What does an upper endoscopy provide?

An upper endoscopy helps your doctor evaluate symptoms of persistent upper abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, or difficulty swallowing. It is also used for finding the cause of bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal tract. Your doctor may use upper endoscopy to obtain a biopsy (small tissue samples). Biopsies are taken for many reasons, aEndoscopy Procedure: An endoscope passes through the digestive tract, shining a light in the stomachnd your doctor may take a biopsy, even if he or she does not suspect cancer. For example, your doctor may take a biopsy to test for Helicobacter pylori, a type of bacteria that causes ulcers. Upper endoscopy is also used to treat conditions of the upper gastrointestinal tract. Your doctor can pass instruments through the endoscope to directly treat many abnormalities with little or no discomfort. For example, your doctor may stretch a narrowed area (dilatation), remove polyps (polypectomy usually benign growths) or treat bleeding.