When You Should See A GI Doctor

Your digestive system consists of a lot of organs, such as the liver, pancreas, colon, stomach, and esophagus, just to name a few. Therefore, the symptoms of GI may appear through any of the organs. When the symptoms show up, what you need to do is see a doctor right away. Given below are a few signs that you should get in touch with a doctor immediately.

Lump in your throat

If you can't swallow food properly, it's time to get your throat checked. This is more important if the feeling becomes intense. For instance, if you can't even drink water without having a weird feeling in your throat, you have a serious problem. As a matter of fact, the problem when drinking water may be a sign of GI problems.

Flatulence

It's normal to pass gas. As a matter of fact, a normal person passes around two liters of gas in 24 hours. However, it is time to see a specialist if the flatulence is accompanied by other side effects, such as sudden weight gain, abdominal discomfort, change in bowel movements, or weight loss, to name a few.

Pants are too tight

If all of a sudden, you are finding it hard to zip your pants, it may be bloating, not belly fat. This happens when your belly traps too much gas. This may not be a problem associated with swallowing a lot of air or eating a lot of food. Sudden bloating with symptoms, such as bloody stool or pain is a cause of concern. It may be a digestive problem that needs to be treated. Probably, you need to run some tests for IBS, GERD celiac disease, constipation, or gallstones.

Pants are too loose

Unexplainable weight loss may also be a sign of a lot of health issues, but you may want to start your search for a cause from your digestive system. Often, gastroenterologists check patients for sudden weight loss that is almost impossible to explain. At this stage, it can't be called cancer of the stomach, pancreas, or colon.

Other conditions that may cause weight loss include Crohn's disease or celiac disease. Actually, these diseases hamper the ability of your body to absorb nutrients.

Bowel movements are black

Your stool may appear black due to blood. As far as your rectum is concerned, bleeding is a serious problem. Hemorrhoids may be something that you can blame for this. Aside from this, the inflamed blood vessels in your rectum may also be bleeding, which is a cause of concern.

If you have hemorrhoids, your primary care physician may help you. However, if you have ongoing bleeding, you should see a good GI doctor. As a matter of fact, if you have rectal bleeding from time to time, you should run the relevant tests as soon as possible.

Deficiency of iron

The red blood cells in your body help supply oxygen to the tissues of your body. If you have iron deficiency, your body will feel it. You will feel tired, and your skin may turn yellowish, your hair may start falling and your nails may become brittle. With a simple blood test, you can check if you have an iron deficiency. You should see a good GI specialist if you are anemic. Anemia may be due to the chronic blood loss in your gastrointestinal tract due to IBS, stomach cancer, ulcers, and colon cancer.