Gastroenterology

A gastroenterologist is a physician who specializes in diseases of the digestive system, also called the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Gastroenterologists have extensive training in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions that affect the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and biliary system (e.g., liver, pancreas, gallbladder, bile ducts).

It specialized in the evaluation, diagnosis, management, and treatment of the following symptoms and conditions.

• Abdominal pain and discomfort
• Bleeding in the digestive tract
• Diverticular disease and other diseases of the colon (e.g., polyps, irritable bowel syndrome [IBS], colitis, Crohn's disease)
• Heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Eating large amounts of dairy products
• Overusing laxatives (stool softeners) that, over time, weaken the bowel muscles
• Taking certain medicines (especially antidepressants, iron pills, and strong pain medicines such as narcotics)