Appendicitis: painful than a knife wound

Have you ever been stabbed? I haven’t been stabbed, maybe you have but based on stories and reports. A stab wound is really painful. I personally wouldn’t compare it to the pain of appendicitis. But then again, I haven’t felt the pain of appendicitis but this kind of pain is well-documented. Only a few people survive a stab in the gut, but appendicitis is a condition you can survive. A host of people survive the condition. At least, I know a bunch of people who have.

What is Appendicitis?

Appendicitis is a medical condition that involves the inflammation of the appendix. The appendix is a small pouch attached to the caecum (large intestine) and it can become inflamed when there is a blockage in it. When the appendix is blocked, it becomes inflamed and bacteria build up in it which can lead to the formation of pus and swelling. This swelling results in abdominal pain. Appendicitis can also block the flow of blood.

When this condition is left untreated, the appendix can burst, spilling its bacterial content in the peritoneal cavity, leading to further complications and possibly, death. There are 2 types of Appendicitis: Acute Appendicitis and Chronic Appendicitis. The main difference between them is Time. Acute Appendicitis is the type of appendicitis that needs urgent attention in a short period of time, Chronic Appendicitis is the type of appendicitis where the symptoms come and go over a period of time: weeks, months, and even years! It will lead to acute appendicitis ultimately when it isn’t diagnosed early. (It’s not easily diagnosed, by the way!)

What are the symptoms of Appendicitis?

Appendicitis causes pain in the abdomen around the belly button area that moves to the lower right abdominal place. This pain could:

-          Begin suddenly

-          Increase when you cough, bend, or move

-          Be so intense that it wakes you up from sleep

-          Be severe and different from other abdominal pain you’ve ever experienced

-          Also worsen within a few hours

Other obvious symptoms of this condition could include:

-          Loss of appetite

-          Indigestion

-          Nausea

-          Vomiting

-          Abdominal Swelling

-          Low-grade fever

You could also experience constipation. In any case, this experience, avoid taking laxatives or using an enema. This treatment may cause your appendix to burst.

What are the causes of Appendicitis?

The exact cause of an appendix is usually unknown. But most experts believe that it occurs when the appendix is partially obstructed, or blocked.

Different things can block your appendix, including:

-          A build-up of fecal matter

-          Enlarged lymphoid follicles

-          Traumatic injury

-          Intestinal worms

-          Tumor

Complications that could arise from a ruptured appendix

As I said earlier, when the appendix burst or become ruptured, the bacterial contents can spill into the abdominal cavity and lead to complications. Complications like:

-          Peritonitis

-          Abscesses

-          Sepsis

Peritonitis

Peritonitis is the inflammation of the peritoneum, which is the tissue covering your abdominal cavity. The inflammation is a result of an infection caused by the spilled bacteria content from the ruptured appendix.

Symptoms of Peritonitis include:

-          Fast Heartbeat

-          High Fever

-          Shortness of breath or rapid breathing

-          Severe and continuous abdominal pain

The treatment of this condition includes the use of antibiotics and a surgical procedure to remove the appendix.

 

Abscesses

An abscess is a painful pocket of pus that forms around the burst appendix. This pus consists of white blood cells that are fighting the infection. The infection can be treated with antibiotics and the pus drained.

The pus can be drained during surgery or before the surgical procedure.

Sepsis

This is a rare case where bacteria at the site of infection, move to other parts of the body. It is often fatal.

Symptoms of Sepsis include:

-          High or low temperature

-          Confusion

-          Severe sleepiness

-          Shortness of breath

Treatment of Appendicitis

Appendicitis can be contained/managed with the use of antibiotics, but the best kind of treatment is the surgical removal of the appendix in a process called an appendectomy

Other forms of treatment include:

-          Needle drainage of surgery to drain an abscess, if your abscess hasn’t ruptured

-          Pain relievers

-          IV fluids

-          Liquid diet

How to prevent Appendicitis

Appendicitis cannot be prevented, exactly. But to lower the risk of appendicitis, your diet has to feature a good amount of fiber-rich content/meals.

Food that has a high content of fiber includes:

-          Fruits

-          Vegetables

-          Lentils, split peas, beans, and other legumes

-          Oatmeal, brown rice, whole wheat, and other whole grains.

Overview

Appendicitis is not a death sentence, at least, when compared to a knife in the gut. But it is a condition that has to be nipped in the bud. Check in with your doctor regularly and alert them when you see symptoms. A stitch in time saves nine.