People who have a higher chance of getting colorectal cancer should begin screening earlier in life and have more frequent screening than others.

Colon polyps are small growths in your intestine.

Use these colon polyps health tools to help make wise health decisions or take action to improve your health.

Colon polyps usually do not cause symptoms unless they are larger than or they are cancerous. The most common symptom is rectal bleeding. Sometimes the bleeding may not be obvious (occult) and may only be discovered after doing a screening test.

Unless colon polyps are large and cause bleeding or pain, the only way to know if you have polyps is to have one or more tests that explore the inside surface of your colon. Several tests can be used to detect colon polyps.

Most colon polyps do not cause any problems, but they are typically removed during screening if you have a flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy.

There is no home treatment for colon polyps. But you can take steps that may help prevent colon polyps from developing.

A list of organizations that provide resources for treating or living with colon polyps.

A list of topics that are related to colon polyps, including colorectal cancer.

A reference list about colon polyps.

A list of authors and reviewers who contributed to the topic of colon polyps.