• Online Scheduling | Careers

Merit Health Natchez
  • Quick Links
    • Find a Doctor
    • Services
      • Services

        • View All Services
        • Critical Care Medicine
        • Diagnostic Imaging
        • Digestive Health
        • Ear, Nose & Throat Care
        • Emergency Services
        • Eye Care
        • Heart Care
        • Kidney Disorders
        • Laboratory Services
        • Maternity Care
        • Nutrition Services
        • Orthopedic Services
        • Pharmacy
        • Primary Care
        • Pulmonology Care
        • Rehabilitation Services
        • Robotic Surgery
        • Stroke Care
        • Surgical Services
        • Wellness Services
        • Women's Health
          • Patients & Visitors
            • For Patients

              • Patients & Visitors
              • Admissions
              • DAISY Award Nominations
              • Events
              • Financial Information
              • Health Library
              • Online Scheduling
              • Patient Portal
              • Physician Referral
              • Request Medical Records
              • Spiritual Care
              • Surgical Admissions
              • Your Stay
                • Careers
                • Locations
                  • Hospitals
                  • Merit Health Medical Group
                  • Merit Health Network
                • About
                  • About

                    • About Us
                    • Awards & Accreditations
                    • Careers
                    • CEO's Message
                    • Commitment to Our Community
                    • Community Benefits
                    • Contact Us
                    • History
                    • Leadership
                    • Newsroom
                    • Our Community
                    • Phone Directory
                    • Quality & Safety
                    • Volunteer Opportunities
                      • mymerithealth.com
                      • Merit Health Network
                        • Merit Health Central
                        • Merit Health Natchez
                        • Merit Health Rankin
                        • Merit Health River Oaks
                        • Merit Health River Region
                        • Merit Health Wesley
                        • Merit Health Woman's Hospital
                      • (601) 443-2100
                      • Online Scheduling
                      • Bill Pay
                      • Events
                      • Contact
                      Home/Services/Digestive Health/Upper Endoscopy
                      About Us
                      eNewsletter Redirect
                      Events
                      Events
                      Find a Doctor
                      Locations
                      Notice of Non-Discrimination
                      Orthopedic Center
                      Patients & Visitors
                      Services
                      Critical Care Medicine
                      Diagnostic Imaging
                      Biopsy
                      Bone Densitometry
                      Breast Imaging
                      Cardiac Calcium Scoring
                      CT Scan
                      Echocardiogram
                      Fluoroscopy
                      MRI
                      Nuclear Medicine
                      Ultrasound
                      X-ray
                      Digestive Health
                      Colonoscopy
                      Frequently Asked Questions
                      Meet The Providers
                      Patient Testimonial
                      What to Expect
                      Flex-Sigmoidoscopy
                      GI Issues
                      Heartburn Care
                      Know the Signs
                      Upper Endoscopy
                      Frequently Asked Questions
                      Ear, Nose & Throat Care
                      Emergency Services
                      Eye Care
                      Heart Care
                      Accredited Chest Pain Center
                      Cardiac Rehabilitation
                      Cardiovascular Diagnosis & Imaging
                      Early Heart Attack Care
                      Heart Attack Warning Signs
                      Kidney Disorders
                      Laboratory Services
                      Maternity Care
                      Benefits of Breastfeeding
                      Lactation Services
                      Meet The Team
                      Rooming-in with Your Baby
                      Take a Tour
                      Nutrition Services
                      Orthopedic Services
                      Arthritis Care
                      Pharmacy
                      Primary Care
                      Family Practice
                      Internal Medicine
                      Pediatrics
                      Senior Care
                      Women's Health
                      Pulmonology Care
                      Rehabilitation Services
                      Cardiac Rehabilitation
                      Dry Needling
                      Inpatient Rehabilitation
                      Meet the Providers
                      Physical Therapy
                      Pulmonary Rehabilitation
                      Speech Therapy
                      Therapy Services
                      Robotic Surgery
                      Frequently Asked Questions
                      Stroke Care
                      Stroke Warning Signs
                      Surgical Services
                      Breast Cancer Surgery
                      Colonoscopy
                      Colorectal Surgery
                      Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Surgery
                      Endoscopy
                      Gallbladder/Biliary Surgery
                      Gynecological Surgery
                      Hernia Surgery
                      Orthopedic Surgery
                      Urological Surgery
                      Wellness Services
                      Corporate Wellness
                      Women's Health
                      Breast Imaging
                      Cancer Care
                      Gynecological Surgery
                      Gynecology
                      Maternity Care
                      • information
                      • news
                      • Avg ER Wait:

                        About ER Wait Times
                      • Directions

                        Find Our Location
                      • Merit Health Natchez Delivering Quality Care and More to the Miss-Lou Region

                        04.16.2025

                      • Merit Health Natchez Jars of Love Peanut Drive a Huge Success

                        03.27.2025

                      • See All News & Press Releases
                      • Sign Up For Our E-Newsletter

                        Sign Up For Our E-Newsletter

                        Featuring a monthly dose of information and inspiration for living well.

