Gastroenterologists in Manchester, New Hampshire

Our compassionate specialists are dedicated to improving your gastrointestinal (GI) health.

The gastroenterology team at Catholic Medical Center offers you the latest care and treatment options for a wide range of digestive conditions and disorders, including conditions of the esophagus, stomach and small intestine.

Your gastroenterologist will conduct tests to identify which part of your gastrointestinal system is not functioning properly. These may include imaging techniques such as endoscopy, colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, or biopsies. Abdominal X-rays may also be used to examine the lower GI tract. Depending on the diagnosis, your condition may be treated with medication, or surgery may be necessary to restore full function. We are committed to diagnosing and treating you with the highest level of care.

Conditions we treat

Our board-certified specialists will create a personalized plan to help you manage many different conditions, including:

  • Barrett’s esophagus
  • Celiac disease
  • Disorders of the pancreas
  • Diverticulitis
  • Esophageal and swallowing disorders
  • Gastrointestinal cancers
  • Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
  • Inflammatory conditions (microscopic colitis, etc.)
  • Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis)
  • Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
  • Swallowing disorders

Advanced gastroenterology care and services

The GI system is the body’s plumbing system. It allows us to eat and digest food, absorb energy from the food and expel waste. It consists of your mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, appendix, pancreas and spleen.

Symptoms of GI issues include:

  • Blood in your stools
  • Constipation
  • Diarrhea
  • Severe cramping and indigestion
  • Vomiting

Our gastrointestinal services include:

  • Capsule endoscopy
  • Colonoscopy
  • Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
  • H. pylori (Helicobacter pylori) breath test
  • Manometry
  • pH monitoring test
  • Radiofrequency ablation treatment for Barrett’s esophagus
  • Small bowel endoscopy
  • Upper endoscopy

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) care

GERD is a chronic digestive disease that occurs when stomach acid or bile flows back into your esophagus. This acid irritates the lining of your esophagus, causing GERD signs and symptoms. In some cases, GERD is caused by a hiatal hernia.

Signs and symptoms of GERD include acid reflux and heartburn.

In many cases, GERD can be relieved through diet and lifestyle changes. Chocolate, fried or fatty foods, coffee and alcoholic beverages can cause or worsen GERD symptoms, as can cigarette smoking. Even with lifestyle adjustments, some individuals may still require medication or surgery to find relief. When lifestyle and dietary changes are unsuccessful, a more detailed diagnostic evaluation must be performed. If left untreated, GERD can lead to serious complications, including cancer of the esophagus.

For patients whose GERD cannot be managed through lifestyle changes, physicians may recommend a series of diagnostic tests. One of these is an upper GI x-ray, which provides images of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum (the upper part of the small intestine) to help rule out other conditions. Endoscopy is another method used to inspect the esophagus, where a small, lighted camera is inserted to check for inflammation or irritation in the tissue. A biopsy is often taken during this procedure as well.

Tests to identify GI issues

Your gastroenterologist may perform tests and imaging to help diagnose your condition, such as an endoscopy, colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, biopsy and X-ray. Treatment may include medication, or surgery may be needed. We will diagnose and treat you with the care you deserve.

Diagnostic tests we offer include:

  • Bronchoscopy — A bronchoscopy allows a doctor to look into your trachea and lungs to identify, evaluate and diagnose various respiratory conditions and diseases.
  • Colonoscopy — A colonoscopy detects growths, called polyps, in the large intestine. Polyps can sometimes lead to cancer and can easily and painlessly be removed during this procedure. If you are 45 years old or older, you should have a regular colorectal screening. This should be done earlier if you have a family history of colon cancer. If detected early, colon cancer is one of the few preventable cancers.
  • Endoscopy services — You have access to inpatient and outpatient endoscopy services, including diagnostic and therapeutic procedures that treat a variety of conditions associated with the GI tract, as well as the respiratory system.
  • Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) — This allows a doctor to look into your biliary and pancreatic ducts and to remove stones or insert stents to remove any obstruction.
  • Esophageal 24-hour pH study — This allows a doctor to examine what happens in your lower esophagus when you feel the symptoms of heartburn or GERD.
  • Esophageal manometry motility study — This test evaluates how food moves through your esophagus and into your stomach by examining the strength and coordination of your esophagus muscles.
  • Gastroscopy — This procedure examines the esophagus and stomach to detect ulcers, redness or irritation of the tissue. If you have persistent symptoms of heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), this procedure detects its severity and changes in the lining of the esophagus, a condition called Barrett’s esophagus.
  • Radiofrequency ablation — If you are diagnosed with Barrett’s esophagus, this state-of-the-art procedure removes the abnormal cells in the lining of your esophagus.

Detecting colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer is cancer affecting the large intestine, also known as the colon, or the rectum. The word "colorectal" is just a shortened way of saying colon and rectal. It has very few symptoms, which is why screening is so important. Colorectal cancer might not cause any symptoms at first. When symptoms appear, they can include:

  • Stomach pain
  • A change in your bowel movements (number, texture, or size)
  • Blood in your bowel movements
  • Feeling weak or tired

Guidelines for colorectal cancer screening:

  • Starting at 45 years old, both men and women should have a colorectal screening. (People with an inflammatory bowel disease or a family history of colon or rectal cancer may be at a higher risk and should begin testing earlier.)
  • Most insurance plans, including the Affordable Care Act, cover colorectal cancer screening tests. Ask your insurance company what you should expect.
  • Regular screenings can find colon cancer early, when treatment is most effective. The five-year survival rate is 90% if cancer is detected early.

