Carrington EV, Scott SM, Bharucha A, Mion F, Remes-Troche JM, Malcolm A, Heinrich H, Fox M, Rao SS; International Anorectal Physiology Working Group and the International Working Group for Disorders of Gastrointestinal Motility and Function. Expert consensus document: advances in the evaluation of anorectal function. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2018 May;15(5):309-323. Epub 2018 Apr 11. PMID: 29636555 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29636555/.
Rao SSC. Fecal incontinence. In: Chung RT, Rubin DT, Wilcox CM, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran’s Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2026:chap 19.
Wald A, Bharucha AE, Limketkai B, Malcolm A, Remes-Troche JM, Whitehead WE, Zutshi M. ACG clinical guidelines: management of benign anorectal disorders. Am J Gastroenterol. 2021 Oct 1;116(10):1987-2008. PMID: 34618700 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34618700/.
It’s important for health care workers to stay on top of their vaccines. When you work directly with patients or handle body fluids, you’re more likely to get — and spread — serious diseases.
If you’re a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, lab technician, or other health care worker, protect yourself and your patients by getting vaccinated.
Which vaccines are recommended for health care workers?
You need to be up to date on routine vaccines recommended for your age, like the chickenpox vaccine. You also need to get a flu shot every year — and you may need additional vaccines, like the hepatitis B vaccine.
Meningococcal disease is a name for any infection caused by bacteria called Neisseria meningitidis.
This image of Neisseria meningitidis was computer generated.
Types
The two most common types of meningococcal infections are meningitis and bloodstream infections.
With meningococcal meningitis, the bacteria infect the lining of the brain and spinal cord and cause swelling.
With a meningococcal bloodstream infection, the bacteria enter the blood and damage the walls of the blood vessels. This causes bleeding in the skin and organs.
Symptoms
Symptoms are different for meningococcal meningitis and bloodstream infections. However, both are very serious and can be deadly.
Risk factors
Many factors affect someone’s risk for meningococcal disease, including age and certain medical conditions and medicines.
Causes
N. meningitidis are bacteria that can live in the back of the nose and throat. About 1 in 10 people have these bacteria in their throat and aren’t sick.
Sometimes the bacteria move to other parts of the body and cause infection.
Spread to others
People spread meningococcal bacteria to others by sharing respiratory and throat secretions (saliva or spit).
Generally, it takes close or lengthycontact to spread the bacteria.
Example of close contact: Kissing
Example of lengthy contact: Living together
They aren’t as contagious as germs that cause the common cold or the flu.
Prevention
Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself from meningococcal disease.
Vaccination
The best way to prevent meningococcal disease is to get vaccinated. CDC recommends meningococcal vaccination for
All preteens and teens
Children and adults at increased risk for meningococcal disease
Talk with your doctor about getting vaccinated against meningococcal disease.
Antibiotics
Close contacts of someone with meningococcal disease should receive antibiotics to prevent them from getting sick. A healthcare provider or health department generally decides who should get preventive antibiotics.
Re-infection
Although rare, people can get meningococcal disease more than once. People who get meningococcal disease twice should get tested to see if they have an underlying immune deficiency (weakened immune system).
Testing and diagnosis
Meningococcal disease can be difficult to diagnose because the signs and symptoms are often similar to other illnesses.
Healthcare providers who suspect meningococcal disease will collect samples of blood or cerebrospinal fluid (fluid near the spinal cord). They then send the samples to a lab for testing.
A doctor collects a sample of fluid from a spinal tap.
If bacteria are in the samples, laboratory workers can culture (grow) and test them. This helps healthcare providers know what’s causing the infection and which antibiotic will work best.
Other tests can sometimes detect and identify the bacteria if the cultures don’t.
Treatment and recovery
Healthcare providers treat meningococcal disease with antibiotics. A patient will get antibiotics right away if a healthcare provider thinks they have meningococcal disease. Antibiotics help reduce the risk of dying.
Depending on how serious the infection is, people with meningococcal disease may need other treatments, including:
Breathing support
Medications to treat low blood pressure
Surgery to remove dead tissue
Wound care for parts of the body with damaged skin
As parents, we want to protect our children from all discomfort. At the same time, we know that preparing them to deal with challenges is important. It builds their
resilience and offers the best lifelong protection.
