Gastroenterology in Tijuana

Gastroenterology is the field of medicine focused on the normal function and diseases of the digestive system or the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, including the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, pancreas, gallbladder, bile ducts, liver, as well as colon and rectum. Doctors who specialize in gastroenterology are called gastroenterologists. They are trained to diagnose and treat conditions of the digestive system. Some of the conditions that these specialists can treat include:

• Ulcers
• Acid reflux
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
• Polyps or growth that can occur in the large intestine (colon)
• Hepatitis C
• Jaundice (yellowing of the skin)
• Bloody stool
• Hemorrhoids
• Colon and bowel cancer
• Pancreatic cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Gastric cancer
• Colitis
• Pancreatitis 

While gastroenterologists can treat diseases of the digestive system, they do not perform surgery. If surgery is required they will work with or refer patients to a gastrointestinal surgeon. The following are a range of nonsurgical procedures that gastroenterologists perform:

• Colonoscopy to detect colon polyps and colon cancer
• Endoscopic ultrasound to examine the upper and lower GI tract
• Sigmoidoscopy to assess blood loss or pain in the bowel
• Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography to identify tumors, gallstones, or scar tissue in the bile duct
• Capsule endoscopy to examine the small intestine
• Liver biopsy to examine fibrosis and inflammation
• Polypectomy to remove a polyp.

How Long Should I Stay in Tijuana?

The type of procedure that you undergo determines your length of stay in Tijuana. Most procedures are performed on an outpatient basis, meaning you can leave the hospital or clinic on the same day. However, you generally need to stay in Tijuana for around a week for follow up appointments and to let your body recover before you can travel. If you undergo a diagnostic procedure, your doctor will discuss the results and create a treatment plan during the follow-up appointment.

What's the Expected Recovery Time?

Recovery time for gastroenterology procedures range from a day to 2 weeks, or sometimes longer, depending on the type of procedure. During the recovery period, it is important to avoid any strenuous activities. Your gastroenterologist will let you know the specific time you can resume your normal activities, go back to work, and perform vigorous exercises.

What Aftercare is Required?

It is crucial that you follow all of the instructions closely, to prevent the problem from getting worse or from reoccurring, you may need to make some dietary and lifestyle changes. You may also need to attend follow-up checkups to monitor your condition. You can have the checkups at home with your local doctor, or with your gastroenterologist in Tijuana.

What's the Success Rate?

Advances in gastroenterology have increased the safety and success rate of treatments. The diagnostic procedures offer high accuracy in finding problems within the gastrointestinal tract, and the treatments are found to be highly successful to treat conditions in the digestive system. For example, a colonoscopy now has a 94% success rate in capturing all colorectal cancer. Still, there are some risks to the procedures that you will need to be aware of, such as a tear in the intestine’s lining, excessive bleeding, adverse reaction to the equipment or medication used during the procedure, organ perforation, infection, and incomplete removal (for removal of polyps).

Are there Alternatives?

In most cases, there is no alternative to seeing a gastroenterologist if you experience problems in your digestive system and it is found to be caused by something else that is outside the gastroenterologists’ scope of practice, they will refer you to the relevant specialist.

Gastroenterology in and around Tijuana

About Tijuana

Americans travel every year in good numbers to Mexico to get specialized medical care. There are many reasons for this.

• Shorter waiting time for tests and procedures.
• Excellent technical expertise and world-class facilities
• It is less expensive than well-known hospitals in other countries
• Excellent aftercare.
• The Doctors are well qualified and experienced

Mexico attracts a lot of Americans for Medical tourism as well as people from all over the world as they get offered a good value package that combines the best medical treatment with a great vacation at a fraction of the price.

Tijuana is one such favorite destination in Mexico. It is the sixth-largest Mexican city and the largest in the state of Baja California. It has some excellent health centers that will rival any big hospital elsewhere. Some of the more common and popular surgeries that people undergo in Tijuana are Breast Augmentation, Weight Reduction, Botox treatment, and other elective surgeries.

