Colonoscopy Procedure: How It's Done

Many people have questions regarding colonoscopy procedures, such as: "What do I eat before a colonoscopy?", "How often should one have a colonoscopy?" and "What are the after effects of a colonoscopy?". A colonoscopy procedure is done by inserting a small tube with a camera on it into the intestines. The camera lets doctors see if there are any potential problems indicating medical conditions like colon cancer, Crohn's disease, or ulcerative colitis. A colonoscopy procedure starts a few days before the visit to the hospital, though, because of the need to remove fecal matter and fluids.

Your doctor will tell you to stick to a clear liquid diet consisting of broth, juice, tea, and water for a day or two prior to the procedure. You may also need to take laxatives or have an enema. The day before the procedure, you are not allowed to eat anything at all. If you have diabetes or other health concerns, these can be modified.

The actual colonoscopy procedure is usually not painful at all. The doctor will insert a small tube into your rectum and then gently pus the tube through while video images are being taken by the camera on the end of  it. The images that are recorded are viewed during the procedure and saved for later review and analysis if needed. This allows further examination of the results should the doctor see anything suspicious.

The doctor doing the colonoscopy procedure is going to look for lesions (ulcers) indicating Crohn's disease or other medical conditions. He is also going to be looking for mushroom-shaped polyps on the colon lining that can indicate the presence of colon cancer. If needed, the colonoscope can take a sample of the tissue in the colon. There is also a laser used to cauterize the tissue as needed.

A colonoscopy procedure typically lasts between 30 and 60 minutes but you will need awhile to recover from the laxatives and the sedatives used during and before the procedure. Often, people feel bloated and have flatulence, which can be helped by going for a short walk.

In rare cases, a small rupture may occur during the colonoscopy procedure if the tube comes into contact with unhealthy tissue, and this can cause bleeding. If you have a little bit of blood in your stool after having a colonoscopy procedure done, you should not be concerned. If there is a lot of blood or it continues, you should call your doctor right away.

A colonoscopy procedure is an important diagnostic tool but it is just one of the ways doctors can monitor your colon health. Other procedures your doctor may suggest can include a CT scan, barium X-rays, and more.