Health Blurbs

Polyps are projections of tissue from the mucous membrane of an organs.  Rarely are these polyp outgrowths malignant, the vast majority are benign and harmless.  However, the larger ones may be cancer polyps or become cancerous overtime.

Polyps usually form in organs with legions of blood vessels, like your colon and uterus.

Colon polyps form in the lining of your colon and colorectal polyps refers to polyp formation in your colon or rectum lining.  A couple of factors contributing to the development of colon polyps are:

• male
• smoke
• over 50
• overweight
• sedentary lifestyle
• consume high fat, low fiber diet
• personal, family history ~ colon polyps, colon cancer

Smaller pea sized polyps don’t usually cause any problems nor symptoms.  And frequently these colon lining polyp offshoots are discovered during a colonoscopy, or some other colon screening test.

When polyp symptoms are experienced, especially with the bigger ones, they consist of:

• diarrhea
• constipation
• rectal bleeding
• blood in your stool
• obstruction discomfort ~ abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, severe constipation

Colon polyps usually can be removed, the great majority snared, cut and cauterized during a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy.

You can significantly improve your odds for circumventing colon polyps and cancer by:

• active lifestyle
• limited alcohol consumption
• maintain appropriate body weight
• low consumption of fat ~ especially saturated
• high consumption of fruits and vegetables ~ fiber/antioxidant benefits

In addition, make sure your body is being provided adequate supplies of calcium, folic acid and vitamin D.

Uterine polyps are outgrowths from the inner wall of your uterus, or endometrium.  They normally occur in the 40-50 age group, announcing there presence through:

• infertility
• bleeding after menopause
• irregular menstrual bleeding
• excessively heavy menstruation
• bleeding/spotting between periods

The cause of uterine polyps is unknown. But what is known is estrogen seems to instigate their growth.  Your chances of developing polyps, or additional polyps, in your uterus swells with:

• obesity
• tamoxifen ~ drug for breast cancer
• high blood pressure ~ hypertension

Uterine cancer polyps are rare, and the risk only slightly increases for benign uterine polyps to grow cancerous over the age of 50.

Other polyp type growths may develop in your:

• cervix
• urethra
• stomach
• galbladder
• vocal cords
• nose/sinuses
• aural ~ external ear canal

Skin tags are common benign (noncancerous) fibroepithelial polyps.

Give potential cancer polyps the runaround with healthier lifestyle choices!

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