A colonoscopy is an exam used to detect changes or abnormalities in the large intestine and rectum. Most pre-cancerous polyps can be removed at the time of the colonoscopy through a polyectomy. Even larger polyps, which carry a higher risk for cancer, can be removed in the outpatient setting through a procedure called endoscopic mucosal resection.

Colonoscopies

If you are 45 years old or older, it’s time for your colorectal cancer screening. The risk is high — 1 in 24 people will develop colorectal cancer in their lifetime. But colonoscopies are one of the most effective cancer screenings and can catch the disease in its earliest stages. Most insurances, including Medicaid, cover them.

Colonoscopy FAQs

What should I do before a colonoscopy?

We will give you instructions about what to do before a colonoscopy, including what foods you can and cannot eat and if you need to stop taking any of your usual medicines beforehand. Make sure to read the instructions as soon as you get them. You might have to stop some medicines up to a week before the test.

Your colon needs to be cleaned out before a colonoscopy. We will give you a special drink that causes watery diarrhea. It is important to drink all of it to make sure your colon is clean, so we can see the inside lining of your colon. A clean colon also makes the test easier to do and more comfortable. Let us know if you have trouble getting ready for your colonoscopy.

What happens during a colonoscopy?

We will give you medicine to make you feel relaxed. Then, we will put a thin tube with a camera and light on the end into your anus and up into your rectum and colon. We will look at the inside lining of the whole colon.

During the procedure, we might do a test called a biopsy, where a small piece of tissue is taken from the colon to be examined under a microscope to see if it has cancer. We may also remove growths we can see in your colon. You will not feel it if either of these things is done.

What happens after a colonoscopy?

We will give you instructions about what to do after a colonoscopy. Most people can eat as usual, but it's usually recommended that you do not drive or go to work for the rest of the day. We will tell you when to start taking any medicines you had to stop before the test.

When should I call my doctor?

Call your doctor immediately if you have any of the following problems after your colonoscopy:

  • Belly pain that is much worse than gas pain or cramps
  • A bloated and hard belly
  • Vomiting
  • Fever
  • Significant bleeding from your anus

Endoscopies

An endoscopy is a medical procedure that allows a doctor to see inside the body using a flexible tube with a camera and light. The most common types of endoscopy include colonoscopy, upper endoscopy and laparoscopy.

Endoscopy FAQs

What should I do before an endoscopy?

We will give you instructions about what to do before an endoscopy, including when to stop eating or drinking or when to stop taking any of your usual medicines. Make sure to read the instructions as soon as you get them. You might have to stop some medicines up to a week before the test. Let us know if you have trouble getting ready for your upper endoscopy.

What happens during an endoscopy?

An intravenous (IV) line will be put in your arm, giving you medicines that relax you. We might give you a mouth spray or gargle to numb your mouth. You will also get a plastic mouthguard to protect your teeth.

Then, we will place a thin tube with a camera and light on the end into your mouth and down into your esophagus, stomach and duodenum. We will look for irritation, bleeding, ulcers or growths.

Will other tests occur?

During an endoscopy, we may also:

  • Do a biopsy on a small piece of tissue from the lining of your digestive tract by removing it and looking at it under a microscope. You will not feel this happening.
  • Treat problems we see, such as stopping bleeding or removing a growth.

What happens after an upper endoscopy?

After an upper endoscopy, we will watch you for one to two hours until the medicines wear off. It is usually recommended that you should not drive or go to work right after an upper endoscopy. Most people can drive and go back to work the next day.

What are the side effects of an upper endoscopy?

The most common side effect is feeling bloated. Some people have nausea because of the medicines used before the procedure. If this happens to you, we can give you medicine to help. Most people can eat as usual after the procedure.

Other side effects are not as common, but can occur. These include:

  • Food from your stomach getting into your lungs
  • Bleeding, for example, after a growth is removed
  • Getting a tear in the digestive tract lining
  • Redness or swelling of the skin around the IV

When should I call my doctor?

Call your doctor immediately if you have any of the following problems after your upper endoscopy:

  • Belly pain that is much worse than gas pain or cramps
  • A bloated and hard belly
  • Vomiting
  • Fever
  • Trouble swallowing or severe throat pain
  • Black bowel movements
  • A “crunching” feeling under the skin in the neck

To learn more about our gastroenterology services, call us at (603) 665-2470.

Care for esophageal disorders

Your esophagus is the tube running from your mouth to your stomach. Food, liquid and saliva travel down this tube and are met at the bottom by a circular muscle called a sphincter. If you are having issues with your esophagus, you may have pain or difficulty swallowing.

Your gastroenterologist can examine your esophagus to see if it's functioning correctly. A number of conditions could be causing your symptoms, including:

  • Esophageal motility disorders
  • Barrett’s esophagus
  • Bile reflux
  • Eosinophilic esophagitis
  • Esophageal spasms
  • Esophageal varices

Tests for esophageal issues include:

  • Esophageal dilation
  • Esophageal manometry
  • Upper GI endoscopy
  • Upper GI series
  • X-rays of the neck

To learn more about our gastroenterology services, call us at (603) 665-2470.