Polyps
Colonic or bowel polyps represent overgrowth of the lining of the large bowel (colon) such that the excess tissue protrudes into the bowel. There are different types and many do not cause any problems but some can lead to bowel cancer – if these can be detected and removed cancer can be prevented.
Most polyps do not cause any symptoms, so most people will not know they have them unless they have a colonoscopy. Bowel screening aims to detect individuals at increased risk of having polyps and performing colonoscopy in them. They can occur anywhere along the length of the bowel but those that are lower down the bowel i.e in the rectum are more likely to cause symptoms such as:
- A discharge of slime (mucus) or blood in your poo
- Bleeding from your bottom
- A change in your normal bowel habits, such as diarrhoea or constipation
- A feeling of incomplete emptying of the bowel after going to the toilet
If you are seeking more information, you can visit the NHS polyps page.
Treatment
The treatment of polyps is to remove them. This is most commonly done during a colonoscopy examination but some larger ones that are lower down in the bowel (lower rectum) may require an operation.