Flexible Sigmoidoscopy Center - Novato, CA
Novato Gastroenterologist Doctors for Flexible SigmoidoscopyType of Physician: Gastroenterologist What is a Gastroenterologist? A subspecialty certification by the Board of Internal Medicine; practitioners focus on the stomach, intestines, colon, liver, and gallbladder (digestive organs). The gastroenterologist treats conditions such as abdominal pain, ulcers, diarrhea, cancer, and jaundice and they consult with surgeons when abdominal operations are indicated. Specialty: Gastroenterology Common Name: GI Doctor Gastroenterologist Doctors in Novato * Laurence J Mazzotta MD  Barbara L Nylund MD  Marin Gastroenterology  Marin Gastroenterology  Marin Gastroenterology  Marin Gastroenterology  Marin Gastroenterology  Marin Gastroenterology  Center for Digestive Disorders  Center for Digestive Disorders  Center for Digestive Disorders  Vallejo Medical Center  Vallejo Medical Center  Vallejo Medical Center  Vallejo Medical Center  Vallejo Medical Center  Vallejo Medical Center  Vallejo Medical Center  Vallejo Medical Center  Vallejo Medical Center  Vallejo Medical Center  Vallejo Medical Center  Vallejo Medical Center  VA Hospital  UCSF VA Medical Center  John C Fletcher MD & William Parmer MD Inc  US & International Medicine Wing K King MD  DR, MARTIN S. LIBERMAN  Doctors Office  Stephen C Pardys MD  Doctors Office  Doctors Office  Patrick Y Wong MD  Pacific Heights Medical Group  Pacific Internal Medicine Associates  Interventional Endoscopy Services  California Pacific Medical Center Gastroenterology  Pacific Internal Medicine Associates  California Pacific Medical Center Gastroenterology  Daniel Conlin MD  Pacific Internal Medicine Associates  California Pacific Medical Center Gastroenterology  Pacific Internal Medicine Associates  PACIFIC INTERNAL MEDICINE ASSOCIATES  Pacific Internal Medicine Associates  California Pacific Medical Center Gastroenterology  Interventional Endoscopy Services  California Pacific Medical Center Gastroenterology  North East Medical Service  California Pacific Medical Center Department of Gastroenterology  Womens Health Care Clinic  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  UCSF The Comprehensive Cancer Center  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  Frank J Farrell MD  Freeto & Talley MDs  Malin Aubry Gores Wang Haddad & Sankaran  Freeto & Talley MDs  Frank S Yang MD  San Francisco Digestive Disease Inc  Dennis L Hamby MD  San Francisco Digestive Disease Inc  San Francisco Digestive Disease Inc  GI Associates  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  Santa Rosa Gastroenterology Medical Associates Inc  GI Associates  Santa Rosa Gastroenterology Medical Associates Inc  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  GI Associates  Santa Rosa Gastroenterology Medical Associates Inc  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  UCSF Gastroenterology  Dean L Rider MD  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  H David Watts MD  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  UCSF Medical Center Gastroenterology  Sunset Health Services  Robert J Elsen MD  SFGH Medicine & Gastroenterology Clinic  Gastroenterology Associates of the East Bay  Gastroenterology Associates of the East Bay  Gastroenterology Associates of the East Bay  Northern California Gastroenterology Consultants  Gastroenterology Associates of the East Bay  Gastroenterology Associates of the East Bay  Gastroenterology Associates of the East Bay  Gastroenterology Associates of the East Bay  Gastroenterology Associates of the East Bay  Northern California Gastroenterology Consultants  Gastroenterology Associates of the East Bay  Northern California Gastroenterology Consultants  Northern California Gastroenterology Consultants  Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa  Family Doctor Medical Group Novato, CaliforniaUpcoming Local Events2012-06-16
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Flexible SigmoidoscopyRead the Flexible Sigmoidoscopy article » What is flexible sigmoidoscopy?Flexible sigmoidoscopy is a procedure that allows your doctor to examine the rectum and the lower (sigmoid) colon. The flexible sigmoidoscope is a flexible tube 60 cm long and about the thickness of your little finger. It is inserted gently into the anus and advanced slowly into the rectum and the lower colon. It is an accurate and simple method of investigating the cause of rectal bleeding, change in bowel habit, and rectal symptoms such as pain and diarrhea. Flexible sigmoidoscopy also is a part of colon screening and surveillance for colon cancer. For more, please read the Colon Screening and Surveillance article. What is the preparation for flexible sigmoidoscopy?In order to obtain accurate results, the