How is Inflammatory Bowel Disease Diagnosed?
If you have gastrointestinal symptoms that you are concerned about, it is important to visit your GP to determine the cause.
Your GP will take a medical history, ask you about your symptoms and may do a number of tests to help determine what could be causing them. If required, your GP may direct you to a Gastroenterologist who is a Doctor who specialises in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, for further investigation. You may be referred to the gastroenterology service of a public hospital or to a Gastroenterologist who works in a private practice. If you see a Gastroenterologist in private, the cost may be covered by health insurance or you will have to pay for the service yourself.
The Gastroenterologist will also take a medical history, discuss symptoms and begin the process of determining their cause. If required, investigations involving specialist equipment called endoscopes may be carried out to allow the Gastroenterologist to see the inside of the gastrointestinal tract.