When You Need A Colonoscopy – And When You Don’t 

Arranging a colonoscopy is an excellent idea for anyone at risk of cancer in the bowel, as it is by far the most accurate way to do this. For this reason, regular tests are a great idea – but it’s also true that getting a colonoscopy too often can be detrimental. How can you determine whether you should be getting a colonoscopy or not then, if this is the case? There are a few simple things to keep in mind if you’re considering a colonoscopy, though – in this article, we take a look at a few of the reasons why you might want to get a colonoscopy, as well as providing information for when it’s best to skip this procedure. 

Deciding on whether you need a colonoscopy

If you’re considering getting a colonoscopy in Brisbane, consider this: have you had a test in the last few years? For most people, having a colonoscopy more than once every five or ten years not always a necessary option. This is because depending on the results of your last test, people will have enough of a low risk factor that no serious issues will occur during the time it takes to get their next test (which could be between five and ten years, which we mentioned earlier). This is because bowel cancer grows very slowly, so even if something was missed in the initial test, it means that it was small enough that cancer is unlikely to develop. If you are at risk of bowel cancer or have more seriously sized polyps found in your bowel, you will need to be tested more frequently, nut everyone else should relax. This is because there are potential issues with the test, and the more you take it, the more these issues can develop. Generally, a colonoscopy is safe, but there is always the potential for the procedure to result in heavy bleeding, tears in the colon, inflammation or infection or severe abdominal pain. 

When you should be getting a colonoscopy

Generally, screening of the bowel should commence at the age of fifty for most people. It may be earlier than this if you have a history of bowel cancer in your family. After this initial test, if no abnormalities are found then you should be able to safely have your next test in ten years. If small or low-risk polyps are found, it is recommended to have the next test in five years. After the age of 75 a colonoscopy is no longer recommended, as there is greater potential for harm rather than good as a result of complications during the procedure. To help prevent the onset of bowel cancer, it is recommended that same basic lifestyle changes are introduced. This includes eating more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and less fatty foods and red or processed meat. Weight loss is also important, which eating well should also help with, but it is also very important to maintain exercise, limit alcohol, and to quit smoking if you do smoke.

Staying aware of issues with your bowel

You shouldn’t need to wait for your next test if you discover some alarming physical changes. Concerning health issues to keep an eye out for include rectal bleeding, dark or narrow stools, or even consistent examples of constipation or diarrhea or abdominal cramps.