Appendicitis
Appendicitis
is inflammation of the appendix, a small pouch attached to the cecum, the
beginning of the colon, on the lower right side of the abdomen. The appendix
is not necessary for life, but it can become diseased. If untreated, an
inflamed appendix can burst, causing infection and even death. Appendicitis
can affect people at any age. It is most common in people ages 10 to 30.
The cause of appendicitis is usually unknown. It may occur
after a viral infection in the digestive tract or when the opening connecting
the large intestine and appendix is blocked. The inflammation can cause
infection, a blood clot, or rupture of the appendix. Because of the risk
of rupture, appendicitis is considered an emergency. Anyone with symptoms
needs to see a doctor immediately. Symptoms include:
pain in the right side of the abdomen
nausea
vomiting
constipation
diarrhea
inability to pass gas
low fever that begins after other symptoms
abdominal swelling
anorexia
The pain usually begins near the navel and moves down and to the right.
The pain becomes worse when moving, taking deep breaths, coughing, sneezing,
and being touched in the area.
Not everyone has all the symptoms. People with symptoms
of appendicitis should not take laxatives or enemas to relieve constipation
because these medicines could cause the appendix to burst. Pain medicine
can mask symptoms that the doctor needs to know about, so it should not
be used before consulting a doctor when appendicitis is suspected.
The doctor bases an appendicitis diagnosis on symptoms,
a physical exam, blood tests to check for signs of infection such as a
high white blood cell count, and urine tests to rule out a urinary tract
infection. Usually doctors use CT scan or ultrasound to see whether the
appendix looks inflamed.
If the diagnosis of appendicitis is not certain, people
with equivocal signs of appendicitis may be watched and sometimes treated
with antibiotics. People with definite appendicitis have surgery to remove
the appendix, which is called an appendectomy. Doctors may use laparoscopic
surgery for appendectomy. This technique involves making several tiny
cuts in the abdomen and inserting a miniature camera and surgical instruments.
The surgeon then removes the appendix with the instruments, so there is
usually no need to make a large incision in the abdomen. People can live
a normal life without their appendix--changes in diet, exercise, or other
lifestyle factors are not necessary.
Additional Information on Appendicitis
The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse collects resource
information on digestive diseases for the Combined Health Information
Database (CHID). CHID is a database produced by health-related agencies
of the Federal Government. The CHID database located on the World Wide
Web at http://chid.nih.gov/simple/simple.php, provides titles, abstracts,
and availability information for health information and health education
resources. See the results of our CHID research on
" Appendicitis," June 16, 2004.
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