brain10 hu asked 7 months ago
What is a colonoscopy?
A colonoscopy is an examination of the inside of your large intestine, which includes your colon, rectum and anus. It’s a type of endoscopy, which means that it uses an endoscope, a flexible tube with a lighted camera on the end that’s inserted into your body. There are different types of endoscopes for different parts of your body. In a colonoscopy, the colonoscope passes through your anus and rectum into your colon. Along the way, it sends pictures of the inside of your large intestine to a screen.
Why would I need a colonoscopy?
A colonoscopy may be preventive, diagnostic or therapeutic — and often, it’s all of these. Your healthcare provider may advise you to have a colonoscopy for routine cancer screening if you’re at a statistically higher risk of developing colorectal cancer. Since anyone can have colorectal cancer at any time without warning or symptoms, screening is the best way to stay ahead of it. While screening, your gastroenterologist may also remove suspicious tissues for testing and prevention.
Screening
Most people will have their first colonoscopy for routine cancer screening. Statistically, your risk of developing colorectal cancer goes up as you age, which is why the American Cancer Society recommends regular screening at least by the age of 45. You may not have any reason to suspect you’re at risk of colorectal cancer, but when your statistical risk goes up, it’s best to check anyway. Colorectal cancer often doesn’t cause any symptoms until it’s too advanced to treat effectively.
You may be due for a colonoscopy for cancer screening if you:
Are older than 45 and haven’t had one.
Haven’t had one for 10 years.
Had tissue removed during your last colonoscopy.
Have a family history of colorectal cancer.
Have an inherited disease that raises your risk, such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or Lynch syndrome.
Have inflammatory bowel disease.
If you have a primary care provider, or if you’re seeing a doctor for a checkup or treatment, ask them if you’re due for your routine colonoscopy screening. Based on your health history, they’ll be able to tell you when you should have one and refer you to someone who can give you one. In the United States, medical insurers and Medicare must cover routine colonoscopy screenings under the Patient Prevention and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). These screenings save thousands of lives each year.
Diagnosis
Some people have colonoscopies because they have symptoms that a healthcare provider must investigate more closely. A colonoscopy provides a better view of your large intestine than other types of imaging tests that don’t go inside your body. Your doctor might need this better view to figure out what’s causing your symptoms or confirm their suspicions. Sometimes they might need to take a tissue sample (biopsy) to examine under a microscope in order to make a diagnosis. They can do that during the colonoscopy.
Symptoms that might require a colonoscopy include:
Unexplained rectal bleeding or discharge.
Unexplained changes in your bowel habits, such as diarrhea, constipation or incontinence.
Unexplained persistent abdominal pain.
Unexplained weight loss or lack of weight gain in children.
Diseases or conditions that a colonoscopy might help diagnose include:
Chronic colitis, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease.
Intestinal ischemia and ischemic colitis.
Diverticulosis and diverticulitis.
Ulcers and perforations.
Large bowel obstructions.
Colorectal polyps and colorectal cancer.
Treatment
One benefit of endoscopic procedures like colonoscopy is that if your endoscopist finds a problem during the procedure, they might be able to treat it at the same time. Endoscopists receive training to perform minor procedures with special tools that they pass through the endoscope. During a colonoscopy, they commonly remove any polyps (abnormal growths) that they find and test them for cancer. Removing polyps also prevents possible cancer from developing or spreading.
During your colonoscopy, the endoscopist can:
Remove polyps (polypectomy).
Seal wounds.
Inject medications.
Remove blockages.
Place stents.
Treat tissues with laser therapy.
