There maybe times when you are experiencing excruciating pain in your abdomen, you may not be aware that you may possibly have appendicitis. Appendicitis is the inflammation of your appendix. Appendix is the part of your body, which has a worm-like appearance located at the very first part of your colon. It is also responsible for housing the lymphatic tissues, which make up the immune system and produces your body’s antibodies.
Causes of Appendicitis
Appendicitis is said to be caused by a blockage of the appendix, specifically the opening towards the cecum. Thick mucus may have caused this blockage inside the appendix area or it can possibly be from foreign substances, like a stool, that managed to enter the appendix through the cecum. The lymphatic tissues can also swell and consequently create a blockage in the appendix. When the blockage ensues, the bacteria that thrive on the appendix start to infect the appendix’s wall, this is when the inflammation begins. Appendicitis can also be caused by the rupture of the appendix as a reaction to bacterial growth in the exterior part of the appendix.
Symptoms of Appendicitis
The primary and most evident symptom of appendicitis is abdominal pain, though the exact location of the pain is very hard to pinpoint. Some of the areas that may feel pain are the belly button and the hipbone area. Loss of appetite can also be one of the symptoms that may be coupled with vomiting and chronic nausea.
Treatment of Appendicitis
At the first symptom of appendicitis, it is wise to consult your doctor. In mild cases of appendicitis or confined appendicitis, antibiotics alone can resolve the problem. In worse case scenarios, appendicitis can only be treated with appendectomy. Before the surgery the patient is also required to take in antibiotics. When the appendix is already in rupture even before you consult a doctor a certain procedure is implemented. A drain, which can either be a plastic or rubber tube, is inserted in your body. With the guidance of a CT scan or ultrasound, the drain is used to suck in the pus from the abscess and finally out of your body. After this procedure, the patient can undergo appendectomy after several weeks. |
