Gastroenterologists in Manchester, New Hampshire
We work to provide you and your loved ones with personalized gastrointestinal (GI) care.
At Catholic Medical Center, we proudly offer the latest diagnostics and treatment options for a wide range of digestive disorders. Our experienced team uses leading-edge medical research and tools to promote your GI health.
GI conditions we treat
We create personalized plans to help manage many GI conditions, including:
- Barrett’s esophagus
- Bile reflux
- Celiac disease
- Crohn’s disease
- Disorders of the pancreas
- Diverticulitis
- Eosinophilic esophagitis
- Esophageal motility disorders
- Esophageal spasms
- Esophageal varices
- Gastrointestinal cancers
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Microscopic colitis
- Swallowing disorders
- Ulcerative colitis
Advanced gastroenterology care and services
Your gastroenterologist will conduct tests to identify which part of your GI system is not functioning properly. Depending on the diagnosis, your condition may be treated with medication or surgery.
Symptoms of GI issues
The GI system includes your mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, appendix, pancreas and spleen. GI issues may appear as:
- Blood in your stool
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Indigestion
- Severe cramping
- Vomiting
Symptoms of colorectal cancer
Colorectal cancer affects the large intestine, also known as the colon, or the rectum. Though it may cause very few, if any, symptoms at first, colorectal cancer signs can include:
- Blood in your bowel movements
- Change in your bowel movements (number, texture or size)
- Feeling weak or tired
- Stomach pain
Our gastrointestinal services
We use a wide variety of tools and techniques to properly identify and treat your GI health conditions. Some of the care we offer includes:
- 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
Tests to identify GI issues
Your gastroenterologist may perform tests and imaging to help diagnose your condition, such as sigmoidoscopy, biopsy or X-ray. Additional 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 be removed during this procedure.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 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 advanced procedure removes the abnormal cells in the lining of your esophagus.
Colonoscopy
A colonoscopy is an exam used to detect changes or abnormalities in the large intestine and rectum. Most precancerous polyps can be removed at the time of the colonoscopy through a polypectomy. Even larger polyps, which carry a higher risk for cancer, can be removed in the outpatient setting through a procedure called endoscopic mucosal resection. Our guidelines for screening include:
- Starting at 45 years old, both men and women should have a colorectal screening. If you have inflammatory bowel disease or a family history of colon or rectal cancer, you may be at a higher risk and should begin testing earlier.
- Most insurance plans, including the Affordable Care Act, cover colorectal cancer screening tests. You may wish to ask your insurance company what you should expect.
- Regular screenings can find colon cancer early, when treatment is most effective. One in 24 men and one in 26 women will develop colorectal cancer in their lifetime.
Endoscopy
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.
Care for esophageal disorders
Your esophagus is the tube running from your mouth to your stomach. If you are having issues with your esophagus, you may have discomfort or difficulty swallowing.
Your gastroenterologist can examine your esophagus to see if it's functioning correctly. Tests for esophageal issues include:
- Esophageal dilation
- Esophageal manometry
- Upper GI endoscopy
- Upper GI series
- X-rays of the neck
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, such as acid reflux or 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.
If your GERD cannot be managed through lifestyle changes, your physician 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 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.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Our compassionate specialists are available to answer any of your questions before, during and after your procedure.
Colonoscopy FAQs
When you schedule a colonoscopy, we take the time to address your unique concerns.
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.
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 worse than gas pain or cramps
- Bloated and hard belly
- Fever
- Significant bleeding from your anus
- Vomiting
Endoscopy FAQs
If you or a loved one needs an endoscopic medical procedure, we can answer your questions ahead of time.
What should I do before an endoscopy?
We will tell you when to stop eating or drinking or when to stop taking any of your usual medicines ahead of your endoscopy. Make sure to read the instructions as soon as you get them, because you might have to stop taking some medicines up to a week before the test.
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 stop any bleeding or remove any growths we see. If needed, we can 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.
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.
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 worse than gas pain or cramps
- Black bowel movements
- Bloated and hard belly
- "Crunching” feeling under the skin in the neck
- Fever
- Trouble swallowing or severe throat pain
- Vomiting
When you schedule a colonoscopy, we take the time to address your unique concerns.
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.
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 worse than gas pain or cramps
- Bloated and hard belly
- Fever
- Significant bleeding from your anus
- Vomiting
If you or a loved one needs an endoscopic medical procedure, we can answer your questions ahead of time.
What should I do before an endoscopy?
We will tell you when to stop eating or drinking or when to stop taking any of your usual medicines ahead of your endoscopy. Make sure to read the instructions as soon as you get them, because you might have to stop taking some medicines up to a week before the test.
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 stop any bleeding or remove any growths we see. If needed, we can 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.
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.
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 worse than gas pain or cramps
- Black bowel movements
- Bloated and hard belly
- "Crunching” feeling under the skin in the neck
- Fever
- Trouble swallowing or severe throat pain
- Vomiting
Screening colonoscopy at age 45
Colorectal cancer is on the rise, and our dedicated physicians encourage you to schedule a colonoscopy for proper screening.