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Treatment for Colon Polyps - NIDDK
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class="dk-breadcrumbs"> <ol> <li> <a href="/"><span>Home</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/health-information"><span>Health Information</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/health-information/digestive-diseases"><span>Digestive Diseases</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/health-information/digestive-diseases/colon-polyps"><span>Colon Polyps</span></a> </li> <li> <span>Treatment</span> </li> </ol> </div> <button type="button" class="context-menu-button">Related Topics</button> <div class="dk-language-dropdown"> <button type="button" name="options" title="Show alternate languages for this page" aria-label="Alternate languages" aria-haspopup="true" aria-owns="language-picker-opts"> <span class="language">English</span> </button> <ul id="language-picker-opts" role="menu" aria-hidden="true"> <li role="menuitem" class="current"><a href="/health-information/digestive-diseases/colon-polyps/treatment">English</a></li> <li role="menuitem"><a href="/health-information/informacion-de-la-salud/enfermedades-digestivas/polipos-colon/tratamiento">Español</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="dk-main-container"> <nav class="dk-leftnav" aria-label="Section navigation"> <a href="/health-information/digestive-diseases/colon-polyps" aria-description="Parent page">Colon Polyps</a> <ul> <li class="ln-collapsed"> <a href="/health-information/digestive-diseases/colon-polyps/definition-facts">Definition & Facts</a> </li> <li class="ln-collapsed"> <a href="/health-information/digestive-diseases/colon-polyps/symptoms-causes">Symptoms & Causes</a> </li> <li class="ln-collapsed"> <a href="/health-information/digestive-diseases/colon-polyps/diagnosis">Diagnosis</a> </li> <li class="ln-current"> <span>Treatment</span> </li> <li class="ln-collapsed"> <a href="/health-information/digestive-diseases/colon-polyps/eating-diet-nutrition">Eating, Diet, & Nutrition</a> </li> <li class="ln-collapsed"> <a href="/health-information/digestive-diseases/colon-polyps/clinical-trials">Clinical Trials</a> </li> </ul> </nav> <article class="dk-content"> <h1 itemprop="name">Treatment for Colon Polyps</h1> <div class="health-detail-content"> <h2>How do doctors treat colon polyps?</h2> <p>Doctors treat colon polyps by removing them.</p> <p>In most cases, doctors use special tools during a <a href="/health-information/diagnostic-tests/colonoscopy">colonoscopy</a> or <a href="/health-information/diagnostic-tests/flexible-sigmoidoscopy">flexible sigmoidoscopy</a> to remove colon polyps. After doctors remove the polyp, they send it for testing to check for cancer. A <a href="/Dictionary/P/pathologist" class="dictionary-term">pathologist</a> will review the test results and send a report to your doctor. Doctors can remove almost all polyps without surgery.</p> <p>If you have colon polyps, your doctor will ask you to get tested regularly in the future because you have a higher chance of developing more polyps.</p> <h2>Seek Care Right Away</h2> <p>Call your doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms after he or she removes a colon polyp:</p> <ul> <li>severe pain in your <a href="/Dictionary/A/abdomen" class="dictionary-term">abdomen</a></li> <li>fever</li> <li>bloody <a href="/Dictionary/B/bowel-movement" class="dictionary-term">bowel movements</a> that do not get better</li> <li>bleeding from your <a href="/Dictionary/A/anus" class="dictionary-term">anus</a> that does not stop</li> <li>dizziness</li> <li>weakness</li> </ul> <h2>How can I prevent colon polyps?</h2> <p>Researchers don’t know a sure way to prevent colon polyps. However, you can take steps to lower your chances of developing colon polyps.</p> <h3>Eating, diet, and nutrition</h3> <p><a href="/health-information/digestive-diseases/colon-polyps/eating-diet-nutrition">Eating, diet, and nutrition</a> changes—such as eating less red meat and more fruits and vegetables—may lower your chances of developing colon polyps.