Cervical polyps

　　1. Inflammatory factors

　　Chronic inflammation can accelerate the growth rate of cervical mucosal proliferation, and combined with the uterus' tendency to expel foreign bodies, the proliferative mucosa gradually protrudes from the base to the cervical orifice, forming polyps.

　　2. Endocrine disorder

　　Estrogen can promote the development of the vagina, uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries, and at the same time, the endometrium proliferates to produce menstruation. Whether estrogen is secreted too much or too little, it will have adverse effects. Especially, if the estrogen level in women is too high, it may trigger cancer.

　　3. Pathogen infection

　　It is usually caused by sexual intercourse, childbirth, abortion, puerperal infection, surgical operation, or mechanical stimulation that damages the cervix, thereby promoting the invasion of pathogens and causing infection.

　　1. Infertility

　　If the polyp grows and blocks the cervical orifice, it will cause the cervical orifice to appear narrow or deformed, thus obstructing the normal activity of sperm and affecting fertility.

　　2. Cervical erosion or hypertrophy of the cervix

　　Patients with cervical polyps may experience abnormal discharge, mainly manifested as a large amount of inflammatory secretions in the cervix. These inflammatory secretions can stimulate the cervix, and if the cervix is in such an environment for a long time, it is easy to lead to gynecological diseases.

　　3. Malignancy

　　The malignancy rate is relatively low, about 0.2% to 0.4%, and pathological examination should be performed after resection to prevent missed diagnosis. Large polyps or polyps that protrude into the cervical canal are prone to secondary infection and necrosis, causing irregular bleeding and malodorous bloody discharge.

　　Small cervical polyps often have no自觉 symptoms and are mostly discovered through gynecological examinations. One-third of patients with cervical polyps lack obvious symptoms, so they are easily overlooked. Common symptoms that may occur in patients with cervical polyps include:

　　1. Bleeding:Mostly, it is a small amount of bright red spotting, or a small amount of bleeding after sexual intercourse, which can also manifest as vaginal bleeding after menopause, and sometimes it may be mistaken for 'returning menstruation'. For a few patients, the amount of bleeding may be similar to the menstrual amount. Patients with larger polyps may experience a small amount of bleeding after sexual intercourse or defecation with force.

　　2. Abnormal discharge:Some patients may have yellowish discharge or blood streaks in the discharge. Most patients have a foul smell with their discharge.

　　3. Mass protrusion:Unmarried patients often show symptoms of a mass protruding from the vaginal orifice.

　　1. Clean the private parts correctly

　　It is recommended to use warm water to clean the external genitalia. Using high-concentration cleaning products can easily disrupt the vaginal acid-base balance and destroy the microenvironment inside the vagina, leading to cervical infection. Actively prevent and treat vaginitis and cervical erosion, and strictly follow medical advice when using vaginal lavage drugs.

　　2. Do a good job of sexual cleanliness

　　Before each sexual intercourse, everyone should clean the external genitalia and ensure the cleanliness of the sexual environment. Especially, the male should remove the smegma from the prepuce to prevent introducing bacteria into the vagina.

　　3. Change bad living habits

　　Abandon bad living habits such as sitting for long periods without moving, staying up late, smoking, and excessive drinking. It is necessary to frequently expose bedding to sunlight and change underwear and pants regularly. At the same time, it is important to strengthen physical exercise to improve the body's ability to resist diseases.

　　1. Gynecological examination

　　During the acute inflammatory period, the cervix may be congested and swollen or present as erosion, with purulent secretions discharged from the cervical canal, and there may be pain when the cervix is touched.

　　2. Pathological examination

　　The typical polyp tissue can be seen as a longitudinal axis formed by fibrous connective tissue in the center of the polyp, with a large number of blood vessels and dense tissue, surrounded by the inherent tissue of the cervix, including glands and stroma, covered by cervical mucosa on the surface. The tissue composition and structure are basically the same as those of normal cervical tissue.

　　3. Vaginoscope examination

　　According to the different epithelium covering the surface of the cervical polyps, there are 2 types of images under the vaginoscope.

　　(1) They are formed by the excessive hyperplasia of cervical mucosal mucosa, and the polyps under the vaginoscope are bright red with a certain luster. Solitary polyps have a relatively thin pedicle, and multiple polyps are clustered, with a wider base and shorter pedicles.

　　(2) Polyps originating from the surface of the cervical vaginal part covered with squamous epithelium are pink, protruding from the squamous epithelial area of the cervix, with a wider base, and a few have a relatively thin pedicle, with a tough texture.

