What are the symptoms of anal polyps

If polyps appear outside the anus, the patient should feel it obviously. If it is not handled and treated in time, blood in the stool may occur, which can easily lead to infection. In addition, there are itching and abdominal discomfort.

Anal polyps refer to new growths that occur on the anal canal or rectal mucosa. Most of them are round or oval tumors with pedicles that can protrude into the intestinal cavity and move up and down. Most of the pedicle is caused by the extension of intestinal mucosa due to intestinal peristalsis or feces. Anal polyps are mostly caused by chronic irritation from feces. They are common benign tumors, but a few may become malignant. Most anal polyps are single, while multiple ones are a minority.

Clinical manifestations

1. Blood in the stool

Painless blood in the stool is the main clinical manifestation of anal polyps, but some patients may never have symptoms of blood in the stool. The amount of blood in the stool caused by polyps is relatively small. However, if the polyps are dislodged due to squeezing during defecation, or if the polyps are large and located low, a larger amount of bleeding may occur. The characteristic of blood in the stool is that it contains blood but does not drip.

2. Prolapse

When anal polyps are large or numerous, gravity pulls on the intestinal mucosa, causing it to gradually separate from the muscle layer and prolapse downward. The traction caused by the patient's defecation movement and the stimulation of intestinal peristalsis can relax the mucosal layer around the base of the rectum, which may be complicated by rectal prolapse.

3. Intestinal irritation symptoms

When intestinal peristalsis pulls on polyps, intestinal irritation symptoms may occur, such as abdominal discomfort, abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloody stools, tenesmus, etc.