rectum and the lower colon must be completely clean of stool. Your doctor will give you detailed instructions on how to cleanse your colon. In general, this requires the use of one or two enemas prior to the procedure and may also call for a laxative and some dietary modifications. Under special circumstances, such as the presence of significant diarrhea, the preparation may be waived. Do I continue my medications for flexible sigmoidoscopy?In general, you can continue to take your regular medicines. You should, however, inform your doctor of all the prescription and non-prescription medications you are taking as well as any allergies you may have. Certain drugs increase the risk of bleeding if biopsies are performed; these include aspirin, blood thinners such as warfarin (Coumadin), and NSAIDs such as Motrin and Advil. Your doctor may ask you to stop these medications for several days before the procedure. You should also alert your doctor if you have an artificial heart valve, hip or knee prosthesis, or have a disease of the heart valves such as mitral stenosis, aortic stenosis, or mitral regurgitation. Patients with these conditions may need a... Recommended Reading Related to Flexible SigmoidoscopyWhat is Ulcerative Colitis?Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammation of the large intestine (colon). The colon is the part of the digestive system where waste material is stored. The rectum is the end of the colon adjacent to the anus. In patients with ulcerative colitis, ulcers and inflammation of the inner lining of the colon lead to symptoms of abdominal pain, diarrhea, and rectal bleeding. Ulcerative colitis is closely related to another condition of inflammation of the intestines called Crohn's disease. Together, they are frequently referred to as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's diseases are chronic conditions that can last years to decades. They affect approximately 500,000 to 2 million people In the United States. Men and women are affected equally. They most commonly begin during adolescence and early adulthood, but they also can begin during childhood and later in life. ...Other Related Flexible Sigmoidoscopy ArticlesEmergency Contact for Novato
Nearby Novato Hospitals *Novato Community Hospital Kaiser Permanente San Rafael Medical Center Kentfield Rehabilitation & Specialty Hospital Petaluma Valley Hospital Marin General Hospital Sonoma Valley Hospital Doctor's Medical Center San Pablo St Helena Hospital Center for Behavioral Health Kaiser Permanente Vallejo Medical Center Sutter Solano Medical Center Napa State Hospital Queen of the Valley Medical Center San Francisco VA Medical Center California Pacific Medical Center California Campus California Pacific Medical Center East Campus California Pacific Medical Center Pacific Campus Chinese Hospital Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Herrick Campus Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Medical Center UCSF Medical Center at Mount Zion Saint Francis Memorial Hospital St Mary's Medical Center Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Alta Bates Campus California Pacific Medical Center Davies Campus Palm Drive Hospital Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital Main Campus UCSF Medical Center at Parnassus Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland Contra Costa Regional Medical Center Laguna Honda Hospital & Rehabilitation Center San Francisco General Hospital Alta Bates Summit Medical Center Summit Campus Kaiser Permanente Medical Center at Oakland VA Northern CA Healthcare System at Martinez St Luke's Hospital Sutter Medical Center of Santa Rosa Chanate Campus Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa Medical Center Alameda County Medical Center Highland Campus Telecare Solano Psychiatric Health Facility Alameda Hospital Seton Medical Center John Muir Behavioral Health Center John Muir Medical Center Concord Campus NorthBay Medical Center St Helena Hospital Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek Medical Center John Muir Medical Center Walnut Creek Campus Kaiser Permanente South San Francisco Medical Center Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
Suggested Reading on Flexible Sigmoidoscopy by Our Doctors
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Related Diseases & Conditions
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Abdominal Pain
- Abdominal pain is pain in the belly and can be acute or chronic. Causes include inflammation, distention of an organ, and loss of the blood supply to an organ. Abdominal pain can reflect a major problem with one of the organs in the abdomen such as the appendix, gallbladder, large and small intestine, pancreas, liver, colon, duodenum, and spleen.
