The Difference Between a Gastroenterologist and a Gastrointestinal Surgeon
As you tend to your digestive health, whether it’s maintaining good practices or addressing problems, you may have to decide whether it’s a gastroenterologist or a gastrointestinal surgeon you need to see. Although both are trained and licensed medical professionals and there is some overlap when it comes to what they do, there are differences in some of the specific conditions they treat and how they treat them.
Knowing what each kind of doctor’s specialities are will help you make the right decisions for your digestive health care. This is especially important if there is a serious issue to diagnose and treat, when time is of the essence for both your comfort and addressing any health risks.
The Similarities and the Differences
Both gastroenterologists and gastrointestinal (GI) surgeons have medical training in the gastrointestinal (digestive) system. They may treat many of the same gastrointestinal diseases and other conditions. The approaches they take to treating those diseases and conditions are the principal things that distinguish them from one another.
In treating gastrointestinal issues, gastrointestinal surgeons perform surgery whereas gastroenterologists do not. A gastroenterologist will use training in internal medicine and troubles with the digestive system to apply medicinal and other nonsurgical approaches to treating a patient. They may also perform procedures such as colonoscopies but do not perform surgical procedures on patients under anesthesia. In the next two sections, it will become clearer as to what specific conditions gastroenterologists and gastrointestinal surgeons treat and how they do so.
Gastroenterologists– What They Treat and When To See Them
A gastroenterologist is a doctor with the training to diagnose and treat problems with the digestive system via nonsurgical means. Although they do not perform surgery, gastroenterologists sometimes work with gastrointestinal surgeons and with other specialists such as neurologists and oncologists to treat patients who have digestive disorders as part of other health conditions they are struggling with.
The parts of the body that a gastroenterologist specializes in include the stomach, esophagus, and small and large intestines. Some gastroenterologists also specialize in conditions affecting the bile ducts, gallbladder, liver, and pancreas. When a patient is experiencing symptoms of a possible digestive disorder, they can help find what’s causing those symptoms and then recommend how to treat them. That recommendation may include a referral to a gastrointestinal surgeon.
Because they are specialists in internal medicine, gastroenterologists also use medical devices called endoscopes as they perform examinations and procedures for their patients. These are tube-like devices that enable the doctor to look closely at the digestive tract. Endoscopes also allow the doctor to perform procedures such as biopsies and the removal of polyps. As mentioned previously, enterologists can also perform colonoscopies.
So when should you see a gastroenterologist? Basically, you should see one if you are having problems digesting food or you are experiencing notable changes in bowel habits. It’s especially important to make an appointment to see a gastroenterologist if there has been blood in your stool, if you are experiencing frequent or persistent stomach pain, or if you are having trouble swallowing.
Any of the conditions above may indicate a more serious digestive health problem existing or developing. Seeing an enterologist in a timely manner may be the difference in identifying and treating an issue before it grows into a larger, more serious one.
Another reason to see an enterologist is for colon cancer screening and preventive care if you are 50 or older. After 50, both men and women are increasingly at risk of colon cancer. Regular checkups can help identify risks at an early stage where they’re much easier to treat.
Here are some of the specific services an enterologist may perform or conditions they may treat:
Abdominal Pain– One of the most common symptoms of digestive tract troubles and something most people experience and recover from over the course of their lives.
Acid Reflux– When stomach acid flows back into the esophagus, this condition can occur. It’s a common one and another that most people experience from time to time.
Capsule Endoscopy– This non-invasive procedure provides a way to examine the gastrointestinal tract.
Colonoscopy– This medical procedure is for detecting signs of abnormalities in the colon and the rectum.
Colon Cancer Screening– Not caught and treated early on, colon cancer is a killer. Regular screening can detect colon cancer when it’s still treatable or help prevent it from occurring.
Constipation– Infrequent bowel movements and trouble passing stools are symptoms of constipation. Like abdominal pain and acid reflux, it’s a common condition, and it can usually be treated with medicine.
Diarrhea– Diarrhea related to food recently eaten is common and usually not cause for concern, but loose, watery stool on a frequent basis may indicate a more serious gastrointestinal issue.
Upper Endoscopy– Examination of upper parts of the gastrointestinal tract such as the stomach and esophagus is possible with this procedure.
When To See a Gastrointestinal Surgeon
If medical treatments for common conditions such as acid reflux, nausea, loose stools, and constipation are not working, there may be an underlying condition requiring surgery. Here are some conditions that often or usually require gastrointestinal surgery:
Acid reflux due to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
Gallbladder disease and gallstone removal
Gastrointestinal cancer and tumor removal
Hernias
Pancreatitis
