What Is Appendicitis?
Appendicitis is the inflammation of the appendix which is around a 3 1/2-inch lengthy tube of tissue that lengthens from the large intestine. The appendix includes specialized tissue that can produce antibodies but no one is completely certain what its function is we can live without it, without apparent consequences.
The appendix is a medical emergency that needs surgery to remove the appendix. left untreated, an inflamed appendix will ultimately burst or perforate, spilling infectious materials into the abdominal cavity. This can direct to peritonitis, a serious inflammation of the abdominal cavity lining that can be fatal unless it is managed quickly with strong antibiotics.
Sometimes pus-filled abscess from outside the inflamed appendix. scar tissue then walls off the appendix from the margin of the abdomen, preventing infection from growing. An abscessed appendix is an abrupt urgent situation, but unfortunately, it can’t be recognized without surgery. For this reason, all cases of appendicitis are treated as emergencies demanding surgery. Although it can strike at any age, it is rare under age 2 and most frequent between the ages 15 and 30.
What Causes Appendicitis?
There can be various causes of appendicitis. Many of them are hidden. However, here are some of the known and probable causes of appendicitis that are tumors, abdominal trauma, enlarged lymphoid follicles. When there is a blockage in the appendicular tube as it begins the breeding of bacteria may occur in the formation of the pus adding to an excess pressure inside the appendix. This produces severe pain in the lower right side of the stomach.
Symptoms
If you have appendicitis, you may experience one or more major of the following symptoms. The symptoms of appendicitis are:
- pain in your top abdomen or nearby your bellybutton
- pain in the below right side of your abdomen
- loss of appetite
- Indigestion
- nausea
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- constipation
- abdominal swelling
- inability to pass gas
- low-grade fever
Appendicitis pain may begin off as mild cramping. It often becomes more steady and difficult over time. It may begin in your upper abdomen or bellybutton region, before moving to the lower right quadrant of your abdomen.
If you are constipated and you assume that you may have appendicitis, avoid taking laxatives or applying an enema. These treatments may induce your appendicitis to burst. Consult with a doctor if you have tenderness in the right side of your abdomen along with any other manifestations of appendicitis. It can immediately become a medical emergency.
Diagnosis
Depending on the effects of your physical exam, they will examine for tenderness in the lower right part of your abdomen and swelling or rigidity. Depending on the results of your physical exam, your doctor may order one or more tests to inspect for signs of appendicitis to rule out the other potential problems of your symptoms.
There is no particular test available to diagnose appendicitis. If the doctor can not recognize any other causes of your symptoms, they may diagnose the problem as appendicitis.
Complete Blood Count
To check for the indication of infection, your doctor may recommend you to have CBC. To conduct this test, they will obtain a sample of your blood and send it to the lab for analysis s it characterized by bacterial infections.
Urine Test
To rule out UTI or kidney disease as a potential problem of your symptoms, your doctor may cause urinalysis which is also recognized as a urine test. Your doctor will get a sample of your urine test that will b reexamined in a lab.
Pelvic Exam
If you are female, your symptoms might be generated by pelvic inflammatory disease, or other conditions affecting your reproductive organs. To test your organ your doctor may conduct a pelvic exam.
Abdominal Examing Tests
To check for the inflammation of your appendix, your doctor might command an imaging test of your abdomen. This can also support them to identify other potential causes of your symptoms, such as an abdominal ulcer. Your doctor may recommend one of the subsequent imaging tests that are:
- Abdominal ultrasound
- Abdominal X-ray
- Abdominal CT-scan
- abdominal MRI scan
Appendicitis Treatment
Treatment of appendicitis involves an inevitable appendectomy surgery. The removal of the appendix is essential after appendicitis to avoid additional complications. In case the appendix has ruptured, urgent surgery is required. However, if the burst has not practiced place, all the collected pus is sucked out through a tube after which the surgery takes place. Appendectomy can be developed in two ways; open surgery and laparoscopy. Laparoscopy is a less invasive technique and thus, has a quicker recovery period. However, if appendicitis has a more condensed healing period. However, if appendicitis has burst the appendix, open surgery is the only option. In extremely rare cases, if appendicitis is diagnosed at the very first stage, it can be treated without surgery with the single use of antibiotics and a liquid diet.