Preparing for unpredictable challenges
When parents know precisely the problem to face, they can make an action plan to help their child learn about and manage it. However, in unpredictable or uncertain times, it is harder for parents to know the best way to prepare their child.
Sometimes we go through uncertain times as a nation. Sometimes, uncertainty is felt most fully in your community or family. The only thing fully predictable in life is that we all will experience curveballs in our life. Humans have long experienced periods of uncertainty, and we can draw from our collective wisdom to get through unpredictable times.
Strengthening relationships & shaping lessons
Wisdom embedded in our DNA tells us that working to strengthen our relationships during uncertain times is key to building family and children’s resilience. We
can always offer reassurance by saying what so many of our grandparents said to us: “This too shall pass, and you’ll get through this with me by your side.”
The best way to protect our children is to shape the lessons gained during difficult times. We do so best when we intentionally manage our own feelings and experiences and show them how we cope with uncertainty.
Below are some of the feelings many of us experience during uncertain times. These are paired with the chance they offer us to model and teach lifelong resilience skills.
“I feel like I am failing.” Learning self-forgiveness
Perfection is never an option, and getting even closer to your goals is harder during unpredictable times. Know that if you forgive yourself and focus on the good in yourself through self-compassion, your child or adolescent will learn to be a bit gentler with themselves. That is lifelong protection.
“My kids are frustrated, and so am I.” Learning to empathize
One of the most respectful things we can do is genuinely understand someone else’s point of view. The best way for children to gain this perspective is by benefitting from it firsthand. You build their empathy for others by working to understand their thoughts, feelings and behaviors.
“I don’t know how to handle how I feel.” Processing and releasing emotions
A time of uncertainty with heightened emotions is the time to show that emotions are not to be ignored. Our children must learn from us that:
“I want to pull my hair out.” Creating a safe haven within our homes
You can love your child and still sometimes want to tear your hair out. We all have bad days when the stress load is high. We cannot control the outside world, but we create sanctuaries within our homes. With peace in our homes, we can better handle the outside world.
“I need a time out.” Being a calming presence for others
In moments when the future is unclear and our minds begin racing, the presence of a reassuring voice makes all the difference.
“I don’t know how to respond.” Being clear and honest with yourself and others
Say what you do know. Admit what you don’t.
“My mind feels out of control.” Maintaining physical health strengthens emotional health
Strong bodies support our minds to best navigate the circumstances we confront. Say out loud: “I’m going to exercise. If I don’t take care of my body, I can’t focus as well.”
“I keep thinking about the worst-case scenario.” Staying present and living in reality
Uncertainty can make our minds race to the worst possible outcome. Catch those thoughts and say, “I am imagining the worst. Let me focus on what is really happening.”
Young people can assume the worst because they have not yet had the experience to know that problems can come and go. Let them know, “You’ll get through this with me by your side.”
“I feel helpless.” Finding what you can do
Few things create discomfort more than feeling like there is too much to do . . . or nothing you can do at all. And few things restore comfort more than tackling what you can. Model the importance of one of the most calming words: “Yet.”
“I’ll NEVER ______!” can transform into “I haven’t ______ yet.” Don’t accept failure or disappointment as permanent but instead view setbacks as opportunities to try
yet again.
“I can’t do everything.” Learning to let go
Stay healthy, strong, and compassionate. Take care of those who are vulnerable. Let family members know they are precious. Do what it takes to keep a roof over your head and food on the table. Everything else can always wait.
“I am so disappointed.” Finding joy, giving service and maintaining purpose
Help your children see the difference they can make in others’ lives and how good it feels to give service. This may enhance their own resilience because they’ll learn the joy of giving. More importantly, they’ll learn there is no pity in receiving.
“I had so many plans that aren’t working out.” When you can’t change things, adapt
Focus on what you
can make a reality and what you
can do.
“I can’t go through this alone.” Relationships strengthen us.
When times get tough, people unify. We hold those we love nearer and offer those who are vulnerable the extra support they deserve.
“Will things ever be the same?” Hope
Resilience is about more than bouncing back. It is about adapting. Growing. Becoming stronger. Being ready for the next challenge, but also being prepared to savor all the good life has to offer.
“Our community needs to come together.” Shared values
Sometimes during challenging times, some people use divisive language. This is deeply unsettling to children and adolescents. We must reinforce our shared values and common humanity.
