Generally, belching events frequently occurred during EGD, noted in 293 (72.5%) patients at some point during the procedure.
Your throat will be numbed with a spray before the doctor gently passes the tube through your mouth into your stomach. You will be able to breathe normally and burp if needed during the test. There usually is no pain associated with this test.
Surgeons use carbon dioxide to inflate the digestive tract during an endoscopy. This gas can put pressure on the diaphragm and cause discomfort in the chest area. If gas is the cause, this should subside by itself after a few days.
Once you're at home, you may experience some mildly uncomfortable symptoms after endoscopy, such as: Bloating and gas. Cramping. Sore throat.
There is minimal recovery involved with the upper endoscopy procedure, and little discomfort. Post-procedure symptoms may include grogginess from the sedation, a feeling of bloating, sore throat, nausea, difficulty swallowing, and mild pain where the IV was inserted. These usually resolve within 48 hours.
You can expect to be in recovery for 30 minutes to an hour before leaving the hospital if you had sedation. It can take 24 hours to wear off fully. You cannot drive, operate heavy machinery, or drink alcohol during this time. You may also prefer to eat softer food than usual, such as eggs and soups.
The most common discomfort after the examination is a feeling of bloating as a result of the air introduced during the examination. This usually resolves quickly. Some patients also have a mild sore throat. Most patients are able to eat shortly after the examination.
Because air is introduced through the endoscope, you may feel some bloating during and after the procedure. You may resume your usual diet unless instructed otherwise by your physician. Your throat may also feel scratchy or sore after the procedure, but this feeling subsides quickly.
The endoscope inflates your stomach by blowing air into it. This gives the doctor a better view of the stomach lining. You will be able to breathe on your own throughout the exam. Taking slow, deep breaths through your nose will help you relax.
The endoscope pumps air into your stomach and duodenum, making them easier to see. take small samples of tissue, cells, or fluid in your upper GI tract for testing.
You shouldn't eat or drink after an endoscopy until you can comfortably swallow. When you resume eating, you should keep your meals small and light for 24-48 hours after the procedure. Alcohol should also be avoided for at least 24 hours. Once you feel like you're back to normal, you can resume your typical diet.
Warning About Upper Endoscopy
If you have severe abdominal pain, a continuous cough or fever, chills, chest pain, nausea, or vomiting within 72 hours after an upper endoscopy, call your doctor's office right away or go to the emergency room.
Relieve gas and discomfort from bloating:
Lie on your right side with a heating pad on your abdomen. Take short walks to help pass gas. Eat small meals until bloating is relieved.
Local Anesthesia
Before starting, the endoscopist or the endoscopy nurse will apply a topical anesthetic to your throat. This is to help you swallow the tube without gagging. The local anesthetic used is usually lidocaine and it may be applied as a spray, or as a gel that you swallow.
Acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can sometimes cause excessive belching by promoting increased swallowing. Chronic belching may also be related to inflammation of the stomach lining or to an infection with Helicobacter pylori, the bacterium responsible for some stomach ulcers.
The endoscope camera is very slim and slippery and will slide pass the throat into the food pipe (oesophagus) easily without any blockage to the airways or choking. There is no obstruction to breathing during the procedure, and patients breathe normally throughout the examination.
A supportive mouthpiece will be placed to help you keep your mouth open during the endoscopy. Once you are fully prepared, your doctor will gently maneuver the endoscope into position.
A gastroscopy only views the oesophagus and upper GI tract, while endoscopy is performed to examine many body structures, including joints, intestines, lungs, and the pelvis area. In fact, a gastroscopy is a type of endoscopy. During an endoscopy, the endoscope may be inserted through an incision.
“However, the discomfort related to gagging during an endoscopic procedure can be avoided, particularly by numbing the back of the throat and using sedatives,” said Dr. Perino. “As long as you are adequately sedated, you will not gag.”
Are these examinations safe? Yes, these examinations are safe, especially when carried out as part of prevention. The risk of complications is very low. The frequency of the appearance of complications during the endoscopy of the upper GI is 0.1%, while during a colonoscopy it is 0.3%.
If you are not having a general anaesthetic, you will be given a local anaesthetic where the endoscope will be inserted to numb the area and make the procedure easier. You should not experience any pain during the endoscopy, but it may be quite uncomfortable.
Patients with GERD symptoms may exhibit a spectrum of endoscopic findings ranging from normal endoscopy (EGD negative) to severe ulcerative esophagitis. Recent evidence indicates that a large proportion of patients with GERD have normal endoscopy.
It is recommended that you do not go back to work, do any strenuous exercise, drive, or sign any legal documents for 24 hours after the procedure. If you are taking any anti-coagulant medication (i.e., Coumadin, Heparin), please be sure to notify your doctor.
Endoscopy (also called a gastroscopy) is a medical procedure that allows a doctor to observe the inside of the body without performing major surgery.
After the endoscopy, you will be given time to fully wake up. Once alert enough, you will be given something light to eat and drink. You might still feel a little fuzzy and have difficulty concentrating. This is just residual effect from the sedation that will wear off.