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Dr. Mahadevan B

Gastroenterologist
Chennai, India
19 Years of experience

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is a Gastroenterologist?

The digestive system, as well as the gallbladder, liver, bile ducts, and pancreas, are the focus of gastroenterology.

Gastroenterologists are medical professionals who have special training and skills to diagnose and treat gastrointestinal and liver disorders. These doctors also perform standard procedures like colonoscopies, which allow them to examine the inside of your intestine after completing medical school with 5-6 years of specialized training.

They have a special focus on:

  • Digestive tract problems
  • Hepatology
  • Gastrointestinal cancers
  • Acid reflux
  • Pancreatic disease and many more.

What conditions do Gastroenterologists treat?

Gastroenterologists have the skills and knowledge to appropriately diagnose any internal disorders encircling the gastrointestinal tract.

Among the diseases and conditions they treat are:

  • gastric cancers
  • esophageal cancers
  • peptic ulcer disease
  • colon polyps
  • achalasia
  • Barrett's esophagus
  • colon and bowel cancers
  • cholecystitis
  • pancreatitis
  • pancreatic cancers
  • gastroesophageal reflux
  • colitis
  • biliary tract disease
  • gallbladder stones and cancer
  • hepatitis
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
  • nutritional problems and malabsorption
  • a host of other disease conditions

A screening colonoscopy or other tests that look inside any area of your gastrointestinal tract would also be performed by a gastroenterologist.

What are the qualifications of a Gastroenterologist?

  • A three-year Internal Medicine residency is required before becoming a Gastroenterologist.
  • After this, an individual is qualified for two to three years of additional specialized training (fellowship) in Gastroenterology.
  • After medical school, they might take up a total of 5-6 years of extra specialized education.
  • The fellowship is a hands-on, intensive, and challenging program that allows trainees to learn directly from nationally recognized experts while also working to gain a thorough grasp of gastrointestinal illnesses.
  • The training includes everything from patient evaluation to patient care.

Procedures that are covered during the training involve:

  • Endoscopy including upper endoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, and colonoscopy
  • Endoscopic biliary examination including endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography or ERCP
  • Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR)
  • Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS)
  • And other procedures

What are the subspecialties of a Gastroenterologist?

Some gastroenterologists specialize in particular illnesses or organ symptoms.

  • Hepatology- the study of the liver is one of the most prevalent.

Other fields of fellowships and training include:

  • Inflammatory bowel disease
  • Colorectal cancer
  • Gastrointestinal motility
  • Interventional endoscopy
  • Neurogastroenterology
  • Pediatric gastroenterology
  • Transplant hepatology

What diagnostic tests are required by a Gastroenterologist?

After conducting a thorough physical examination, a gastroenterologist may request certain tests for you to rule out other possible conditions.

These tests can be one or more of the following:

  • CT scan using X-rays
  • Examination of your blood or stool
  • Enema or barium swallow test where you'll be asked to ingest barium liquid and have to take an X-ray test to see how your digestive system looks.
  • Endoscopy of the upper gastrointestinal tract in order to better observe your upper digestive tract. A tube with a light and camera at the end known as an endoscope will be placed through your mouth. This is frequently done for individuals who have GI issues including vomiting or heartburn, as well as for biopsies.
  • Colonoscopy: To better observe the lower digestive tract, a tube with a camera is introduced through the rectum. Colonoscopy is commonly used to diagnose and screen for colorectal cancer in patients who have bloody stools.

Your doctor will schedule a follow-up consultation with you to discuss the results and possible treatment options, depending on whether you need additional tests.

When should you visit a Gastroenterologist?

If you suffer from any of the below-mentioned problems, you should see a gastroenterologist or your primary care doctor who may recommend you to this expert.

  • Inexplicable blood in your stool
  • Unexplained difficulties swallowing
  • Stomach pain

You should also see a gastroenterologist for preventive treatment if you're above the age of 50. Colon cancer is more common in males and women over the age of 50.

Some other organs/body parts problems that might require a visit to a gastroenterologist are:

  • Oesophagus
  • Stomach
  • Small intestine (GI tract)
  • Colon
  • Rectum
  • Pancreas
  • Gallbladder
  • Bile ducts
  • Liver

What can you expect from your first visit with a Gastroenterologist?

Your gastroenterologist will likely ask you a lot of questions regarding your illness during the first visit. It's critical for the patient to answer them accurately so that they can make an accurate diagnosis and recommend the best treatment for you. It would also be beneficial if you keep track of your symptoms as well as any over-the-counter meds you use.

Few common questions to expect are:

  • Do you have any pain, bloating, heartburn, bleeding?
  • What causes the symptoms to appear?
  • When do the signs and symptoms appear? When do they improve or deteriorate?
  • What part of your body are you experiencing symptoms in?
  • What is the level of discomfort?
  • How often do you experience the signs and symptoms, and how long do they last?
  • Is the pain shifting or changing its location?
  • Do you have a family history of gastrointestinal disorders or other health issues?
  • Do you have a medical or surgical history with your gastrointestinal tract?

How to choose the best doctors in India?

Finding a doctor before you get sick is a critical step in your health, and you should check with the doctor's experience first, then search for organised and friendly office staff, as well as the ability to work effectively with you; after all, it is your body and health. Begin by inquiring about the names of your friends and family's favourite doctors.