Remember
Uncertainty is frightening, but knowing that we are not alone to figure it out brings comfort. Any individual alone is vulnerable, but joined together we are stronger than the combination of each of our individual strengths. People together can take turns between drawing strength from others and being a source of strength. We overcome challenges when we come together to remind each other that we belong to one another.
More information
About Dr. Ginsburg
Ken Ginsburg, MD, MS Ed, FAAP, is author of several AAP books,
Building Resilience in Children and Teens, 4th Edition,
Congrats You’re Having a Teen: Strengthen Your Family and Raise a Good PersonandLighthouse Parenting: Raising Your Child with Loving guidance for a Lifelong Bond. He practices Adolescent Medicine at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and is a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Dr. Ginsburg directs Health Services at Covenant House Pennsylvania, where he serves Philadelphia’s youth enduring homelessness, and is also Founding Director of The Center for Parent and Teen Communication. His AAP multimedia toolkit, “Reaching Teens: Strength-Based, Trauma-Sensitive, Resilience-Building Communication Strategies Rooted in Positive Youth Development,” prepares professionals to be the adults young people deserve in their lives.
The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.
As a behavioral pediatrician, I have seen and heard it all. Children who have tantrums to end all tantrums in the middle of a store. Children who refuse to eat or won’t sit still at a restaurant―which quickly escalates to screaming and throwing food. Children who unbuckle themselves from car seats or kick other children at school for no apparent reason.
It can be scary, overwhelming, and challenging to confess these situations out loud. Not simply because these behaviors are happening, but because parents often feel confused, hurt, bewildered and embarrassed when they do.
Why won’t my child listen to me? What did I do wrong? Is there something wrong with my child?
Let’s face it, children don’t come with instructions. And life is beautiful and messy, complicated, and hard. And there is no such thing as a “perfect” parent. Sometimes, a child’s behavior happens not because of
family genes or anything a parent did or did not do―but because of something that has been happening or has happened to the child or to someone in the family.
For children who have tantrums, it can be because they don’t yet have the words to tell you what is bothering them. Or maybe they can’t make sense of what is happening around them and the strong feelings inside are hard to control.
Supporting healthy mental & emotional development
Parents and caregivers have powerful tools that can equip children and teens with skills that help them thrive during difficult times. Go here to learn about 4 key building blocks of healthy mental and emotional development in children, along with tips to promote positive childhood experiences.
Beyond Adverse Childhood Events (ACEs)
For many families, events happen that are unpredictable; these events can be traumatic and affect how a child feels and behaves. For example, when parents make the hard decision to
separate or divorce, it can be very confusing for young children. They may act out, cry or feel sad, lose developmental skills, or
have trouble sleeping. Some have problems concentrating and have a hard time at school.
Potentially traumatic events like these are referred to as ACEs―Adverse Childhood Experiences―and they are more common than you may think.
Experiences of social inequities also can be traumatic and trigger toxic stress responses. Examples include living in poverty, family separation, being the target of racism, or rejection because of sexual orientation or gender identity. And, certainly, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused children many troubling losses.
How adversity can cause “toxic stress”―and how to help prevent it
Our body has
stress systems to protect us so that when faced with a scary situation, we are ready to run and hide. This “fight or flight” response can be triggered whenever a child is scared of any number of things such as dogs, the dark, or spiders. This same system can also be turned on when a child experiences any adverse experience.
However, ACEs are likely to last longer than a single moment, which causes children’s stress systems to be turned on for a long time. When this happens, the stress becomes “toxic” to their overall health. The more ACEs children face, the more harm they can have over time. Likewise, chronic ongoing adversity can have an equally negative effect. In fact, adults who’ve experienced one or more ACEs as a child or are exposed to ongoing chronic social inequities over time are at higher risk of depression, cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other health conditions during their lifetime.
Positive childhood experiences: collaboration, connection, and communication
The good news is that parents can help buffer children from this stress before it becomes toxic. Providing safe, secure, and nurturing relationships (sometimes called “relational health”) helps reset the body’s stress system. In addition, research suggests positive childhood experiences (see “More information,” below) are just as important.
One of the most important is to spark moments of connection. This may be through shared book reading, for example, or participating in family routines and community traditions. You can also model how to accept all emotions. Relational health is key to combating adversity, and promoting skills like collaboration, connection and communication that are essential to help children develop resilience and thrive.