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Rectal Bleeding (Blood in Stool, Hematochezia)
- Rectal bleeding (hematochezia) refers to the passage of bright red blood from the anus. Rectal bleeding may be moderate to severe and most bleeding comes from the colon, rectum, or anus. Common causes include anal fissures, hemorrhoids, diverticulitis, and more.
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Hemorrhoids
- Hemorrhoid is an enlarged vein in the walls of the anus and sometimes around the rectum, usually caused by untreated constipation, but occasionally associated with chronic diarrhea. If untreated, hemorrhoids can worsen, protruding from the anus. Also known as piles.
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Diverticulitis (Diverticulosis)
- Diverticulitis is a condition in which diverticuli in the colon rupture. The rupture results in infection in the tissues that surround the colon. Diverticulitis symptoms include: abdominal pain, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, constipation, and bloating. Treatment methods include prescription medications, and in some cases, diverticulitis surgery.
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Diarrhea
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Constipation
- Constipation is defined medically as fewer than three stools per week and severe constipation as less than one stool per week. Constipation usually is caused by the slow movement of stool through the colon. There are many causes of constipation including medications, poor bowel habits, low fiber diets, abuse of laxatives, hormonal disorders, and diseases primarily of other parts of the body that also affect the colon.
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Anal Itching
- Anal itching is the irritation of the skin at the exit of the rectum, known as the anus, accompanied by the desire to scratch. Causes include everything from irritating foods we eat, to certain disease and infections. Treatment options include local anesthetics, vasoconstrictors, protectants, astringents, antiseptics, keratolytics, analgesics, and corticosteroids. If condition persists, a doctor examination may be needed to identify an underlying cause.
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Colon Cancer
- Colon cancer is a malignancy that arises from the inner lining of the colon. Most, if not all, of these cancers develop from colonic polyps. Removal of these precancerous polyps can prevent colon cancer.
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Anal Fissure
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Clostridium Difficile Colitis (Antibiotic-Associated Colitis, C. difficile colitis)
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Ulcerative Colitis
- Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammation of the colon. Symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, and rectal bleeding. Ulcerative colitis is closely related to Crohn's disease, and together they are referred to as inflammatory bowel disease. Treatment depends upon the type of ulcerative colitis diagnosed.
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Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) is a common gastrointestinal disorder involving abnormal gut contractions (motility) characterized by abdominal pain, bloating, mucous in stools, and irregular bowel habits with alternating diarrhea and constipation, symptoms that tend to be chronic and to wax and wane over the years. Treatment options include medication and lifestyle changes such as diet, exercise, and stress management to control symptoms. Also called spastic colitis, mucus colitis, nervous colon syndrome.
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Anal Cancer
- Anal cancer, cancer located at the end of the large intestine, has symptoms that include anal or rectal bleeding, anal pain or pressure, anal discharge or itching, a change in bowel movements, and/or a lump in the anal region. Treatment for anal cancer may involve radiation, chemotherapy, or surgery and depends upon the stage of the cancer, its location, whether cancer is eradicated after the first treatment, and whether the patient has HIV.
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Colon Polyps
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Microscopic Colitis (Lymphocytic Colitis and Collagenous Colitis)
- Microscopic colitis (lymphocytic colitis and collagenous colitis) is a disease of inflammation of the colon. Microscopic colitis is only visible when the colon's lining is examined under a microscope. The cause of microscopic colitis is not known. Symptoms of microscopic colitis are chronic watery diarrhea and abdominal pain or cramps. Microscopic colitis is diagnosed through biopsies of several areas of the colon. There is no standardized treatment for microscopic colitis; however, eliminating NSAIDs, and treatment medications such as Imodium, Lomotil, Petpo-Bismol, Entocort EC, and mesalamine (Asacol) have been helpful in some individuals.
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Hirschsprung's Disease
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The Digestive System
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Melanosis Coli
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Colon Cancer Prevention
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Disease Prevention in Women
- Disease prevention in women includes screening tests that are a basic part of prevention medicine. All screening tests are commonly available through your general doctor. Some specialized tests may be available elsewhere.
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Disease Prevention in Men
- Disease prevention in men includes routine screening tests that are part of basic prevention medicine. Take an active role in your own health care and discuss screening tests with your doctor early in life. Age of screening and timing of screening depends upon the condition being assessed.
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