Gastroenterologist: Your Stomach & GI Specialist

In most cases, people visit a gastrointestinal doctor when their primary care doctor refers them to one. The purpose of the referral is for the proper screening, diagnosis or treatment of a digestive problem. However, a gastroenterologist is not a surgeon. If you need GI surgery, your GI doctor (or your primary physician) will refer you to a surgeon.

If you require continuing care for a digestive condition, your GI doctor will let you know if you should continue to see him or her or return to your primary care doctor. Because gastroenterologists are also trained as internists, some of them choose to maintain an internal medicine practice and provide general healthcare for adults. If this is the case, your GI doctor may also serve as your primary care doctor.

Consider see a gastroenterologist if you develop any of the following symptoms or conditions: 

• Abdominal swelling, bloating or distention

• Bleeding or pain with bowel movements

• Changes in bowel habits or changes in stool diameter, color or consistency that lasts for more than 10 days

• Chronic heartburn, indigestion or reflux

• Diarrhea or constipation that does not go away or get better with over-the-counter treatments after a few days

• Excessive gas or belching

• Stomach or abdominal pain

• Trouble swallowing

• Yellow skin or eyes, flu-like symptoms, or unexplained weight loss

You should also seek care from a gastroenterologist under the following situations:

• You are 50 years of age or older and have not been screened for colorectal cancer.

• You are 40 years of age or older, you have inflammatory bowel disease or a family history of colorectal cancer or polyps, and have not been screened for colorectal cancer.

If you need GI care, find an experienced gastroenterologist near you. If your child needs care, look for a board-certified pediatric gastroenterologist.

A gastroenterologist treats the following types of conditions and diseases:

• Bowel disorders including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), celiac disease, diverticulitis, diverticulosis, and ischemic bowel disease

• Functional disorders including constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, belching and flatulence

• GI cancer including esophageal, stomach, liver, pancreatic, gallbladder and colorectal cancers

• Infections including diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites

• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis

• Liver disease including hepatitis, cirrhosis, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

• Other acute or chronic conditions including appendicitis, pancreatitis, and gallbladder attacks

• Upper GI disorders including heartburn, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), peptic ulcer disease, chronic vomiting, and gastroparesis (when your stomach fails to empty properly due to nerve damage)

A gastroenterologist can order or perform a wide variety of diagnostic and screening tests including:

• Colonoscopy to examine your colon and rectum

• Endoscopy to examine your esophagus, stomach, small intestine, bile ducts, pancreatic ducts, and gallbladder ducts

• Imaging tests including X-rays, barium enemas, barium swallows (upper GI series), ultrasounds, CT (computed tomography), virtual colonoscopy, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), gastric emptying studies, and gallbladder scans called HIDA scans

• Laboratory tests including blood tests, urine tests, fecal occult blood tests, hepatitis panels, H. pylori tests for ulcers, and autoimmune factor tests

Gastroenterologists order or perform various procedures and treatments to manage digestive health conditions. If you need GI surgery, your doctor will refer you to either a general surgeon or a specialized surgeon depending on your condition.

Common procedures and treatments include: 

• Cancer treatments including endoscopic laser therapy, photodynamic light therapy, freezing, and removal

• Endoscopic procedures including biopsies, polyp removal, esophageal and intestinal dilation, hemostasis to stop bleeding, tumor removal without surgery, drainage tube placement, and stone removal from bile ducts or gallbladder ducts

• Medications including antibiotics, antivirals, acid blockers, nausea medicines, antidiarrheal drugs, promotility agents, enzyme therapy, and immunotherapy

• Nutritional support including enteral feedings through feeding tubes, total parental nutrition (TPN) through intravenous catheters, and growth hormone therapy for short bowel syndrome

To increase the likelihood of receiving highly skilled gastrointestinal care, choose a doctor who is board certified in gastroenterology. Gastroenterology is a subspecialty of internal medicine.

Doctors don’t have to be board certified in the subspecialty to practice gastroenterology and perform GI procedures. However, subspecialty certification verifies the doctor has completed higher level training and passed an exam demonstrating his or her mastery of gastroenterology.

The American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Osteopathic Board of Internal Medicine certify eligible doctors in gastroenterology.

A board-certified gastroenterologist has:

• Graduated from medical school (MD) or a college of osteopathic medicine (DO)

• Completed specialized residency training and earned board certification in internal medicine

• Completed specialized fellowship training and earned board certification in gastroenterology

To maintain board certification, a doctor must participate in the Board’s ongoing certification program for gastroenterology.

If you are comparing several different GI doctors, consider the doctor’s background information, availability, accepted insurance plans, and online patient ratings and reviews to help you make a confident decision.