Your pediatrician can help
When parenthood gets challenging, talking with your child’s pediatrician is a great first step. Pediatricians are trained to not only monitor your child’s physical growth, but also their social-emotional health. They can help you build your “team” and support system―whether your child is relatively healthy, has ongoing developmental or behavioral concerns, or your family is going through hard times.
Pediatricians also want to know how you are doing, how your family is doing, and if you feel supported and able to navigate those messier moments of parenting. Expect to be invited to share stories about your family life and the daily stresses and struggles of parenting. They will also ask about your own childhood experiences and current living circumstances. So, bring your questions and concerns.
Remember, no question or concern is silly, minor, stupid or unimportant. When parents share what is happening within the family and their community, it helps pediatricians understand why a child may be acting out or having problems at home and school. It can also help them understand how to better support your family.
We want to ensure all children, and their families, have the resources and skills needed to thrive. To that, we will always be ready to listen, without judgment and with compassion.
More Information
About Dr. Bauer
Nerissa S. Bauer, MD, MPH, FAAP, serves as the Chair of the Technical Assistance Project Advisory Committee of the AAP Screening and Technical Assistance and Resource Center (STAR) Center and host of the Pediatric CARE podcast. She is a past executive committee member of the AAP Section of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics and the Council of Early Childhood. She is a behavioral pediatrician and sees patients in Indianapolis, Indiana in a private practice. She also served on the Guidelines for Adolescent Depression in Primary Care (GLAD-PC) steering group. Follow her on Twitter
@nerissabauer and on her blog,
Let’s Talk Kids’ Health.
The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.
Allergies happen when the immune system, which works to keep the body safe from germs, overreacts to a usually harmless substance (called an allergen). Allergens can be inhaled, eaten or injected (from stings or medicine), or they can come into contact with the skin. For some children, allergens can trigger symptoms such as sneezing, itching, skin rashes, wheezing or even a life-threatening allergic reaction.
Some of the more common allergens are:
Pollens from trees, grasses and weeds
Molds, both indoor and outdoor
Dust mites that live in bedding, carpeting and other items that hold moisture
Animal dander from furry animals such as cats, dogs, horses and rabbits
Some foods and medicines
Venom from insect stings
Are allergies inherited?
Allergies tend to run in families. If a parent has an allergy, there is a higher chance that their child also will have allergies. This risk increases if both parents are allergic.
How can I help my child?
Identifying and avoiding the things your child is allergic to is best.
If your child has an allergic condition, try the following:
Keep windows closed during the pollen season, especially on dry, windy days when pollen counts are highest.
Keep the house clean and dry to reduce mold and dust mites.
Avoid having pets and indoor plants.
Avoid things that you know cause allergic reactions in your child.
Prevent anyone from smoking anywhere near your child, especially in your home and car.
See your pediatrician for safe and effective medicine that can be used to help alleviate or prevent allergy symptoms.
Coughing, wheezing, trouble breathing (especially during activities or exercise); chest tightness
Contact dermatitis
Skin contact with poison ivy or oak, latex, household detergents and cleansers, or chemicals in some cosmetics, shampoos, skin medicines, perfumes and jewelry
Itchy, red, raised patches that may blister if severe. Most patches are found at the areas of direct contact with the allergen.
Sometimes made worse by food allergies or coming in contact with allergens such as pollen, dust mites, and furry animals. May also be triggered by irritants, infections or sweating.
A patchy, dry, red, itchy rash in the creases of the arms, legs, and neck. In infants it often starts on the cheeks, behind the ears, and on the chest, arms and legs.
Stuffy nose, sneezing, runny nose; breathing through the mouth because of stuffy nose; rubbing or wrinkling the nose and face to relieve nasal itch; watery, itchy eyes; redness or swelling in and under the eyes
Food allergies, viral infections, and medicines such as aspirin or penicillin. Sometimes the cause is unknown.
Itchy skin patches, bumps (large and small) commonly known as welts that are more red or pale than the surrounding skin. Hives may be found on different parts of the body and do not stay at the same spot for more than a few hours.
