Polyps are abnormal tissue growths that often look like small flat bumps or small mushroom-like stalks. Most of the polyps are smaller than one centimeter.
What is a Polyp?
Polyps are abnormal tissue growths that often look like small flat bumps or small mushroom-like stalks. Most of the polyps are smaller than one centimeter. Polyps in the colon are the most common, but polyps are also possible in tissues in different parts of the body, such as:
- Ear canal
- Cervix, cervix
- Stomach
- Nose
- Uterine
- Throat
The type of polyp can cause different symptoms depending on its location. Below are some common types of polyps, their locations and symptoms.
Auditory: It is seen in the ear canal and causes symptoms such as hearing loss and bleeding from the ear.
Cervical: The polyp in the cervix, the area where the uterus connects to the vagina, typically does not show any symptoms, but in severe menstruation or during sexual intercourse It may cause bleeding or an unusual discharge.
Colorectal: Blood in the stool, abdominal pain, constipation and diarrhea symptoms may be observed.
Nose: May show cold-like symptoms such as headache, nasal pain, loss of smell .
Stomach: Polyps that may form in the stomach and stomach lining may cause pain, tenderness, vomiting and bleeding.
Gallbladder polyps: They are usually confused with gallbladder stones and sludge. If the polyp is large and/or has more than one and/or causes obstruction in the bile flow, the gallbladder should be removed. About gallbladder polyps You can find more information at Gallbladder Polyps.
Endometrial: Polyps formed in the uterus can usually cause endometrial infertility, irregular menstrual bleeding and vaginal bleeding.
Vocal cord (throat) : It may cause hoarseness that can last from a few days to a few weeks.
Bladder: These polyps that develop on the inner surface epithelium of the bladder may show symptoms such as blood in the urine, painful urination, and frequent urination.
Most of the time The polyp in the colon does not cause cancer and often does not show any symptoms until it reaches advanced stages. However, in some cases, they can turn into cancer, as in stomach polyps.
What are the Causes of Polyp Formation?
The causes of polyps may vary depending on their location. For example, throat polyps are often the result of an injury from shouting loudly or damage from a breathing tube. In some cases, doctors cannot identify the cause of polyps.
Some known causes are:
- Inflammation
- A foreign object
- Cyst
- Tumor
- Mutation in the genes of colon cells
- Chronic stomach inflammation
- Excessive estrogen
What are the Risk Factors for Polyp Formation?
People who smoke have a higher risk for bladder polyps. Women who are over 40 or have children are more likely to develop polyps in the uterus. The risk for cervical polyps increases in women over the age of 20 and those who are premenopausal.
People with acid reflux have a higher risk for throat polyps. However, there are no known risk factors for auditory polyps.
If you are concerned about a certain type of polyp, you can consult your doctor about your individual risks.
What are the Risk Factors for Colon Polyps?
Risk factors for colon polyps:
- Eating a high-fat, low-fiber diet
- Being over 50 years of age
- Family history of colon polyps and cancer
- Use tobacco and/or alcohol mention
- Having an inflammatory bowel disease such as Ulcerative Colitis
- Being obese
- Not exercising enough
- Having poorly managed Type-2 diabetes be
What are the Risk Factors for Stomach Polyps?
The risk for stomach polyps increases with the following: :
- More common in middle age and old age.
- Bacterial stomach infections,
- Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), a rare genetic syndrome,
- The risk increases with regular use of proton pump inhibitors such as Nexium, Prilosec and Protonix.
What are the Risk Factors for Nasal Polyps?
, are more likely to develop in people who experience the following conditions:
- Ongoing sinus infections,
- Allergies,
- Asthma,
- Cystic fibrosis,
- Aspirin sensitivity.
How to Diagnose Polyps?
In case of suspected presence of polyps in family and medical history and physical examination may use imaging techniques such as X-rays, ultrasound, or computed tomography (CT) scanning to examine the organ system involved. These examinations confirm the presence and size of the polyp. A biopsy is taken from the structure in order to determine the histological (cellular) structure of the polyp structure and to have information about the cancer risk accordingly. Precise information about the polyp cell type is collected according to the pathological evaluation. These include:
- A Pap Smear Test to check for polyps in the vagina or cervix,
- Esophagogastroduodenoscopy or endoscopy for the small intestine and stomach,
- Easy to reach biopsy of areas, so that a sample can be taken and analyzed under a microscope.
- Colonoscopy for polyps in the large intestine,
- Examination by holding a mirror to the back of your mouth to check your vocal cords.
How to Treat Polyps
Some polyps do not require treatment, especially if your doctor says they are not harmful. Throat polyps are typical It goes away on its own with rest and sound therapy. Others can be surgically removed as a precaution against developing cancer.
Polyp treatment depends on a number of factors, including:
- Whether the polyps are cancerous,
- How many polyp found,
- Where it is located,
- Dimensions.
Your doctor may prescribe progestin and gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists for hormone-related polyps such as cervical and uterine polyps. These drugs will tell your body to produce more hormones to shrink the polyps.
Nasal steroids or corticosteroid treatments can help treat nasal polyps. Your doctor will use the least invasive treatment before choosing surgical interventions.
How to Prevent Polyps?
Polyps cannot always be prevented. This is the case for some types of polyps, such as nasal and uterine polyps. However, adopting a healthy lifestyle can reduce the risk of colon polyps formation and thus minimize your risk of colorectal cancer.
In order to minimize polyp formation, the following are recommended:
- Fruits, vegetables and A healthy diet that includes whole grains
- Limiting your alcohol consumption
- Avoiding tobacco use
- Exercising regularly to maintain a healthy body weight
What Are the Next Steps for Someone with Polyps?
Polyps that are not cancerous and polyps that do not have symptoms usually does not require any intervention unless it interferes with your daily activities. Your doctor may recommend "watchful waiting" by monitoring at regular intervals to make sure that the polyps do not grow any further. He or she will also be able to tell you when to have surgery to remove the polyps.
If you are concerned about polyps, you can:
- Learn more about your family history of polyps.
- You can keep up-to-date medical records of previous tests and imaging studies regarding your diagnosis.
- If polyps have been removed, you can consult your doctor to make sure you are clear.
- You can be aware of the signs of polyps and seek treatment when they occur.
It may be possible for benign polyps to turn into cancerous polyps, or for uterine polyps to cause infertility or for permanent obstruction from nasal polyps.
Read: 0
