Bowel Polyps (Colon Polyps)
A bowel polyp is a small growth on the lining of the large bowel (the colon) or the back passage (the rectum). Polyps are common, especially after forty-five, and most never cause trouble. Some types, called adenomas, can slowly turn into cancer over many years, which is why they are removed when found. Most polyps cause no symptoms at all, so in Nigeria they are rarely looked for, and a polyp that bleeds is often treated as piles with creams and herbs. A colonoscopy is the test that finds polyps, and most can be removed painlessly during the same procedure, then checked in the laboratory.
Medically reviewed by Dr Debo Odulana, Founder and Chief Executive, Mezo. Last reviewed . This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Care is decided with you after an examination.
Symptoms
- Usually none at all, which is why screening matters
- Blood on the tissue or mixed into the stool
- Dark red or black stool
- A change in bowel habit lasting more than a few weeks
- Mucus in the stool
- Tiredness or breathlessness from slow, hidden blood loss and anaemia
When to See a Doctor
See a doctor for any bleeding from the back passage, a change in bowel habit lasting more than three weeks, or unexplained anaemia, as these need a colonoscopy. Ask about screening from forty-five even if you feel well, and earlier if a parent, brother or sister had bowel cancer or polyps. If polyps were removed before, keep to the repeat colonoscopy your doctor advised. Go to an emergency department for heavy bleeding, passing clots, or feeling faint.
Treatment options
- Colonoscopy, which finds polyps and removes most of them at the same time (polypectomy)
- Laboratory examination of every polyp removed, to know its type
- A follow-up colonoscopy at an interval set by the number, size and type of polyps
- Endoscopic removal in a specialist centre for large or flat polyps
- Surgery, rarely, for a polyp that cannot be removed through the scope
- Earlier and more frequent screening for families with inherited polyp conditions
What it costs on Mezo
Published cash prices for the treatments used for this condition.
Common Questions
Are bowel polyps cancer?
Most are not. Many polyps are harmless, and even the types that can turn into cancer usually take years to do so. Removing them during colonoscopy is how that change is prevented.
Does removing a polyp hurt?
No. The bowel lining has no pain nerves of the kind skin has, and most people have sedation for the colonoscopy. The polyp is removed with a small wire loop or forceps passed through the scope.
Will polyps come back after removal?
A removed polyp is gone, but people who have had polyps are more likely to form new ones. That is why your doctor will advise a repeat colonoscopy, with the timing based on what was found.
Can herbs or diet shrink polyps?
No herb or diet has been shown to remove polyps. A diet with more fibre and less processed meat, staying active and not smoking may lower the risk of bowel cancer, but a polyp that is already there needs to be removed.
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