Understanding Your Symptoms
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Your Symptoms
Digestive and liver issues can cause a range of symptoms, from mild discomfort to serious concerns. Identifying them early is key to effective treatment. If you’re experiencing any of the following, our specialists are here to help.
People see a gastroenterologist for many reasons, often because of ongoing gut-related symptoms. Here are some of the most common ones:
Stomach Pain
This can be cramping, aching, or sharp pain anywhere in your belly. It might be caused by indigestion, acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gallstones, or inflammation in the gut. Depending on the cause, tests like blood tests, ultrasound, or an endoscopy may be needed.
Bloating and Excess Gas
Feeling uncomfortably full, swollen, or gassy can be frustrating. It may be linked to IBS, food intolerances, constipation, or an imbalance of bacteria in the gut. Tests like breath tests, stool tests, or a dietary review can help find the cause.
Blood in the Stool or Rectal Bleeding
Seeing blood in the toilet, on tissue paper, or in the stool can be worrying. It might be caused by haemorrhoids (piles), small tears (fissures), diverticular disease, polyps, or, in rare cases, bowel cancer. A colonoscopy or stool tests can help check for problems.
Difficulty Swallowing
If food feels like it’s sticking or not going down properly, it might be due to acid reflux, inflammation, a narrowing of the food pipe, or something pressing on the food pipe. An endoscopy or a special swallowing test may be recommended.
Yellowing of the Skin or Eyes (Jaundice)
This happens when the liver isn’t working properly, often due to liver disease, blocked bile ducts, or infections. It’s important to get this checked quickly , and tests like liver function blood tests, an ultrasound, or an MRI scan may be needed.
Heartburn or Acid Reflux
A burning feeling in the chest, often after eating or lying down. This happens when stomach acid flows back up into the food pipe. It’s often linked to diet, a weak valve in the food pipe, or conditions like acid reflux disease (GERD). An endoscopy or pH test might help check what’s going on.
Diarrhoea or Constipation
Going to the toilet too often or struggling to go can be signs of digestive issues. This could be due to diet, stress, infections, IBS, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), coeliac disease or even some medicines you may be on. Stool tests, blood tests, or a colonoscopy/flexible sigmoidoscopy (a limited version of a colonoscopy that assesses only the left side) may be needed to find the cause.
Unexplained Weight Loss
Losing weight without trying can be a sign that your body isn’t absorbing nutrients properly or that something more serious is going on. Conditions like coeliac disease, Crohn’s disease, and some cancers can cause this. Blood tests, stool tests, or scans may be needed to investigate further.
Feeling Sick or Vomiting
Nausea and vomiting can happen for many reasons, from gut infections and acid reflux to gallbladder problems or even blockages in the digestive system. Tests like blood work, an ultrasound, or an endoscopy can help find the cause.
Indigestion and Stomach Discomfort
A burning or uncomfortable feeling in the upper stomach, especially after eating, can be caused by acid reflux, stomach ulcers, or a bacterial infection called H. pylori. An endoscopy or stool test might help figure out the cause if you do not find relief with antacid medicines.
Stomach Pain
This can be cramping, aching, or sharp pain anywhere in your belly. It might be caused by indigestion, acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gallstones, or inflammation in the gut. Depending on the cause, tests like blood tests, ultrasound, or an endoscopy may be needed.
Heartburn or Acid Reflux
A burning feeling in the chest, often after eating or lying down. This happens when stomach acid flows back up into the food pipe. It’s often linked to diet, a weak valve in the food pipe, or conditions like acid reflux disease (GERD). An endoscopy or pH test might help check what’s going on.
Bloating and Excess Gas
Feeling uncomfortably full, swollen, or gassy can be frustrating. It may be linked to IBS, food intolerances, constipation, or an imbalance of bacteria in the gut. Tests like breath tests, stool tests, or a dietary review can help find the cause.
Diarrhoea or Constipation
Going to the toilet too often or struggling to go can be signs of digestive issues. This could be due to diet, stress, infections, IBS, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), coeliac disease or even some medicines you may be on. Stool tests, blood tests, or a colonoscopy/flexible sigmoidoscopy (a limited version of a colonoscopy that assesses only the left side) may be needed to find the cause.
Blood in the Stool or Rectal Bleeding
Seeing blood in the toilet, on tissue paper, or in the stool can be worrying. It might be caused by haemorrhoids (piles), small tears (fissures), diverticular disease, polyps, or, in rare cases, bowel cancer. A colonoscopy or stool tests can help check for problems.
Unexplained Weight Loss
Losing weight without trying can be a sign that your body isn’t absorbing nutrients properly or that something more serious is going on. Conditions like coeliac disease, Crohn’s disease, and some cancers can cause this. Blood tests, stool tests, or scans may be needed to investigate further.
Difficulty Swallowing
If food feels like it’s sticking or not going down properly, it might be due to acid reflux, inflammation, a narrowing of the food pipe, or something pressing on the food pipe. An endoscopy or a special swallowing test may be recommended.
Feeling Sick or Vomiting
Nausea and vomiting can happen for many reasons, from gut infections and acid reflux to gallbladder problems or even blockages in the digestive system. Tests like blood work, an ultrasound, or an endoscopy can help find the cause.
Yellowing of the Skin or Eyes (Jaundice)
This happens when the liver isn’t working properly, often due to liver disease, blocked bile ducts, or infections. It’s important to get this checked quickly , and tests like liver function blood tests, an ultrasound, or an MRI scan may be needed.
Indigestion and Stomach Discomfort
A burning or uncomfortable feeling in the upper stomach, especially after eating, can be caused by acid reflux, stomach ulcers, or a bacterial infection called H. pylori. An endoscopy or stool test might help figure out the cause if you do not find relief with antacid medicines.
If you would like some advice on the kind of investigations you may need before you book your appointment, please do not hesitate to contact us.