Polyps are growths that can occur on the inside of the colon (bowel) or rectum. Although most are benign, they can turn into colon or rectal cancer if left untreated. You're more risk of developing polyps if you're older than 50, have a family history of polyps or have someone in your family who has had colon or rectal cancer. Because people with polyps often have no symptoms, polyps are often only detected during a routine colonoscopy, a medical procedure that allows a doctor to view the inner walls of your large intestine. If a polyp is found, it should be removed and tested in a laboratory to make sure it's not cancerous.
Bloody Stools
According to the Penn State Hershey Medical Center, the top symptom of polyps is bleeding during bowel movements. Blood may appear as red streaks in the bowel itself, in the toilet water or on a toilet wipe. It can also make the bowel look black. Often, though, the blood is not clearly visible in the stool. A simple way to check for blood in your stools is to do an occult blood test, which involves smearing a small amount of stool on a card and having a lab technician examine it for any sign of blood.
Changes in Bowel Habits
If you've experienced a recent change in your daily bowel habits, this, too, could be a sign that you have a polyp or polyps, Penn State says. Things to look for include diarrhea or constipation that persists for more than a few days; this could indicate a blockage in the bowel or changes in your intestine's normal absorption. Stools may also seem more narrow or elongated than normal.
Abdominal Pain
Abdominal pain or unusual weight loss are other signs that you may have polyps. As polyps grow, they can cause a partial blockage in the bowel, leading to cramping, pain, nausea, vomiting and severe constipation. These may also be a sign that the polyp has progressed to a more serious stage and become malignant .
Weakness
A further sign that you may have polyps is weakness triggered by loss of blood. According to Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin, Maryland, bleeding from a polyp can cause anemia, a condition arising from a low red blood cell count. Although there are other causes of anemia--including a poor diet, iron deficiency and underlying medical conditions--any persistent, unexplained weakness or fatigue should be brought to your doctor's attention. It could be a symptom of polyps, especially if you also have any of the other symptoms noted above.