  • According to a recent survey, the most valuable technique to find the top doctors in India is to seek a referral from family or friends. You might also look up a doctor's ranking on the internet.
  • Examine their credentials; you are not limited to doctors who graduated from the most prestigious medical school, hospital where they completed their residency or practice location.
  • Instead, look for a board-certified doctor who is linked with a reputable institution. When compared to unaffiliated community hospitals, academic hospitals perform better in terms of patient safety and favourable outcomes. Before choosing the top doctors in India, you should evaluate the quality of hospitals in India.

Patients who had empathic and involved doctors felt more supported and were better equipped to take control of their own health, according to a new study. As a result, a skilled doctor should pay attention to the patient. As a patient, you can learn more about the prospective doctor and see for yourself whether the staff is pleasant and professional. You can phone them and observe how they greet you; this will tell you whether he or she runs a practice where patients are treated with dignity. You should also feel at ease with the doctor who will be administering your treatment.

Which are some of the most common types of doctors patients seek out in India?

Learning never stops in the medical field. Doctors must continually study and update their expertise. Doctors must choose from a number of medical disciplines in order to have a successful and prosperous career. Furthermore, medical specialists are in high demand all around the world. Doctors who possess decent behaviour, are trained in clinical abilities, and have high education is preferred by the patients. Doctors must deal with life and death circumstances, which makes it even more crucial to seek only the best-rated doctors in your area. If you live in India or are travelling from outside, here are some of the best-rated doctors you can consult:

  • Cosmetic surgeon
  • Bone marrow transplant specialist
  • Cardiologist
  • Bariatric surgeon
  • Ayurvedic doctor
  • Orthopaedist
  • Nephrologist & Urologist
  • Paediatrician
  • Dermatologist
  • Cancer Care specialist
  • Spine specialists
  • Plastic Surgeons
  • Vascular Surgeons
  • Gastroenterologist
  • Colorectal Surgeons
  • Critical Care specialist
  • Liver treatment specialist
  • Emergency physician
  • Sports specialist and surgeon
  • Pulmonologist

Which are the most popular treatments availed in India?

India has some of the best medical care and treatment options in the country. Visitors from all over the world come to experience the top-class treatments, making it a famous and popular travel destination. Foreigners are welcome to visit the country's certified physicians and nurses. Everyone's health is a priority, especially in the midst of the covid-19 pandemic. Many general practitioners from around the world have referred their patients to India for specialised treatments. The following are some of the most popular therapies in India:

  • Neurosciences
  • ENT (Otolaryngology)
  • Nephrology & Urology
  • Paediatrics
  • Dermatology
  • Cancer Care
  • Spine treatments
  • Plastic Surgery
  • Vascular Surgery
  • Gastroenterology
  • Colorectal Surgery
  • Critical Care
  • Liver treatments
  • Emergency
  • Sports Medicine and Surgery
  • Transplants
  • Pulmonology
  • Face Lift
  • Hair Transplant
  • Breast Augmentation
  • Tummy Tuck and Liposuction
  • Bone marrow transplant
  • Cardiovascular treatment
  • Bariatric surgery
  • Ayurvedic treatments
  • Orthopaedic treatment
  • Homoeopathic treatments

What is the level of expertise that is offered by doctors and surgeons in India?

In hospitals, there is a doctor hierarchy with varying levels of responsibility and training. Regardless of specialisation, a doctor can advance to any level in this hierarchy depending on ambition and training. The level of expertise of a doctor or surgeon varies according to their level in the organization. India’s healthcare sector is teeming with doctors, varying from highly-trained specialists with 10-20 years of expertise to those who are new to the professional field. Fellows and interns can be found working in a wide range of hospitals, especially those linked with a medical school or institute. After examining their degree of knowledge, the patient must make a decision and select the appropriate doctor/specialist. When looking for competency, financial considerations come into play as well; the higher the cost of visits and treatment, the better the doctor's expertise. A patient can visit a healthcare provider of their choice after carefully analysing all of their individual preferences and prioritising the medical concern.

Why is India a preferred medical destination?

Although India has a large healthcare system, there are still significant-quality discrepancies between rural and urban areas, as well as between public and private healthcare providers. Despite this, due to the relatively low costs and good quality of its private institutions, India is a popular destination for medical tourists. International travellers who come to India for sophisticated medical care should expect to rely on private hospitals. Other medical tourism hotspots in India include Bengaluru, Chandigarh Capital Region (CCR), Delhi NCR (including Gurugram and Faridabad), Jaipur, Kerala, Kolkata, and Mumbai. Hisar Medicity is a planned and under construction hub. The government has abolished visa limitations on tourist visas that required people from Gulf nations to wait two months between visits, which is expected to increase medical tourism. For tourists from certain countries, a visa-on-arrival scheme has been implemented, allowing foreign nationals to stay in India for 30 days for medical reasons. Bangladeshis, Afghans, Maldivians, Republic of Korea citizens, and Nigerians received the most medical visas in 2016. Despite the diversity of Indian languages, English is the official language and is widely spoken by the majority of the population making it easy for tourists to choose India as their preferred medical destination.