　　4. Cervical biopsy

　　The pathological criteria for the malignancy of polyps are:

　　(1) It is necessary to see the entire shape of the polyp.

　　(2) Malignancy is limited to within the polyp.

　　(3) There is no cancerous change in the endometrium around the polyp

　　5. Cervical scraping

　　1. Supplement trace elements zinc and selenium

　　A decline in immune system function can make the body susceptible to bacterial and viral infections, and zinc and selenium play a crucial role in the production and function of immune cells. A low level of zinc and selenium elements can easily lead to a weakened immune system.

　　Animal foods rich in trace elements zinc and selenium include: oysters, fish, lean meat, animal internal organs, eggs, beef kidney, pork kidney, shrimp, etc., among which eggs have the highest zinc content.

　　Plant-based foods rich in zinc and selenium include: edible mushrooms, seaweed, sesame, peanuts, wheat germ powder, nuts, etc.

　　2. Increase the intake of vitamin C

　　Recently, scientists have found that vitamin C has more than ten types of effects on enhancing immunity. Currently, most cervical polyp cases are caused by viruses, and vitamin C can inhibit the damage caused by viruses to the body. Surveys show that the risk of cervical polyps decreases when the intake of vitamin C increases.

　　Vegetables rich in vitamin C include: cauliflower, white radish, potatoes, Chinese cabbage, rapeseed, and other green vegetables.

　　3. Supplement beta-carotene

　　Beta-carotene will be converted into vitamin A in the body, which helps protect the immune system from attack by free radical molecules and also has a significant effect on enhancing immune function.

　　Animal foods rich in vitamin A include: animal livers and eggs, etc. Plant foods rich in beta-carotene include: spinach, rapeseed, amaranth, lettuce leaves, and pumpkins, etc.

　　4. Increase soybean and soy product intake

　　Soybeans and soy products can supplement plant hormones, and the isoflavones and lignans contained in plant estrogens are considered to have antioxidant effects by scientists.

　　For example: Tofu, soy milk, bean curd, vegetables such as celery, cauliflower, soybeans, sweet beans, and other foods.

　　5. Diet Adjustment for Qi and Blood after Removal

　　After the polyp removal, it is advisable to take drugs to invigorate the spleen, nourish the Qi, and nourish the blood to promote the rapid recovery of the body.

　　Commonly used drugs: ginseng (or dangshen), astragalus, yam, atractylodes, jujube, longan flesh, angelica, ejiao, prepared rehmannia, white peony root, etc. Treatment based on syndrome differentiation. If you only eat one of the above, be sure to consult a doctor or pay attention to the dosage, as too much is as harmful as too little.

　　6. Dietary Taboos

　　Avoid eating chili, ginger, mutton, dog meat, feed-raised turtles, alcohol, pepper, green onions, garlic, chicken, eggs, eel, crabs, shrimp, hairtail, scaleless fish. Avoid taking blood-activating and blood-nourishing herbs and drugs. Pickled vegetables and preserved foods, animal internal organs, grilled foods, and fried foods are all prohibited foods.

　　According to the different locations of cervical polyps, they can be divided into two types. One type of cervical polyp is formed by local hyperplasia of the cervical canal mucosa, with a thin and long pedicle, which is easy to be completely removed. While the other type occurs in the cervical vaginal part, although the location is superficial, the base is wide, so it is not easy to be completely removed during treatment and can regenerate. Western medicine mainly uses surgery for removal, and can also use drugs, laser methods, etc. However, if there is inflammation, infection should be controlled first, and bleeding should be stopped. After the inflammation is controlled, surgery can be performed.

　　The steps for the removal of cervical polyps are as follows: first, use a speculum to dilate the vagina, expose the cervix, and the polyp will be clearly visible. After the doctor disinfects the cervix and cervical canal, use a long curved hemostat to clamp the root of the polyp pedicle, rotate the hemostat until the pedicle is twisted off, and then use hemostatic agents to stop the bleeding at the cut end of the pedicle. This completes the removal. When polyps recur, cryotherapy within the cervical canal or cervical canal scraping can be performed after the polyp removal, to remove the residual small polyps or residual pedicles, which can generally prevent the recurrence of polyps.

　　Polyps are rare to become cancerous, but the canceration rate is also between 0.2% and 0.4%. For those over 45 years old, especially those with cervical polyps before and after menopause, the polyps should be sent for pathological examination after surgical removal. If there are signs of malignancy, treatment measures should be taken as soon as possible. In addition, this disease is prone to recurrence, and regular check-ups should be scheduled after surgery, once every three months.