Primarily aggressive stinging insects such as yellow jackets, wasps and fire ants
Anaphylaxis
Medication allergy
Various types of medicines
Itchy skin rashes, anaphylaxis
When does my child need to see an allergist? In some cases, your pediatrician may recommend that your child see a board-certified allergist, a doctor who specializes in allergies. The allergist will usually:
Look for triggers for your child’s allergy.
Suggest ways to avoid the cause of your child’s symptoms.
Give you a treatment plan to follow.
More information
The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.
Nearly one in four people have experienced itchy, red or white bumps, welts or patches on the skin called hives. The medical name for this condition is urticaria (ur-tih-CAR-ee-uh). Some hives are classified as acute hives and other cases are chronic. The difference depends on how long the symptoms last.
Acute Hives
The word “acute” refers to a short period of time. Acute hives can last less than a day, or up to six weeks. Acute hives can be a reaction triggered by coming in contact with an allergen such as a food, animal dander, insect bite, latex or pollen. Identifying and avoiding the trigger can help prevent this allergic reaction from reoccurring.
Medications can potentially trigger hives. Reactions to medications can happen anytime throughout the life cycle of taking the medication. Hives can also occur from non-allergic causes. These include heat, stress, exercise or exposure to certain chemicals. One of the most common causes of acute hives in children is a viral infection.
Chronic Hives
Unlike acute hives, chronic hives stick around for a longer period of time. The majority of people suffering from chronic hives have symptoms lasting longer than one year. Most chronic hives are idiopathic, meaning that the exact cause cannot be identified, although many are associated with autoantibodies to Immunoglobulin E or IgE, and some may be autoimmune related. Only a small percentage of chronic hives are due to an allergy. Routine testing such as general blood counts or screens are not cost-effective, nor do these tests make a difference in treatment strategies to relieve the symptoms at the present time. In the future, blood tests may be helpful to determine how well someone’s hives are likely to respond to certain medications.
Symptom Relievers
Whether acute or chronic, hives are often very itchy. This is because the swelling occurs in the layer of skin that has many nerve endings. While most cases of hives get better on their own, here are some tips to reduce the itching and swelling:
• Avoid hot baths or showers
• Wear loose-fitting clothing
• Take antihistamines
Severe flare-ups may require taking corticosteroids to reduce inflammation. Chronic hives often need more advanced treatments on a long-term basis.
In rare instances, hives can be a symptom of a life-threatening condition called anaphylaxis. Call 911 if you experience hives along with any of these symptoms:
• Fainting
• Shortness of breath
• Tightness in your throat
• Tongue or face swelling
• Wheezing
Did you know?
• Angioedema (an-gee-oh-eh-dee-ma) is a reaction that affects deep layers of tissues underneath the skin.
• Hives are not contagious, but they can move from one location on the body to another.
• Both children and adults can suffer from hives.
To the Point
Hives that last from a few minutes to six weeks are acute hives. Chronic hives last longer, often lasting or reoccurring for more than one year.
Atherosclerosis: Narrowing and clogging of the arteries caused by a buildup of plaque. Also called hardening of the arteries.
Birth Control: Devices or medications used to prevent pregnancy.
Cardiovascular Disease: Disease of the heart and blood vessels.
Complications: Diseases or conditions that happen as a result of another disease or condition. An example is pneumonia that occurs as a result of the flu. A complication also can occur as a result of a condition, such as pregnancy. An example of a pregnancy complication is preterm labor.
Diabetes Mellitus: A condition in which the levels of sugar in the blood are too high.
Diastolic Blood Pressure: The force of the blood in the arteries when the heart is relaxed. It is the lower reading when blood pressure is taken.
Estrogen: A female hormone produced in the ovaries.
Fetus: The stage of human development beyond 8 completed weeks after fertilization.
Gestational Hypertension: High blood pressure that is diagnosed after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Heart Attack: Damage to part of the heart muscle that occurs when its blood supply is interrupted. A heart attack almost always is caused by narrowing or blockage of the blood vessels in the heart.
High Blood Pressure: Blood pressure above the normal level. Also called hypertension.
Hormone Therapy: Treatment in which estrogen and often progestin are taken to help relieve symptoms that may happen around the time of menopause.
Hypertension: High blood pressure.
Kidney Disease: A general term for any disease that affects how the kidneys function.
Oxygen: An element that we breathe in to sustain life.
