An upper endoscopy gives your doctor a close-up, full-color view of the inner lining of your esophagus, stomach and the upper part of your small intestine. It can pinpoint the cause of unexplained nausea, pain and bleeding, and lets your doctor examine inflamed areas, tumors, and ulcers. The tool used for this test is a long, thin, flexible tube equipped with a fiber-optic light and tiny video camera called an endoscope. Before the test, you’ll be given a throat-numbing anesthetic spray or gargle and a mild sedative so you feel relaxed. As you lie on your back or side, the doctor carefully feeds the endoscope through your mouth and into your esophagus to begin the exam.

• Special tools can be inserted into the endoscope to stop bleeding, remove growths and take tissue samples for testing.
• You may feel bloated afterward. Air is usually pumped into your stomach during endoscopy to give your doctor a better view.
• The endoscope won’t interfere with breathing. In fact, many people who receive a sedative before an endoscopy fall asleep during the procedure.
• Risks are low. In one study of 6,383 endoscopies, only 134 people (roughly 2 percent) experienced bleeding or pain.
• Bring someone along to drive you home. The sedative can make you feel sleepy and affect your reflexes for several hours afterward.

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