What is the Colon and Signs and Symptoms

What Is the Colon?

The colon is part of the large intestine that extends about five feet long from the cecum (located at the end of the small bowel) to the rectum (the rectum is the last 6-8 inches of the large intestine that ends at the anus). The colon (also termed the large bowel or large intestine) is comprised of the ascending, transverse, descending, and sigmoid colon, which ends at the rectum. The function of the colon is to absorb water and electrolytes from the indigestible foods we eat, accept, and store food remains that were not digested, and then eliminate that solid waste food (stool or feces) from the body.

What Are Colon Polyps? How Common Are They?

Colon polyps usually are benign, slow-growing tumors that arise from the epithelial cells in the large intestine. Some colon polyps contain and/or become cancerous tumors (malignant <1%). Benign colon polyps do not invade nearby tissue or spread to other parts of the body. They are commonly present in many individuals and increase in numbers with increasing age.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Colon Polyps?

Most people with colon polyps do not have signs or symptoms; however, in people who do, the most common are:

• Rectal bleeding
• Anemia
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Decreased stool size (caliber)

Other Signs and Symptoms May Include:

• Iron deficiency
• Black stools
• Abdominal pain
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Intussusception (the colon folds into itself or telescopes)

Do Colon Polyps Cause Pain?

Most people with colon polyps (also termed colonic polyps) have no pain.

What Are The Types of Colon Polyps? What Causes Them?

What Are the Types of Colon Polyps? What Causes Them?

From a Medical Perspective the cause of colon polyps is unclear, but there are risk factors for developing them.

Colon polyps are usually divided into three groups or types:

1. Hyerplastic colon polyps are benign protrusions, and comprise about 90% of polyps.
2. Adenomas are colon polyps that usually are small, have a small potential for malignancy, and comprise about 10% of polyps. There are three three types ademomas, tubular adenoma, tubulovillous adenoma, and villous adenoma.
3. Polyposis syndromes (a group of hereditary conditions that produce among other things, colon polyps) that include:

• Familial adenomatous polyposis
• Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC)/Lynch syndrome
• Gardner syndrome
• Turcot syndrome
• Peutz-Jeghers syndrome
• MUTHY polyposis
• Pamilial juvenile polyposis
• Hyperplastic polyposis
• Serrated polyposis
• Hamartomatous polyps

Can Colon Polyps Turn Into Pre-cancer or Colon Cancer?

Yes, adenomas or adenomatous polyps have the potential to mutate into colon cancer (or sometimes termed colorectal cancer). Because this happens somewhat infrequently, and because of the difficulty of telling the difference between small benign polyps and polyps that may mutate, gastroenterologists often will remove polyps as a precaution when they do endoscopy.

What Are the Risk Factors for Colon Polyps?

Risk factors for colon polyps include:

• Family history of colon polyps
• Family history of colon cancer
• Diet high in red meats
• Diet high in processed meats
• History of inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis)
• Inherited conditions (polyposis syndromes, for example)
• Older age

How Are Colon Polyps Diagnosed?

How Are Colon Polyps Diagnosed?

A gastroenterologist usually diagnosis colon polyps after ordering and performing several diagnostic tests. These tests may include:

• Stool samples tested for blood
• Rectal exam
• Barium enema
• Flexible sigmoidoscopy
• Colonoscopy
• Capsule endoscopy by camera
• Virtual colonoscopy (computer reconstruction of your colon from X-ray scans)
• Detection of mutant, fragmented and/or methylated DNA in the stool
• Biopsy (often done on polyps removed during colonoscopy) can determine benign vs. pre-cancerous or cancerous polyps

Consider Dr. Huntoon's Advice below.

Medical Treatments

What Is the Treatment for Colon Polyps?

Medical care or treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) has shown in some studies to decrease the size and number of colon polyps. However, there is no indication that they can prevent cancer development. One study suggests aspirin may reduce recurrent colon polyps.