</p> <h3>Healthy lifestyle choices</h3> <p>You can make the following healthy lifestyle choices to help lower your chances of developing colon polyps:</p> <ul> <li>get <a href="https://health.gov/moveyourway#adults">regular physical activity</a></li> <li><a href="https://smokefree.gov/">don’t smoke cigarettes</a>, and if you do smoke, quit</li> <li>avoid drinking alcohol</li> <li>lose weight if you’re overweight</li> </ul> <figure class="small center"> <img src="/-/media/Images/Health-Information/Digestive-Diseases/woman_walking_dog_330x495.jpg" alt="Woman walking a dog outdoors"> <figcaption>Being physically active and losing weight if you’re overweight may lower your chances of developing colon polyps.</figcaption> </figure> <h3>Aspirin</h3> <p>Taking a low dose of aspirin every day for a long period of time may help prevent polyps from developing into colorectal cancer in some people.<sup>5</sup> However, taking aspirin daily may cause side effects such as bleeding in your <a href="/Dictionary/S/stomach" class="dictionary-term">stomach</a> or <a href="/Dictionary/I/intestines" class="dictionary-term">intestines</a>. Talk with your doctor before you start taking aspirin daily.</p> <h2>References</h2> <aside class="references"> <p>[5] Aspirin use to prevent cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer: preventive medication. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force website. <a href="https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/Page/Document/UpdateSummaryFinal/aspirin-to-prevent-cardiovascular-disease-and-cancer"> https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/Page/Document/UpdateSummaryFinal/aspirin-to-prevent-cardiovascular-disease-and-cancer</a>. Published April 2016. Accessed September 7, 2017</p> </aside> </div> <div class="dk-review-date">Last Reviewed July 2017</div> <div id="3259712463154ccba5b40c42e9b6b8bc" class="dk-share"> <span>Share<span class="sr-only"> this page</span></span> <div class="dk-share-buttons" data-lang="en"> <button type="button" class="shr-print" title="Print this page" onclick="window.print();return false;">Print</button> <a class="shr-facebook no-disclaimer" title="Share this page on Facebook" href="#share-3259712463154ccba5b40c42e9b6b8bc" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Facebook</a> <a class="shr-x no-disclaimer" title="Post this page on X" href="#share-3259712463154ccba5b40c42e9b6b8bc" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">X</a> <a class="shr-email" title="Email this page" href="#share-3259712463154ccba5b40c42e9b6b8bc" target="_self" rel="nofollow noopener">Email</a> <button type="button" class="shr-more" title="More sharing options" aria-expanded="false">More Options</button> <a class="shr-whatsapp no-disclaimer" title="Share this page via WhatsApp" href="#share-3259712463154ccba5b40c42e9b6b8bc" target="_self" rel="nofollow noopener">WhatsApp</a> <a class="shr-linkedin no-disclaimer" title="Share this page on LinkedIn" href="#share-3259712463154ccba5b40c42e9b6b8bc" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">LinkedIn</a> <a class="shr-reddit no-disclaimer" title="Share this page on Reddit" href="#share-3259712463154ccba5b40c42e9b6b8bc" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Reddit</a> <a class="shr-pinterest no-disclaimer" title="Share this page on Pinterest" href="#share-3259712463154ccba5b40c42e9b6b8bc" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Pinterest</a> <button type="button" class="shr-copy" title="Copy a link for sharing to the clipboard">Copy Link</button> </div> <script src="/_ux/niddk/9.35.0/scripts/modules/social-share.js" type="module"></script> </div> <div class="previous-next " > <a href="/health-information/digestive-diseases/colon-polyps/diagnosis"> <div> <em>Previous:</em> Diagnosis </div> </a> <a href="/health-information/digestive-diseases/colon-polyps/eating-diet-nutrition"> <div> <em>Next:</em> Eating, Diet, & Nutrition </div> </a> </div> <div class="disclaimer"> <p> This content is provided as a service of the <a href="https://www.niddk.nih.gov/">National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases</a> (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health. 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