|  | Conditions Treatments | Digestive Health

What Are Stomach Polyps?

A stomach polyp is a protrusion or abnormal growth in the gastric lining of the stomach. It's quite similar to other polyps that may form in other areas of the body--including the colon, bladder or cervix. Many people may never know they have a stomach polyp because smaller ones don't often cause any discomfort. But as this polyp grows in size, it can begin to present problems for the sufferer.

  1. Types

    • There are a number of different types of polyps that can develop in and along the gastric wall of the stomach. One of the more common types is something called hyperplastic polyps, which are basically clusters of dilated glands that can develop into small elevated lesions on the lining of the stomach. Following this type of polyp are these abnormal protrusions known as fundic gland polyps, which are also dilated glands but this time located on the uppermost region of the stomach. It's also possible to develop an adenomatous polyp, which is a protruded gland that is often a sign of stomach cancer.

    Development

    • The stomach lining may develop a polyp due to a couple of different reasons. For some people, a polyp may be a result of their immune system causing the condition of gastritis. Once affected with the condition, the lining of the stomach may begin to be damaged by the immune system itself, prompting a polyp to form. For other people, a polyp may be a result of a bacterial infection. If an infection sets in along the lining of the stomach, it can eventually become inflamed, making a person more susceptible or vulnerable to the formation of a polyp.

    Symptoms

    • Although many people don't actually manifest symptoms of a stomach polyp, it's possible for a person to experience some discomfort as these growths expand. Most of the time this includes things such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, a change in appetite and bleeding, especially after a lesion has formed.

    Antibiotic Treatment

    • When a polyp develops in the stomach as a result of an infection or a digestive condition, such as gastritis, a doctor typically recommends antibiotics. With this course of care, the cause of the polyp is being treated so the abnormal growth can contract and eventually go away.

    Surgical Treatment

    • When a polyp can't be linked to a preexisting condition or bacterial infection, a doctor may recommend surgical treatment--first to determine whether the polyp is benign or malignant, and then to remove the polyp from the stomach wall.

Digestive Health - Related Articles