There are many dangerous conditions for health and life, quietly lurking for the time being. Most often, without special diagnostic methods, they cannot be distinguished from natural physiological manifestations.
One of these conditions is intestinal polyposis.
With this pathology, special growths are formed on the walls of the colon - polyps. By themselves, they are not dangerous. The main problem is the potential of polyps to malignancy.
Polyposis is considered a precancerous condition; over time, these growths become malignant, transforming into cancer. Therefore, it is so important to timely identify them, and begin to take the necessary actions. We learn more about the problem.
Polyps in the intestine: causes
The causes of the formation of polyps in the intestine are diverse. Let's consider them in more detail.
1) The first and main reason is infection with the human papillomavirus. Most often, the human papillomavirus infects the skin, forming condylomas and other types of formations. However, other epithelial structures, including the mucosa of the large intestine, are also at risk. Medical science is not well informed about the progress of infection, but polyps are often a direct result of HPV infection.
2) Lack of local immunity. No education will appear if the immune system is functioning adequately. It is enough to give the slack to the body’s protective system, as all kinds of tumor-like structures, including polyps, are immediately formed.
3) Improper nutrition. Not the least role in the formation of polyposis is played by alimentary causes. Improper nutrition leads to stagnation of the intestines, constipation. Especially dangerous is the lack of fiber in the diet.
4) Taking laxative drugs. For incompletely known and understandable reasons, the active substances that are part of the laxative preparations lead to the accelerated formation of polyps in the colon.
5) Genetic reasons. The male line is transmitted predisposition to the formation of polyposis. Fortunately, polyps themselves are not inherited.
6) Lack of movement. Hypodynamia is the enemy of the body as a whole.
7) Age. The older the person, the higher the risk of polyps in the intestines. In a special risk group of a person older than 50 years.
8) smoking. Another provoking factor.
9) Bowel disease. Including Crohn’s disease, colitis, etc.
Often we are talking not about one, but about a whole complex of reasons.
Polyps in the intestine: the first symptoms
It is important to understand that in different patients the signs of polyps in the intestine will be different. We can talk about the following complex of the first symptoms of polyps in the intestine:
• Feeling of pain in the anus, in the abdomen. Depending on the size of the formations and their localization, the pain can be either very intense or completely absent. Also, a significant role is played by the characteristics of the patient's body. Pain can be given to the right hypochondrium, left hypochondrium, epigastric region, simulating gastritis, gastroduodenitis and other pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract. To understand the source of pain, even an experienced doctor will have to sweat pretty.
• Blood in the stool. It can be either explicit or hidden. Clear blood is said to be when blood appears directly in the feces and can be seen with the naked eye. But even in this case, polyps can only be suspected: hemorrhoids manifest in the same way. An important difference: with polyposis, blood is more often found in the form of veins, in the structure of the stool, while with hemorrhoids it envelops feces. Hidden blood can be detected only by conducting a special study. A positive result may indicate a malignant process has already begun.
• A sensation of a foreign body in the rectum. It is also the result of the appearance of foreign bodies in the structure of the epithelium of the large intestine. Well, this symptom manifests itself only with a low arrangement of polyps. If they are localized in the sigmoid colon and above, sensations are usually absent.
• Phenomena of bowel obstruction. Polyps, for obvious reasons, may not go into cancer for a long time. But from this they can not be called more benign. Sometimes such "good quality" is extremely dangerous. So, intestinal obstruction phenomena may occur when a large polyp overlaps the intestinal lumen in whole or in part. This is dangerous and requires immediate surgery. If the size of the formation is not so critical, we can talk about changing the size of feces: the fecal sausage takes a pencil-shaped form, it is thinning. This is a formidable symptom, since it is no longer characteristic of polyps in the intestine, but of advanced colon cancer.
All of these symptoms can occur in one patient. However, as already mentioned, it all depends on the characteristics of the organism of a particular person and the nature of the process. Small polyps rarely give a vivid clinical picture.
Diagnosis of intestinal polyposis
Diagnosis of polyps in the intestine can be difficult. The whole problem is the localization of the pathological process. In addition, the doctor may not always at first glance understand what is in front of him: polyps or cancer.
Therefore, they resort to special studies.
What does the patient need to know? First of all, with any discomfort in the projection of the large intestine, it is recommended to consult a gastroenterologist and proctologist (profile specialist). There is nothing wrong with the problem, so at the first suspicion you need to immediately go to the doctor.
Diagnosis begins with a medical history (patient history) and an oral survey for ongoing complaints. This is a standard procedure, it is important to answer the questions of a specialist as honestly as possible, it will be easier to make the correct diagnosis, in addition, it will take less time.
Diagnosis itself, mainly instrumental. The main and most informative study is colonoscopy (endoscopic examination, which allows you to visually assess the condition of the large intestine mucosa). This is a very unpleasant procedure, which, however, more than compensates for all the uncomfortable sensations with its information content. If suspected of low polyps, a sigmoidoscopy is performed: examination of the initial sections of the large intestine.
In the course of diagnostic procedures, the endoscopist removes the detected polyps and takes tissue for subsequent histological examination. This is a necessary stage of diagnosis.
Do not be afraid of the phrase "histological examination." Absolutely all removed formations are taken for histology, this does not mean that cancer has begun. A similar practice is common and resorted to to verify the diagnosis: you need to be one hundred percent sure.
Somewhat less often they resort to contrasting fluoroscopy of the large intestine. This study allows you to identify all the formation of the epithelium and, in addition, to detect the prevalence of the process, that is, how much a particular formation has managed to grow deep into the intestine. Most of all, such a study is used for staging cancer, but with polyps it has the right to life.
From laboratory tests, a fecal occult blood test is prescribed. It is not always necessary and justified, especially after a colonoscopy.
Treatment of polyps in the intestines
The treatment of polyps in the intestine is always surgical. Another thing is that we can talk about endoscopic surgery for small polyps (performed immediately with a colonoscopy), or it can be a full-fledged abdominal operation, with large formations. The specific method of therapy is chosen by the doctor.
Prevention of polyps in the intestines
Prevention of polyps in the intestines is simple and includes only a few recommendations:
• Proper nutrition. The first and main advice is to eat right. The diet should have enough coarse fiber. It is important to avoid constipation, this is a direct path to polyposis.
• Do not overload the body with laxatives. They cause the development of polyps. If necessary, preference should be given to natural laxatives: prunes, etc., or to preparations based on herbal components.
• You need to move more.
• Routine examinations should be performed regularly.
The complex of these measures is enough to forget about the described problem or, more precisely, never to face it.
It is important to pay attention to all body signals in time. And even better - to prevent the manifestation of the problem, observing preventive measures.
