Suffering from digestive issues but not sure why? Dr. David Chua, Dr. Rajeev Nayar, and Dr. Afreen Hyder at Summit Digestive & Liver Disease Specialists in Chicago, IL offer ultrasound testing to determine the underlying cause of your symptoms.

Ultrasound Technology for Digestive Health

Ultrasounds are used during pregnancy to monitor the baby’s health and even determine its gender. While this is an incredible thing, it’s not the only thing an ultrasound can be used for. In fact, doctors use ultrasound technology to identify and diagnose many different conditions.

One of these many uses is to get a look inside the stomach and digestive system, which can provide invaluable information that might not be gained otherwise. In this guide, Dr. Chua, Dr. Nayar, and Dr. Hyder at Summit Digestive & Liver Disease Specialists in Chicago, IL explain how ultrasounds work, the types of issues they can detect, and how they can help improve your digestive health.

How Does Ultrasound Technology Work? 

This technology utilizes the power of sound waves. The sound waves enter the body and bounce off of the tissues. This creates an image of the area that is sent to a computer. The provider can technically see what’s going on inside the area being imaged.

How Is This Useful in Digestive Health? 

While some stomach issues can be easily explained, others could be due to a wide range of issues. Though your gastroenterologist could play the guessing game and put you through a lot of trial and error, it’s much easier to utilize technology that can help detect the root cause.

Ultrasounds help gastroenterologists diagnose symptoms and conditions such as:

• Severe or chronic abdominal pain
• Unexplained bloating
• Unexplained weight loss or gain
• Fevers (as these can be caused by several digestive conditions)
• Gallstones
• Kidney stones
• Pancreatitis
• Appendicitis
• Tumors or cancer
• Kidney infections
• Ascites (which is a build-up of fluid)
• Some instances of high blood pressure
• Growths in the spleen, liver, and pancreas

The insight that is gained through ultrasounds allows doctors to accurately diagnose illness and disease. The doctor can then develop a personalized treatment plan to address the issue detected. They might recommend several ultrasounds during the course of your treatment to monitor your progress. Depending on the findings, other types of diagnostic testing or care from specialists might be recommended.

Dr. Chua, Dr. Nayar, Dr. Hyder, and our team at Summit Digestive & Liver Disease Specialists are here to help you achieve optimal digestive health and wellness. If you’re in or around the Chicago, IL area and suffering from digestive issues, call (630) 889-9889 to schedule your diagnostic ultrasound today.