Surgery

Patients with only a few polyps can undergo polypectomy, a procedure that allows removal of the polyps with a colonoscope. Colonic resection is used if multiple intestinal polyps are associated with syndromes like familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). Colonic resection should be discussed between you and your gastroenterologist. 

REFERENCES: 

Enders, GH. "Colonic Polyps." Medscape. Updated: Jan 17, 2017.
<http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/172674-overview#a6 > 

Johns Hopkins Medicine; Colorectal Cancer. "From Polyp to Cancer." 
<http://hopkinscoloncancercenter.org/CMS/CMS_Page.aspx?CurrentUDV=59&CMS_Page_ID=0B34E9BE-5DE6-4CB4-B387-4158CC924084 >

Dr. Huntoon's Alternative Perspective and Your Solution

Dr. Huntoon has spent 30 plus years understanding the importance of all disease, what causes sickness to begin and what it takes to be and stay healthy. It is his passion and he can and will help you understand how to restore balance to your digestive system and your overall health.  Please appreciate that any time you are exposed to antibiotics (70 percent of them are put into our food supply), you will disrupt your microbiome.  Also of importance is understanding the stress, over-the-counter medicines, prescription medicines, alcohol, refines and processed sugar, additives, preservatives, plastics etc., will contribute to having problems with your microbiome, thus leading to Leaky Gut Syndrome. 

Remember, the top foods to remove that cause leaky gut are sugar, grains, conventional meat, conventional dairy and GMO foods. The top toxic exposures to eliminate are municipal tap water, pesticides, NSAIDS and antibiotics — but remember to always consult with your physician if he or she has prescribed these for you.  Ask questions and see if they are aware of the possible side-effects of their recommending these for your care.  Most times they are not.

Finding a practitioner, like Dr. Huntoon, who can walk you through the different steps necessary to restore your microbiome becomes paramount.  Below are 3 main things you should be aware of and practice if you choose to be healthy.

How Else Can You Establish a Strong Microbiome?

1. Avoid Antibiotics as Much as Possible

Antibiotics have been commonly prescribed for over 80 years now, but the problem is that they eliminate good bacteria in addition to cleaning the body of dangerous “germs,” which means they can lower immune function and raise the risk for infections, allergies and diseases. While antibiotics can save lives when they’re truly needed, they’re often over-prescribed and their consequences are misunderstood.

Over time, dangerous bacteria can become resistant to antibiotics, making serious infections harder to fight.  Before taking antibiotics or giving them to your children, talk to your doctor about alternative options and the unintended consequences to our microbiomes that can result from taking antibiotics too often and when they aren’t needed.

2. Lower Stress and Exercise More

Stress hinders immune function because your body diverts energy away from fighting off infections and places it on primary concerns that keep your alive — which is one reason why chronic stress can kill your quality of life. When your body thinks it’s facing an immediate danger, you become more susceptible to infections and experience more severe symptoms while also developing higher levels of inflammation.

Stress causes immune compounds known as cytokines to contribute to the inflammatory response that damages healthy cells. Exercise is a natural stress reliever that can help lower inflammation, balance hormones and strengthen the Immune System.

3. Add Supplements

Begin with the source of good bacteria within your digestive system.  This requires a high quality probiotic and should be kept in your refrigerator when being stored.  If the bottle says it does not need to be refrigerated, you are probably wasting your money.  Next, you will need some type of supplement to get rid of the excess amounts of Yeast/Candidia that create the leaky gut syndrome.  This will help to restore balance to the microbiome and return the body back to health.  Other supplements that may be helpful, especially if they are gotten from whole food sources are Co-enzyme Q10, carotenoids, omega-3 fish oil, selenium and antioxidants (vitamins C, D and E).  These can help keep free radical damage from disturbing micrbiota gut health.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Dr. Huntoon directly at 845-561-2225.  He looks forward to serving you.