General Gastrointestinal (GI) Symptoms

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Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Your GI Condition
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Diagnosis

To diagnose the underlying cause for diarrhea, the physician often takes a medical history, and performs a physical examination and diagnostic tests. Tests that may be used include the following:

• Blood tests (used to rule out certain diseases)
• Colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy (These tests involve using a flexible tube with a light and a camera attached to view the inside of the colon.)
• Imaging tests (e.g., barium enema, CT scan, ultrasound)
• Stool culture (used to diagnose viral, bacterial, or parasitic infections)

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