A colonoscopy is a medical procedure to visually image the lining of your colon in order to examine it for any irregularities. Colonoscopies are usually carried out by general surgeons or Gastroenterologists. A long and soft tube with a camera & light known as a Colonoscope is carefully inserted via the anus, carrying a live image to a screen which allows the doctor to examine the colon, all the way to the exit of the small intestine.
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Dr Ganesh discusses why Singaporeans should start screening for gastric cancer as early as 40
Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, is typically caused by mutated cells on the upper stomach lining. It is the fifth most common cancer and third leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide.
Continue readingGastric pain or appendicitis? Here’s how to tell
Abdominal pain can stem from a myriad of issues. Previously, I wrote about the difference between gastric pain and a stomach ulcer, in which the latter can stem from recurring gastric pain or gastritis if left untreated. Recently, I’ve been receiving a number of younger patients with bad abdominal pain and many were not able to pinpoint what exactly that pain was — though several of them thought it was gastric pain or pain caused by gas. After some tests, we found out what they were experiencing was actually appendix pain, or appendicitis.
Continue readingDr Ganesh Ramalingam: How do I differentiate gastric pain from a stomach ulcer?
Many stomach conditions often share the same symptoms — a dull or gnawing, burning pain in the upper part of the belly, nausea, heartburn and so on. More often than not, we’re inclined to link our abdominal pain with stomach flu or gastric pain, partly because our population is used to having recurring gastric pain attacks. That and no one would actually suspect they have a stomach ulcer — at least for the majority of my patients when I give them a diagnosis.
Continue readingGastric Pain Singapore: What happens if it is recurring?
I’ve been asked multiple times, “Doc, is it bad if I always get gastric pain? Is having frequent gastric pain normal?” Well, the answer is no. You might think the answer to that is obvious, but many are actually unaware of the health implications frequent gastric pain brings. As a general surgeon in Singapore, I’ve noticed that the cases of gastric pain are rising, and I can only credit that to our busy lifestyles and irregular eating habits.
Continue readingGastric pain in Singapore: A doctor’s perspective on when to be worried
In medical terms, gastric pain is used to describe upper abdominal pain or pain just right above the belly button and below the ribs. It is often confused with stomach pain. While most pain experienced in the upper abdomen indeed arises from the stomach, some of the pain may originate from other organs like the bile duct, small intestine, gallbladder, pancreas or liver. In such cases, it may signal something more serious, such as kidney stones or the presence of a stomach ulcer.
Continue readingGastric pain: When to see a doctor in Singapore and how to relieve the pain
Do you often experience abdominal pain? Specifically, pain that arises in the centre of your upper abdomen? You may be experiencing gastric pain, a sort of pain that can range from a dull ache to a throbbing pain. While gastric pain is quite common in Singapore due to our stressful lives and tendency to have irregular meals, this stomach condition may be a sign of more serious health issues like stomach cancer and gallstone disease.
Continue readingGastroscopy Singapore: A doctor’s guide on how it’s done
A gastroscopy can help rule out or confirm the presence of conditions like stomach cancer, peptic ulcers or gastritis. In this procedure, a thin, flexible tube called an endoscope is lowered down the throat to look inside the food pipe, stomach and first small of the small intestine. The endoscope has a camera and light at one end which captures and sends images of your insides to a monitor. It can also take tissue samples by latching instruments such as small pincers, as well as suck out air and fluids.
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