Kick Off the New Year in Good Health: Get Your Colonoscopy Now

For many people, goals for the new year involve turning their focus toward their health and wellness, typically modifying their food choices and exercise routines. Proactive wellness exams like colonoscopies are also great ways to make sustainable health changes and kick off the new year right. If you'd like to learn more about your colon health and need help determining where to start, a colon exam at Arizona Digestive Health is a perfect stepping stone. This important screening can help you maintain optimal health as you begin this new year.

How many individuals are affected by colon cancer yearly?

Colon cancer is in the top three cancers in the U.S., and early detection is one of the primary ways to optimize your odds of survival. It’s estimated 50,000 Americans pass from colon cancer each year, with the American Cancer Society determining 106,180 new cases diagnosed yearly.

While colorectal cancer is common, so too is its prevention. Getting a colonoscopy is an easy way to help control your health and wellness. This screening helps detect and prevent colon cancer prior to its advancement into later stages. Get in touch with an Arizona Digestive Health location near you to schedule a colonoscopy and start your new year focused on your health.

Why are colorectal cancer screenings so crucial?

Colonoscopy exams are the ideal method for colon cancer detection and prevention, and understanding why might help you recognize the significance a colon cancer screening can add to your life. In simple terms, early discovery of colorectal cancer can save lives, as colorectal cancer is highly treatable when detected early on.

Cancer of the colon typically develops from polyps (abnormal growths) in the rectum or colon, but a colon cancer screening detects and can remove these polyps prior to the development of colorectal cancer. If a precancerous polyp is found during your colonoscopy screening, it may be easily treated and removed at the same time we complete the exam.

Understanding your health is one of the best gifts you can give yourself this new year. By being an informed and educated patient, you can make sound resolutions that support your health for years to come. Schedule your colonoscopy screening with one of our Arizona colonoscopy doctors to get any questions or concerns you have addressed.

Who is at risk for colon cancer?

Part of incorporating sustainable changes for your health starts with becoming aware of the risk factors associated with common medical conditions, such as colorectal cancer. Some risk factors for colon cancer may have an impact on your treatment plan or how often you need to obtain colonoscopies. A few of these factors involve:

• Use of tobacco products
• Having inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease)
• A low-fiber and high-fat diet or a diet with a lot of processed meat
• Past radiation to your abdomen or pelvic region due to treatment for other cancers
• Lack of regular exercise
• A personal history of colon or rectal cancer
• Family background of colon cancer
• Not getting enough fruits and veggies

You can help fight off cancer of the colon with healthy diet changes, developing a new workout program, and a colonoscopy. Establishing these habits will give you more control when it comes to your colon health. A colonoscopy with one of our Phoenix, AZ-area gastroenterologists can help put you on the path to a better, healthy version of yourself in the new year.

When should you have a colonoscopy?

Understanding the status of your colon health is far better than questioning if there’s a problem. A standard colonoscopy usually takes only about 15 – 60 minutes, meaning the appointment should fit right into your daily life just as easily as your renewed fitness and dietary routine.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) encourages patients to have colonoscopy exams beginning around 45 years old for patients who are at standard risk. If you maintain optimal health and wellness and you are not at risk, a simple screening every ten years should be sufficient to keep you abreast of the status of your colon health.

Once you turn age 75, colorectal cancer screenings are typically performed based on your health as a whole and at the suggestion of your gastroenterologist. If you have a personal record or familial history of colon cancer or polyps, you have a higher risk of getting the condition. Patients with this increased risk need to undergo screenings more regularly to defend their health.

Schedule a colonoscopy in Arizona today

Make smart choices regarding your future and begin the new year by placing your colon health into your hands. If you’re 45 years old or more, are at risk because of your lifestyle, or if you have a history in your family of colon cancer, we suggest you start the new year out right by scheduling a colonoscopy at Arizona Digestive Health. This procedure takes only around an hour to complete and gives you peace of mind that your colon health is being cared for. In the event you have additional questions or concerns, feel free to discuss them with your colonoscopy doctor during your visit to one of our Phoeniz, AZ-area gastroenterology locations.