You can generally make an appointment directly with a private gastroenterologist. However, a referral may be required under certain corporate, insurance or healthcare arrangements.
If available, please bring any relevant medical reports, previous test results, scans, referral letters and a list of your current medications. You may also wish to bring your insurance details if you intend to use your coverage.
These documents can help your gastroenterologist better understand your medical history and plan your care.
Yes, a consultation allows your gastroenterologist to review your existing diagnosis, current symptoms and previous investigations. This helps determine whether your condition requires further assessment, adjustments to your treatment or ongoing monitoring.
If you have been diagnosed elsewhere, please bring along your previous medical reports and test results, where available, to help avoid unnecessary repeat investigations.
Eligibility for MediSave and insurance claims depends on factors including the reason for the procedure, where it is performed and the terms of your insurance policy. Our clinic team can assist with the administrative requirements and advise what information you may need from your insurer.
Gastritis can cause pain, burning or discomfort in the upper abdomen, but these symptoms can also occur with other digestive conditions. Your symptoms alone may not be enough to confirm gastritis. If the pain persists or keeps returning, a doctor can assess whether further tests are needed.
Everyday emotional stress is not considered a common direct cause of gastritis, although stress can affect digestive symptoms and make discomfort feel worse for some people. A severe physical stress on the body such as critical illness, major injury or severe burns can cause a specific form of acute stomach-lining injury known as stress gastritis.
Many people with H. pylori have no symptoms, so symptoms alone cannot tell you whether you are infected. H. pylori can be detected through tests such as a urea breath test, stool test or a biopsy taken during gastroscopy.
Not everyone with abdominal pain needs a gastroscopy. It may be recommended depending on your age, symptoms, medical history and whether warning signs are present. Gastroscopy allows your doctor to examine the stomach lining and look for conditions such as gastritis or ulcers, and biopsies can be taken if necessary.
The gastroscopy itself is usually relatively short. However, you should allow additional time for registration, preparation, sedation and recovery.
The clinic will advise you how much time to set aside on the day of your procedure.
Gastroscopy is commonly performed with sedation to help you feel relaxed and comfortable. Depending on the type and level of sedation used, you may be drowsy and may remember little of the procedure.
Your doctor will discuss the appropriate sedation approach with you beforehand.
Gastroscopy allows your doctor to directly examine the lining of the stomach and identify suspicious or abnormal areas.
If an abnormal area is found, biopsies can be taken and examined under a microscope to determine the diagnosis.
Having symptoms that require gastroscopy does not necessarily mean that cancer is suspected — the procedure is used to investigate many much more common digestive conditions.
Not everyone with acid reflux or GERD needs a gastroscopy.
Your doctor may recommend one if your symptoms or medical history suggest that the oesophagus should be examined directly, if there are warning symptoms such as difficulty swallowing or gastrointestinal bleeding, or if another condition needs to be excluded.
Not necessarily. In Singapore, colorectal cancer screening is recommended for average-risk individuals from age 50, but colonoscopy is not the only screening option.
Annual FIT is available for eligible Singaporeans under Healthier SG Screening. Colonoscopy may be considered as a screening option or recommended based on your FIT result, symptoms, family history or individual risk.
Speak to your doctor about which screening approach is appropriate for you.
A positive FIT means that blood has been detected in your stool. It does not mean that you have colorectal cancer.
There are several possible reasons for blood in the stool. Further assessment is needed to identify the cause, and colonoscopy is commonly recommended after a positive FIT.
There is no single interval that applies to everyone.
The timing depends on why you had the colonoscopy and factors such as your previous findings, whether polyps were removed, the type and number of polyps, your family history and whether you have conditions such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).
Your doctor will advise when your next colonoscopy is due.
Yes. A clean bowel allows your gastroenterologist to properly examine the colon lining and identify small abnormalities.
If the bowel is not adequately prepared, important findings may be harder to see and the colonoscopy may sometimes need to be repeated.
Following the preparation instructions carefully is therefore an important part of the procedure.
Mild haemorrhoid symptoms can improve with time, particularly when constipation and straining are addressed.
Improving bowel habits, keeping stools soft and avoiding prolonged straining can also help reduce the likelihood of symptoms returning.
No. Haemorrhoids commonly cause bright-red rectal bleeding, but other conditions can also cause blood in or around the stool.
If bleeding is new, persistent or accompanied by a change in bowel habits, unexplained weight loss, abdominal symptoms or other concerns, speak to a doctor rather than assuming it is caused by piles.
Foods containing fibre can help keep stools softer and easier to pass. These include fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, beans and legumes.
Increase fibre gradually and maintain adequate fluid intake unless you have been advised to restrict fluids. The aim is to make bowel movements easier and reduce straining.
No. Most haemorrhoids do not require surgery.
Many can be managed with dietary changes, better bowel habits, treatment of constipation and short-term measures to relieve symptoms. If these approaches do not help, minimally invasive treatments may be considered before surgery depending on the type and severity of the haemorrhoids.
Whether you are experiencing persistent digestive symptoms, considering colorectal screening or have been referred for further investigation, our clinic team can assist you with arranging an appointment.
