Physician Spotlight - Dr. James Boehmke
At Texarkana Gastroenterology Consultants, Dr. James Boehmke is a Board Certified Gastroenterologist since 2007. After proudly serving in the US Air Force for 10 years, Dr. Boehmke settled in Texarkana to begin his private gastroenterology / hepatology practice with Texarkana Gastroenterology Consultants, PA. back in 2011.
Dr. Boehmke has a special interest in Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, colon cancer prevention and hepatitis, and he brings with him expertise in colonoscopy, upper endoscopy, biliary ERCP, capsule endoscopy and esophageal manometry.
There are 3 Diagnoses I find Frequently Delayed in Gastroenterology
The first are anal fissures. Commonly patients come to me complaining of pain associated with their hemorrhoids over the past few weeks or months plus or minus minor bleeding. A digital rectal exam may be necessary to make the diagnosis unless the patient is in excruciating pain. Ointments, Botox injections, and ultimately surgery may be necessary to heal this lesion.
Next, is chronic abdominal wall pain syndrome. This type of pain is focal and fairly constant somewhere in the belly, perhaps enduring for days to weeks, and occasional severe enough to take someone to the emergency department for evaluation. The CT and labs are usually negative. Often-especially if the pain is in the right upper side along the ribs- patients have had their gallbladder removed already. Yet the pain persist. A simple maneuver checking for the Carnett's sign is often only necessary to make a highly certain diagnosis. There are variety of treatment options for this including trigger point injections.
Finally, not being screened for colon cancer at the guideline recommended age. We prefer colonoscopy as it allows the removal of any polyps present. New guidelines recommend an initial evaluation of the colon beginning at 45 years old rather than age 50. This is due to the alarming trending of earlier diagnoses of colon cancer in younger patients. If any of these issues hit home, please make an appointment with Texarkana Gastroenterology Consultants for a diagnosis potentially and treatment options.
What Makes Us Different
- We are the largest GI group in the area
- We are the most comprehensive GI group for diagnostic testing available in the area. We offer more services here that are not offered elsewhere.
- In Office Endoscopy Center - Procedures can be scheduled in the comfort of our own endoscopy center, instead of the hospital, with our team of nurse anesthetists. The pathology lab is also provided in house.
- Short wait times for appointment and procedures, we can usually have a patient seen in the office oftentimes within a week or two.
- Involved in community education, participating in lectures and talks to our providers and nurses in the area. We have been involved in community healthcare initiatives regarding preventative cancer programs.