Preeclampsia: A disorder that can occur during pregnancy or after childbirth in which there is high blood pressure and other signs of organ injury. These signs include an abnormal amount of protein in the urine, a low number of platelets, abnormal kidney or liver function, pain over the upper abdomen, fluid in the lungs, or a severe headache or changes in vision.
Prepregnancy: Before pregnancy.
Preterm: Less than 37 weeks of pregnancy.
Progestin: A synthetic form of progesterone that is similar to the hormone made naturally by the body.
Stroke: A sudden interruption of blood flow to all or part of the brain, caused by blockage or bursting of a blood vessel in the brain. A stroke often results in loss of consciousness and temporary or permanent paralysis.
Systolic Blood Pressure: The force of the blood in the arteries when the heart is contracting. It is the higher reading when blood pressure is taken.
The construction industry experiences the highest frequency of fall-related deaths. These deaths are mostly falls from heights.
The highest counts of nonfatal fall injuries are in the educational and health services and the healthcare and social assistance industries. These injuries are mostly slips and falls on the same level.
Other industries at high risk of fall injuries include:
Nursing and residential care
Ambulance services
Building cleaning and maintenance
Transportation and material moving
Fact
In 2020, 805 workers died from falls.1 211,640 suffered severe injuries requiring days away from work in the private industry.2
Impacts
Fall injuries create a considerable financial burden. In the United States, workers’ compensation and medical expenses associated with workplace falls are estimated to cost $70 billion annually.3
Other countries face similar challenges in the workplace. In fact, the international public health community has a strong interest in developing strategies to reduce fall injuries.
National campaign to prevent falls
Falls are the number one cause of construction worker fatalities. The goal of the national campaign is to prevent fatal falls. Each year as part of the campaign, there is a National Stand-Down focusing on fall prevention.
Safety risks
Falls in the workplace frequently involve:
Unprotected edges
Unsafely positioned ladders
Misused fall protection
Water, grease, and other contaminants on the floor
Clutter and tripping hazards in walkways
Irregularities in the floor and wall openings
Prevention
Federal regulations and industry consensus standards provide specific measures and performance-based recommendations for fall prevention and protection. However, persistent unsafe practices and low safety culture across many industries define steady fall injury rates each year.
Reducing fall injury and death rates require:
Implementing new effective fall prevention and protection technologies
Using appropriate PPE like harnesses, fall guards, and slip-resistant footwear4
Improving the work safety culture by educating the workforce
These efforts require continued collaboration from:
Regulators
Industry leaders
Professional associations
Labor unions
Employers and employees
Safety professionals
Researchers
What CDC is doing
As a leader in occupational safety research, NIOSH plays a key role in these complex fall-injury prevention efforts. NIOSH bases fall-injury prevention research strategic planning and goal setting on:
The magnitude or emergence of the problem as shown by data
Immediacy of need
Resources and expertise available to work on the problem
Current research
Strength of partnerships
Status and momentum on research-to-practice efforts
Input from the National Academy of Sciences program review enhances the strategic planning process.
Resources
Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Reports
Review Falls related NIOSH FACE and State FACE reports for recommendations to prevent similar deaths in CDC Stacks. View by Collection (NIOSH/FACE) or search for reports using keywords in the search bar.
More on falls
See the NIOSHTIC-2 database search results on falls. NIOSHTIC-2 is a database of occupational safety and health publications funded in whole or in part by NIOSH.
In most cases, doctors use special tools during a colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy to remove colon polyps. After doctors remove the polyp, they send it for testing to check for cancer. A pathologist will review the test results and send a report to your doctor. Doctors can remove almost all polyps without surgery.
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.
Seek Care Right Away
Call your doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms after he or she removes a colon polyp:
Researchers don’t know a sure way to prevent colon polyps. However, you can take steps to lower your chances of developing colon polyps.
Eating, diet, and nutrition
Eating, diet, and nutrition changes—such as eating less red meat and more fruits and vegetables—may lower your chances of developing colon polyps.
Healthy lifestyle choices
You can make the following healthy lifestyle choices to help lower your chances of developing colon polyps:
Being physically active and losing weight if you’re overweight may lower your chances of developing colon polyps.
Aspirin
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.5 However, taking aspirin daily may cause side effects such as bleeding in your stomach or intestines. Talk with your doctor before you start taking aspirin daily.
