Anal polyps/ warts

Anal polyps and warts are fairly common and don’t always require treatment. But if they become severe and are causing symptoms or affecting you psychologically, Hadley Wood Hospital offers a number of treatment options that can help.

Removing anal polyps

Polyps are fleshy growths that quite commonly develop along the walls of the bowels and rectum, and may affect the anal area. Small polyps are often harmless and don’t cause any significant symptoms, although some can result in pain and discomfort, bleeding during bowel movements and digestive disturbances. Internal polyps can sometimes cause intestinal blockages too and, although rare, some can become cancerous (this is more often a concern for larger polyps).

If rectal/anal polyps are a concern for you, removing them surgically may be an option. A colonoscopy might be required in order to check for any other growths or abnormalities inside the bowels – and for polyps located internally, it’s usually possible to remove them during this procedure. Surgery to remove polyps is carried out under general anaesthetic but you can usually go home the same, and return to work and regular daily activities as soon as you feel comfortable – usually within a couple of days.

Removing anal warts

Anal warts usually develop as a result of the sexually-transmitted infection, human papillomavirus (HPV), which is very common and doesn’t always cause any noticeable symptoms.

There’s no cure for HPV and some people who develop warts find they naturally improve by themselves with time, but for others they can be more problematic or multiple warts can develop. As well as being uncomfortable, we understand that this can have a psychological impact too. Conservative treatments can help ease the symptoms but may not be effective for everybody. If anal warts are causing you any problems or distress, there are a number of treatment options we can offer, including minor surgery to remove them.