Upper Endoscopy in Richardson
Helping You Understand Your Gastrointestinal Health
If you’ve been having pain in your esophagus from acid reflux, it may be necessary to undergo an upper endoscopy (EGD) to get a better look at what’s causing the issue. Thanks to the advanced equipment and facilities at Methodist Richardson Medical Center, we can get a detailed look at your gastrointestinal (GI) tract and look for any abnormalities.
An EGD can help your physician determine the cause of:
- Severe acid reflux or heartburn
- Nausea
- Chest Pain
- Diarrhea
- Difficulty swallowing
- Bleeding in your gastrointestinal tract
- Vomiting, especially if vomit is an excessively dark color
What Is An EGD?
When you undergo an upper endoscopy procedure, a thin tube fixed with a light and a camera is inserted through the mouth and down the esophagus until it reaches the area where your stomach meets the small intestine. This allows the doctor to look at the muscles of your upper digestive tract and see what’s causing the issue. They will look for hernias that allow stomach acid to leak back into your esophagus, or muscular issues that cause your digestive tract to fail to move food and liquids along properly.
While the doctor will apply a numbing agent to the throat, patients can choose to be sedated for the procedure as well. In most cases, the procedure takes only minutes to complete. With this information, your doctor will be able to determine how to move forward and suggest treatments such as medication, diet and exercise, or surgery.
How Do I Prepare for An Upper Endoscopy?
Plan not to eat or drink anything 8 hours before your upper endoscopy. It’s important that your stomach is clear of any food or liquids for the doctor to accurately diagnose what’s happening in your digestive tract. It’s also important that you avoid blood thinning medications, as these may increase the risk of bleeding. In any case, ask your doctor how to best prepare for the procedure.
What Happens After My EGD?
Since an upper endoscopy is minimally invasive, most patients will be able to leave the office within hours of having it performed. Patients who choose to be sedated will take a little longer before they are back to normal, but recovery shouldn’t take more than 24 hours.
Our staff will guide you through each step of your EGD and make sure you are fully informed on what to expect before and after the procedure.