appendicitis

Appendicitis

                The appendix is a narrow, muscular, worm-shaped tube. One end is attached to the part of large intestine. The other end is closed and its position in the body can vary from person to person. Usually, an average adult appendix is about 4 inches (10 cm) long, but can range in length from less than inch up to 8 inches. Its diameter is usually about 1/3 inch (7-8mm). The function of appendix is unknown.  Indigestible food moves from the small intestine into the appendix, and is the forced out again, as the appendix contracts its muscular walls, into the large intestine. Normally, the appendix sits in the lower right abdomen. One thing we do know is “we can live without it, without apparent consequences”. The biologist Charles Darwin thought that the appendix may be a by-product of evolution, it something that early humans needed to help digest plants. However, research has suggested that the appendix may provide a home to 'friendly bacteria' that aid digestion and help fight infection. It is thought that the most common causes of appendicitis are infection and obstruction (when something gets trapped in the appendix). However, in many cases there is no obvious cause. During appendicitis, the appendix becomes filled with bacteria that produce pus, causing the appendix to swell. Usually, appendicitis is rare under age 2 and most common between ages 10 and 30.

The symptoms of appendicitis normally begin with a pain in your abdomen. The pain usually develops quickly and then becomes more severe over the course of several hours. The location of the pain can vary, particularly in the early stages of the condition, but it tends to 'settle' in the lower right side of your abdomen. Applying pressure to the area usually makes the pain worse, as does coughing and walking. If you have appendicitis, you may also have other symptoms, including, first is nausea. Nausea is common sign and the patient on side may vomit once or twice. The muscles of the right side of the abdomen become tense and rigid. Lying on one side and drawing up both the knees towards the chest could bring some comfort. The pain increases on the right side on pressing the left side of the abdomen. Next is loss of appetite. Its mean by you feel like don’t want to eat more like before or the lack of desire to eat. Third is constipation. Constipation is that a person has three or fewer bowel movements in a week. The stool can be hard and dry. Sometimes it is painful to pass. At one time or another, almost everyone gets constipated. In most cases, it lasts a short time and is not serious. Next is a high temperature of 38°C (100.4°F) or more. It makes us got fever easily. Lastly is diarrhea. Diarrhea means that you have loose, watery stools more than three times in one day. You may also have cramps, bloating, nausea and an urgent need to have a bowel movement

            The precise cause of appendicitis is not entirely clear. However, the two most likely causes are thought to be are an infection and an obstruction. Infection is possibly a stomach infection that has travelled to the site of the appendix and obstruction is for example, a hard piece of stool (faeces) gets trapped in your appendix and the bacteria in the stool then infects the appendix. Once bacteria enter your appendix, they rapidly multiply, causing the appendix to swell and become filled with pus. If appendicitis is left untreated, your appendix will burst and the bacteria that are released may infect other parts of your body. For example, they could infect the lining of your abdomen that can cause peritonitis and other is can cause blood poisoning.

            Appendicitis treatment is a medical emergency that requires prompt surgery to remove the appendix. Left untreated, an inflamed appendix will eventually burst, or perforate, spilling infection into the abdominal cavity. This can lead to peritonitis, a serious infection of the abdominal cavity's lining (the peritoneum) that can be fatal unless it is treated quickly with strong antibiotics and surgery to remove the pus. Sometimes a pus-filled abscess forms outside the inflamed appendix. Scar tissue then "walls off" the appendix from the rest of the abdomen, preventing infection from spreading. An abscessed appendix is a less urgent situation, but unfortunately, it cannot always be identified without surgery. For this reason, all cases of appendicitis are treated as emergencies. Another treatment is antibiotics is while the diagnosis is in question, antibiotics treat any potential infection that might be causing the symptoms. In general, antibiotics alone cannot effectively treat appendicitis.

            Everyone can save from get appendicitis if we can do something that can prevent, if you notice severe pain in your stomach frequently then consult your doctor immediately. This pain can sometimes be a reason for inflammation in the appendix. If it is recognized at an early stage then you can take proper medical aid on time and cure it. A well balanced diet is very essential to prevent appendicitis. Do not eat spicy food to avoid cooking food with unnecessary spices. This will increase the chances of appendicitis. Consume food that is rich in fiber. Fiber rich food helps in proper digestion and reduces the risk of appendicitis. Fresh green leafy vegetables and fresh fruits contain enough amounts of fibers that must be including in diet regularly. If you want to include additional fibers in your diet then you can begin your day with a high fiber cereal. They are very rich source of fiber. Whole grain foods such as oatmeal, whole wheat bread, barley should be included in your diet. Legumes such as black beans, kidney beans and split peas should be soaked in water and consume at least one bowl of them regularly. Fresh fruit and vegetable juices are also very helpful in preventing appendicitis. Carrot juice, cucumber juice and beetroot juice are found to be very helpful in preventing appendicitis. Drinking tea that is blended with few fenugreek seeds will also help you in preventing appendicitis. Drink this tea regularly during the initial symptoms of appendicitis so that you need not depend upon medicines to cure it. You can conduct diagnostic tests if you notice any signs or symptoms. Diagnostic tests for appendicitis are blood test, urine test, X-ray, use of ultrasound, computed tomography, CTC, and the necessary method. There is no sure method that will give you complete prevention against appendicitis. The tips that are given above are helpful to reduce the risk to some extent.

            For conclusion we must follow the instruction to get a healthier life and avoid getting unnecessary disease. Appendicitis is a famous disease and can attack anyone that takes an unhealthy food or inappropriate activity. See your doctor as soon as possible when you feel pain in your stomach.