Gastroenterology & Digestive Health

Stomach pains are some of the most common medical conditions — and some of the most difficult to diagnose. Chronic stomach problems are often difficult to diagnose without an imaging test.

If you have been struggling with stomach pain, you may have had frustrating trips to the doctor’s office when they were unable to figure out what was wrong. At Adventist Health, our knowledgeable gastroenterology team will really listen to all you’ve been going through and devise a plan of action to treat your stomach pain once and for all.

We use state-of-the-art technology

Our gastroenterologists use a variety of tools and procedures to examine the stomach, small and large intestines, and rectum. Our team of physicians, nurses and other staff have specialized training and certification to perform a variety of technically demanding procedures.

Our labs offer a wide range of services, including:

• Colonoscopy
• Flexible sigmoidoscopy
• Upper endoscopy
• ERCP (examination of bile ducts, gall bladder and related structures)
• Feeding tube placement

Many of our imaging tests are minimally invasive. This means that few or no incisions are needed, and we can examine your internal organs and tissues without a complicated surgery.

Treatment for gastrointestinal disorders

There are numerous possible causes of stomach discomfort. While there are many treatments to help sooth general pains, we will need to find what’s causing your stomach problems to create a more definitive treatment plan.

Some possible causes of gastrointestinal disorders include:

• Low-fiber diets
• Lack of exercise
• Resisting the urge to have a bowel movement
• Constipation
• Too much caffeine
• Overusing laxatives
• Stress and anxiety

Stress is actually a very common source of stomach pain. If a gastroenterologists cannot find a physical reason for your problem, you may want to explore mental health services or stress management programs.