Popular Areas in Tijuana

• The city has a very complex history and you can experience some of it by visiting the cultural center called CECUT.
• Trompo Interactive Museum can be a great place for some interactive fun for adults and children.
• A unique place to visit is the wall constructed between Tijuana Beach and Border Field State Park in San Diego. This is a strange sight and you may not want to miss this.
• La Caja is a famous art gallery that showcases the artwork of domestic and international artists.
• El Popo Market, Casino Caliente, and Catedral de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe are some of the other popular attractions of this city.
• People relish the local cuisine that consists of tacos. Food trucks and artisanal beer are also common and there are many different types of cuisines available.

Weather and Climate in Tijuana

The climate is semi-dry and akin to the Mediterranean climate. The weather remains mild throughout the year. Between November and March, there is a lot of rain and thunderstorms are common during this period. August and September are the hottest months. January is usually the coldest and Rain filled month.

Summer is the driest period. The temperature may range from 13.6 °C (56.5 °F) in the cold months to 33 °C (91 °F) during summer.

Getting around in Tijuana

Tijuana International Airport is the main airport and it serves many purposes. It is the hub for two major airlines that carry travelers to other domestic airports in Mexico. Volaris is a low-cost carrier while Aeroméxico is the flagship carrier of the country. It is also known for the Cross Border Xpress bridge that connects it to San Diego in the US. Passengers coming from the US can walk across the bridge and enter Mexico, then take a flight onwards. This airport also connects China, the USA, and many domestic airports in Mexico. Anyone can come to Tijuana directly or via the San Diego airport on the US side of the border.

There are two major highways that connect Tijuana to other cities of the country. People can take a bus connecting the city to the US and its domestic bus stations. U.S.-based Greyhound Lines and Crucero are famous. Domestic services such as Azul y Blanco de Magallanes and Transporte Efectivo Express de Tijuana operate from two different terminals in the city.

You can also opt for shared fixed-route station wagons, fixed-route taxis (somewhat expensive), and buses for local commuting. Apart from these, taxis without a fixed route, are also available. There is a Rapid transit system of buses (BRT) working particular routes now.

Tourist Visas in Tijuana

A tourist or a business traveler will need different types of visas to enter Mexico. The tourist visa is valid for six months. You can also get a visa for multiple entries or to extend your stay.

Citizens of some countries like the US, UK, and Canada do not need a visa to stay in Mexico. People who have a valid multiple entry visa for the US or the Schengen visa or have a PR in Canada do not need a separate visa to visit Mexico.

However, your passport should have a minimum validity of six months from the date of entry. You will also have to prove your financial status for the grant of a visa.

Additional Information

1. The currency of Mexico is The Mexican peso (sign $). The usual rate of exchange with other currencies is approximately $20 to $21 per euro and $18 to $19 per U.S. dollar. As in any other big city, you can use credit cards almost everywhere in Tijuana. Smaller merchants, however, prefer cash. You can use a debit card at any ATM in the city to withdraw the local currency. Both credit card and debit cards will incur some nominal charges every time you make a transaction. Ensure you are carrying a minimum amount of Pesos when you enter the country in case of an emergency. Exchange your money in an official money exchange office and not in hotels or at the airport. Tipping is voluntary. People do tip after a meal in restaurants and the usual rate is 10%.
2. Spanish, commonly known as Mexican Spanish, is the City’s local language and the government recognizes more than 60 local languages. Along the northern border and in all tourist areas many people speak English as English is easy to understand and communicate for the people in Tijuana due to its location in the state of Baja California.
3. Tijuana also has a very active and independent artist community whose internationally recognized work has earned Tijuana the title of "one of the most important new cultural meccas", Tijuana has been the inspiration for Tijuana Brass and Los Tucanes de Tijuana and, more recently, the birthplace of Nortec music style and Ruidoson.
4. Some of the major public holidays are New Year’s Day (1st January), Labor Day (1st May), and Christmas (25th December). Good Friday and Maundy Thursday are optional holidays. Independence Day on the 16th September is also a significant holiday.