The Heart and Science of Medicine

Colonoscopy

The colon (large intestine) is the biggest part of our large intestine or the large bowel that shoots out the waste products of our body. This 1200–1500 mm long organ plays a major role in our digestive system. The main function of the colon in our body includes drying, processing, and eliminating the left waste from our body. The small intestine absorbs the nutrients in the food and transfers it to the large intestine that is 5 feet long and about 3 inches in diameter. If we do not care and detox it regularly, then it may grow tissues of cancer, polyps, or ulcers. Colonoscopy is a procedure done to assess the health of our large intestines or rectum with the help of a colonoscope (a medical instrument inserted into the openings of the lower body part).

This test is basically done to detect early colorectal cancer. It can also show several other colon conditions such as swollen or irritated tissue, ulcers, polyps, or chronic Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBS). Your doctor may recommend a colonoscopy for a variety of reasons such as:

• Unexplained bleeding from the anus
• A sudden change in bowel activity or habit, such as diarrhea
• Abdominal pain
• Sudden weight loss

Patients with a previous history of cancer or polyps are at a higher risk of going through it again. So, they are advised to have a periodic colonoscopy test as a preventive health check. Doctors recommend that people over age 50 should get their colonoscopy done periodically, as they are more prone to it.