Bowel polyps
What are the symptoms?
Most people with polyps won't be aware of them as they produce no symptoms and are often discovered by accident.
However, some larger polyps can cause:
- a small amount of Rectal bleeding (blood in your stool)
- mucus to be produced when you open your bowels
- diarrhoea or constipation
- abdominal pain
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018
Introduction
Bowel polyps are small growths on the inner lining of the colon (large bowel) or rectum. They are common, affecting 15-20% of the UK population, and do not usually cause symptoms.
How are they caused?
Bowel polyps are caused by an abnormal production of cells. The lining of the bowel constantly renews itself, and a faulty gene can cause the cells in the bowel lining to grow more quickly. There may
What are the symptoms?
Most people with polyps won't be aware of them as they produce no symptoms and are often discovered by accident. However, some larger polyps can cause: a small amount of Rectal bleeding (blood in y
How are they discovered?
Bowel polypsare usually found as a result of a bowel investigation for another reason, such as a sigmoidoscopy (examination of the last part of the bowel) or during screening for bowel cancer . If po
How are they treated?
There are several methods for treating polyps, but the most common procedure involves snaring the polypduring a colonoscopy. Snaring is like cutting the polyp off with cheese wire and is painless. Bo
Outlook
Some people will need further colonoscopies because polyps can recur. Polyps can sometimes run in families. This is uncommon, butmeans you'll need colonoscopy checks at regular intervals. You might b
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