post-graduate training. They must earn their four-year bachelor’s degree and complete four years of medical school, plus a three-year internal medicine residency managing general adult illnesses and inpatient/outpatient hospital care, and a three-year specialized gastroenterology fellowship, where they focus on digestive, liver and nutritional disorders, and perform procedures, like upper endoscopies and colonoscopies.

Gastroenterologists provide comprehensive care for a range of gastrointestinal conditions, including the following:

• Acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Irritable bowel syndrome with or without constipation (IBS, IBS-C)
• Inflammatory bowel disease, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease
• Celiac disease
• Fatty liver disease
• Gallbladder disease
• Hemorrhoids and anal fissures
• Ulcers
• Pancreatitis
• Colon polyps
• Colorectal cancer

Gastroenterologists perform specialized diagnostic and therapeutic procedures using thin, flexible tubes with cameras to examine the digestive tract. Common procedures include the following:

• Colonoscopies
• Upper Endoscopies
• Flexible Sigmoidoscopies
• Capsule Endoscopies
• Endoscopic Ultrasound
• Polypectomies
• Liver biopsies
• Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
• Hemorrhoid banding
• Esophageal dilation

Your primary care provider may refer you to a gastroenterologist, or you may choose to schedule an appointment with a gastroenterologist yourself, if you experience any of the following.

• Ongoing abdominal pain
• Bloating and gas pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Long-term diarrhea or constipation
• Severe or frequent heartburn
• Changes in your bowel habits
• Abnormal bowel movements
• Unexplained weight loss
• Blood in your stool
• Yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice)
• Pain or trouble swallowing, or feeling like food gets stuck
• Colorectal cancer screening

When you make an appointment with our gastroenterologists in Newport News and Williamsburg, VA, they will talk to you about your concerns, and review your medical history, family history, and any medications and supplements you are taking.

Your gastroenterologist will likely perform a physical exam of your abdomen and possibly a rectal check. Once complete, the doctor will explain potential causes for your symptoms, discuss any necessary diagnostic tests or procedures, provide you with a personalized care plan, and answer any questions that you may have.

For average-risk adults, the American Cancer Society recommends starting colon cancer screenings at age 45. If your results are completely normal, the procedure is typically repeated every 10 years. However, if precancerous polyps are found and removed, you will likely need a follow-up colonoscopy every 3 to 5 years.

Individuals with a family history of colon cancer, genetic syndromes, or inflammatory bowel disease may need to start colorectal cancer screening before age 45, and the frequency is typically every 1 to 5 years.