6 TexasHealthMansfield.org A digestive health issue can disrupt your life and affect your overall health. Whether you’re feeling the burn of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or are due for a colorectal cancer screening, know that the digestive health team at Texas Health Hospital Mansfield is here for you. Why do people see a digestive health doctor? Often, it’s because of acid reflux, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, constipation or swallowing problems. “Many of these symptoms can affect your quality of life,” says Abdullah Abdussalam, MD, a gastroenterologist at Texas Health Hospital Mansfield. “When people come to see us with acute issues, they are very grateful when we can offer them symptom relief.” Other people may need help managing conditions like: ● Ulcerative colitis ● Crohn’s disease ● Ulcers Dr. Abdussalam uses diagnostic tools, like upper GI (gastrointestinal) endoscopy, to help evaluate diseases and offer a personalized treatment plan. A lifesaving test Here’s another reason to see a GI specialist: Starting at age Discover more Need a consultation with a GI specialist? Call 682.688.9961. Help for digestive health problems 45, most people should have a colorectal cancer screening test. “A screening colonoscopy is the gold standard for preventing colorectal cancer,” says Dr. Abdussalam. It allows doctors to view the entire colon and rectum and remove any precancerous growths, called polyps, in a single procedure. In this way, a colonoscopy can prevent colorectal cancer, the fourth leading cause of U.S. cancer deaths. The screening can also detect colorectal cancer before it has spread. That’s when treatment often works best. Small incisions Texas Health Hospital Mansfield is home to advanced surgeries that treat diseases of the GI tract, such as GERD or hiatal hernias, which is when part of the stomach bulges through the diaphragm into the chest. “We do these with a minimally invasive approach—robotically or laparoscopically,” says Andre Graham, MD, a general surgeon at Texas Health Hospital Mansfield. Benefits of smaller incisions can include shorter hospital stays, faster recoveries and less post-surgery discomfort. Other minimally invasive procedures are used to treat the abnormal narrowing of the esophagus in people with swallowing problems, as well as gastric or peptic ulcers. Personalized care is part of what sets Texas Health Hospital Mansfield apart. “You’re not lost in the numbers,” Dr. Graham says. “Your cares and your concerns are considered on a personal level.”
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