What is a colonoscopy?

A colonoscopy is a medical procedure that allows doctors to look inside the inner lining of the colon and rectum in order to evaluate colon health and look for colon cancer. A colonoscopy helps find problems such as ulcers, inflammation, bleeding, polyps and tumors. The experts explain that colonoscopy is used as an early cancer screening tool in patients who have no symptoms, and in patients who already have symptoms it is used to evaluate and diagnose what the problem might be. Colonoscopy is also used in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease) and in patients who have unexplained symptoms such as blood in their stool, to make sure there is no cancer, mucosal disease, polyp, or even tumor.