Kick Off This Year in Good Health: Schedule Your Colonoscopy Screening
1/20/2023
For many of us, our New Year's resolutions commonly incorporate conscious efforts to focus on our wellness, generally by focusing on our diets and exercise habits. Preventative health screenings like colonoscopy exams are a great start to making sustainable health and wellness changes and head into the new year right. If you're curious about colon health and need help determining where to start, a colonoscopy at GastroGroup and Endocenter is a great place to start. Doing so can help you sustain optimal health entering the next year.
How many individuals are affected by colon cancer each year?
Cancer in the colon is the third most common cancer in America, and early detection is the primary way to increase survival odds. About 50,000 people in America pass away from colon cancer yearly, with the American Cancer Society approximating 106,180 diagnoses every year.
It’s true that colorectal cancer is common; so is its prevention. A colonoscopy is an efficient way to take control of your health and wellness. This exam can help protect against and reveal colon cancer prior to reaching the advanced stages. Reach out to GastroGroup and Endocenter to schedule a colonoscopy in Louisiana and begin this new year knowing the importance of health.
Why is screening for colorectal cancer so important?
Colonoscopy exams are the standard method for colon cancer detection and prevention, and knowing how important they are might help you recognize the significance a colon cancer screening add to your life. Basically, early detection of colon cancer saves lives, as colon cancer is a highly treatable disease when discovered in the early stages.
Cancer of the colon generally is formed from abnormal growths called polyps in the colon and/or rectum, but a colonoscopy is performed to find and extract these growths before they develop into colorectal cancer. In the event a precancerous polyp is discovered at the time of your screening, it is easily treatable and typically can be removed at the time of your colonoscopy.
Understanding your health is the best gift you can gift yourself in the New Year. By being an enlightened and learned patient, you can make better choices that help for the rest of your life. Schedule your colonoscopy in Louisiana with a colonoscopy doctor to get your questions and concerns addressed.
Who is at risk for colorectal cancer?
Part of incorporating reasonable transformations for your health kicks off with becoming informed about your chances of different medical issues, like colorectal cancer. Certain factors for colorectal cancer may impact your treatment plan or how often you need to undergo colon cancer screenings. Some of the risks for colon cancer include:
- A diet that does not consist of enough fruits and veggies
- A high-fiber, low-fat diet or a diet of many processed meat
- A habit or history of smoking
- A family background of colon cancer
- Prior radiation to the abdomen or pelvis as part of treatment for other cancers
- Not enough exercise
- A past diagnosis of colorectal cancer
- Having IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) (ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease)
You can fight off cancer of the colon with changes to your diet, developing a new exercise program, and a colon cancer screening. Adding these routines gives you an advantage when it comes to your colon health. A colonoscopy at GastroGroup and Endocenter in Louisiana may help you embark on your journey to a better, healthy version of yourself in the new year.
When should I undergo a colonoscopy?
Knowing the status of your colon health is better than worrying if there is a problem. A regular colon screening takes as little as 15 – 60 minutes, meaning your colonoscopy may fit into your busy schedule just like your renewed fitness and diet routine.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) encourages that colorectal cancer screenings begin at 45 years of age for people who are at average risk. If you sustain peak health and you are not at increased risk, a colon cancer screening once every 10 years is adequate to keep you up to date on the status of your colon health.
Around the age of 75, colon cancer screenings are suggested in relation to your general health and at the suggestion of your gastroenterologist. If you have a history or familial history of colon cancer or polyps, you are at a significant risk for colon cancer. Individuals with a substantial risk will need to undergo screenings more often to protect their health.
Schedule a colonoscopy in Louisiana now
Make informed choices regarding your future self and kick off the new year by putting your colon health into your own two hands. If you’re 45 or over, are at risk because of your lifestyle, or have a personal or family history of colon cancer, we encourage starting the new year right by scheduling a colonoscopy at GastroGroup and Endocenter. This procedure takes only about an hour or less and gives you peace of mind that your colon health is heading in the right direction. If you have more concerns, feel free to address them with your colonoscopy doctor during your colon screening at one of our Louisiana locations.