                        Learn More
                      • Mobile Device

                        Online Scheduling

                        Free, convenient online check-in services.

                        Learn More
                      • Nurse and Patient

                        Patient Portal

                        Access your medical information
                        on demand.

                        Learn More

                      Upper Endoscopy


                      Upper endoscopy lets your doctor examine the lining of the upper part of your gastrointestinal tract, which includes the esophagus, stomach and duodenum (first portion of the small intestine).

                      Your doctor will use a thin, flexible tube called an endoscope, which has its own lens and light source, and will view the images on a video monitor.

                      You might hear your doctor or other medical staff refer to upper endoscopy as upper GI endoscopy, esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) or panendoscopy.

                      Upper endoscopy helps your doctor evaluate symptoms of persistent upper abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting or difficulty swallowing. It's the best test for finding the cause of bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal tract. It's also more accurate than X-ray films for detecting inflammation, ulcers and tumors of the esophagus, stomach and duodenum.

                      Another use may be to obtain a biopsy (small tissue samples) which helps your doctor distinguish between benign and malignant (cancerous) tissues. Remember, biopsies are taken for many reasons, and your doctor might order one even if he or she does not suspect cancer.

                      Upper endoscopy is also used to perform a cytology test, in which a small brush is used to collect cells for analysis.

                      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; this will cause you little or no discomfort. For example, your doctor might stretch (dilate) a narrowed area, remove polyps (usually benign growths) or treat bleeding.

                      Related Articles

                      • Are Eggs Healthy? Unscrambling the Facts
                      • Breakfast Foods for Weight Loss
                      • Celiac Disease
                      All Health Library Articles

                      Merit Health Natchez

                      • 54 Seargent Prentiss Dr
                      • Natchez, MS 39120
                      • P: (601) 443-2100

                      • ADA Accessibility Policy
                      • Terms & Conditions
                      • Privacy Policy
                      • Change Your Privacy Choices
                      • Notice of Privacy Practices
                      • Patient Rights & Responsibilities
                      • Price Transparency

                      Copyright ©2025. All rights reserved.

                      An AllianceHealth Oklahoma® hospital

                      Services

                      • Critical Care Medicine
                      • Diagnostic Imaging
                      • Digestive Health
                      • Ear, Nose & Throat Care
                      • Emergency Services
                      • Eye Care
                      • Heart Care
                      • Kidney Disorders
                      • Laboratory Services
                      • Maternity Care
                      • Nutrition Services
                      • Orthopedic Services
                      • Pharmacy
                      • Primary Care
                      • Pulmonology Care
                      • Rehabilitation Services
                      • Robotic Surgery
                      • Stroke Care
                      • Surgical Services
                      • Wellness Services
                      • Women's Health

                      Patients & Visitors

                      • Admissions
                      • DAISY Award Nominations
                      • Events
                      • Financial Information
                      • Health Library
                      • Online Scheduling
                      • Patient Portal
                      • Physician Referral
                      • Request Medical Records
                      • Spiritual Care
                      • Surgical Admissions
                      • Your Stay

                      About Us

                      • Awards & Accreditations
                      • Careers
                      • CEO's Message
                      • Commitment to Our Community
                      • Community Benefits
                      • Contact Us
                      • History
                      • Leadership
                      • Newsroom
                      • Our Community
                      • Phone Directory
                      • Quality & Safety
                      • Volunteer Opportunities

                      Notice of Nondiscrimination
                      • English,
                      • አማርኛ,
                      • العربية,
                      • বাংলা,
                      • ျမန္မာဘာသာ,
                      • tsalagi gawonihisdi,
                      • 繁體中文,
                      • Chahta,
                      • Oroomiffa,
                      • Nederlands,
                      • Français,
                      • Kreyòl Ayisyen,
                      • Deutsch,
                      • ગુજરાતી,
                      • हिंदी,
                      • Hmoob,
                      • Igbo asusu,
                      • Ilokano,
                      • Italiano,
                      • 日本語,
                      • 한국어,
                      • Ɓàsɔ́ɔ̀‑wùɖù‑po‑nyɔ̀,
                      • ພາສາລາວ,
                      • Kajin Ṃajōḷ,
                      • ខ្មែរ,
                      • Diné Bizaad,
                      • नेपाली,
                      • Deitsch,
                      • فارسی,
                      • Polski,
                      • Português,
                      • ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
                      • Română,
                      • Русский,
                      • Gagana fa'a Sāmoa,
                      • Srpsko‑hrvatski,
                      • Español,
                      • ܣܘܼܪܸܬ݂,
                      • Tagalog,
                      • ภาษาไทย,
                      • Türkçe,
                      • Українська,
                      • اُردُو,
                      • Tiếng Việt,
                      • èdè Yorùbá,
                      • עִברִית
                      Loading... Loading...