All You Must Know About Appendicitis

An organ that most people are not so worried about, if not given proper care and timely attention when needed can even cause death.

Appendix, the small finger-shaped organ on the right side of the abdomen is a silent killer. Most of us are not familiar with it as it doesn’t play any role in the body functionalities and can make you suffer anytime. If a blockage inside the appendix causes inflammation and infection in the organ, it causes an enormous amount of severe abdominal pain and fever. Sometimes this condition can end up in surgery and removal of the organ. This condition is commonly called as appendicitis.  

Appendicitis most commonly occurs during adolescence and in the 20s but may occur at any later age as well. The reason behind this is not fully understood. Numerous people undergo surgery and remove the organ (appendectomies) every year.

Causes:

Blockage in the appendix is normally formed by a small piece of stool, a foreign body or sometimes by worms. As a result of the blockage, the appendix becomes inflamed and infected. If the inflammation continues without treatment, the appendix can rupture. This might later turn into some severe infections and health problems.

Major symptoms are:

• Abdominal pain
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Inability to pass gas
• Fever 
• Constipation 
• Loss of appetite 

Diagnosis & Treatments

Doctors usually, suggest imaging tests such as  Computed Tomography (CT) or Ultrasonography in order to diagnose properly and to conduct the surgery if needed. With an early operation, the chance of death from appendicitis is very low. But without surgery or taking proper antibiotics, people may die. 

Patients can usually leave the hospital in one to three days after the surgery, and recovery is usually quick and complete. However, older people often take a longer time to recover. There are other ways of treatments like; Antibiotics, Draining the Abscess, Pain relievers, IV fluids, liquid diets, etc. 

Prevention

There are no proven prevention methods for appendicitis. But we can lower the risk by controlling the diet. This is the best possible way available. Researchers found that people having a luxury fiber diet are free from the threats of appendicitis. 

Maintaining a food habit that includes fruits, vegetables, lentils, split peas, beans, and other legumes, oatmeal, brown rice, whole wheat, and other whole grains can help keep issues related to appendicitis at bay. 

Drinking plenty of water, regularly exercising, avoiding lifting heavy objects, keeping the surgical area hygiene, etc are the methods of easy recovery for those who have undergone an appendicitis surgery.

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Blog Reviewed by: Dr. Nikhil Agnihotri
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