Colonoscopy: What To Expect And Why It's Crucial For Preventive Health

Burlingame Gastroenterology & Hepatology and Dr. Ernest Ribera provide many different treatments and diagnostic processes for your digestive health. For example, we can perform a colorectal cancer screening in Burlingame, CA, through a colonoscopy. Here’s what you need to know about this process and the reasons it’s so important to your health.

What Happens During a Colonoscopy?

 During your colonoscopy, our gastroenterologist will insert a long, thin scope into your rectum and up into your colon to check for problems with your digestive tract. During this process, we sedate you to minimize your pain and discomfort. Typically, it causes only minimally unpleasant feelings but can cause minor bleeding for a day or two after the procedure. 

You need to avoid eating or drinking anything too heavy for a day before treatment. Typically, you’re limited to black coffee, plain tea, ginger ale, clear fruit juice, water, gelatin, and broth. Make sure you don’t drink orange juice or sports drinks, and avoid red or purple gelatin. Doing so ensures that your tests aren’t adversely affected.

You’ll then take a laxative before your test to clear your bowels and make it easier for your doctor to insert the scope without running into any fecal matter. After your treatment, you should have someone drive you home – you’ll be a little groggy and unable to drive. Any pain after should pass in less than a day with few other side effects affecting you.

Why Are They Important?

 At Burlingame Gastroenterology & Hepatology, we can help you by pairing you with Dr. Ribera and setting you up with a colorectal cancer screening appointment in Burlingame, CA. This screening is critical for preventative health because it can spot many common health issues and ensure that they don’t impact you. Here are just a few ways this therapy can help you:

• Spot polyps and other growths in your colon that might be painful
• Diagnose blockages in your digestive system to help you get over them more effectively
• Look for potential signs of colon cancer to catch it before it gets any more dangerous
• Identify other common digestive issues to ensure you get treatment ASAP

Call Us Today to Set Up Your Appointment

 Our team at Burlingame Gastroenterology & Hepatology, including Dr. Ribera, can help you with a colorectal cancer screening in Burlingame, CA, to spot symptoms of this and other conditions. We’ll do whatever we can to help you and will strive to ensure that you get the long-term support that makes sense for you. Call us at (650) 342-6506 to learn more about our care options.