Causes, symptoms, and Treatment of Appendicitis
By: Balram Mahilange
Tags: Health, Diagnostic, Diet, Disease, Treatment

causes, symptoms, and Treatment of appendicitis

FITNESSMADEDecember 22, 2020

APPENDICITIS

Introduction-

Appendicitis also called emityphilitis, is the infection or inflammation (severe irritation) of the appendix-the tiniest part of the bowel, a worm-like out touching of the bowel at the junction of the small and large intestine. Appendicitis is one of the most common causes of emergency abdominal surgery.

Causes and Risk Factors

There is no clear cause of appendicitis. Obstruction of the appendiceal lumen causes appendicitis. Mucus backs up in the appendiceal lumen, causing bacteria that normally live inside the appendix to multiply. As a result, the appendix swells and becomes infected. Sources of obstruction include food waste, hard piece of stool, parasites, or growths that clog the appendiceal lumen, enlarged lymph tissue in the wall of the appendix, caused by an infection in the gastrointestinal tract or elsewhere in the body, inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis and trauma to the abdomen.

Appendicitis may also follow an infection or it may result from other types of inflammation. Bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites can be responsible agents of an infection that leads to swelling of the appendix wall, including yersinia species, adenovirus, cytomegalovirus, actinomycosis, mycobacteria species, Histoplasma species, Schistosoma species, Pinworms, and Strongyloides strecoralis.

Clinical Manifestation

Typically, the first symptom is pain around the belly button (peri-umbilical region) or the upper central abdomen (epigastrium). The pain may be vague at first but becomes increasingly sharp and severe. The patient may have reduced appetite, nausea, vomiting, and a lowgrade fever. As the inflammation in the appendix increases, the pain tends to move into the right lower abdomen and focuses directly above the appendix at a place called Mcburney’s point.

If the appendix ruptures, the pain may lessen briefly and may feel better. However, once the lining of the abdominal cavity becomes inflamed and infected (a condition called peritonitis), the pain gets worse and the patient becomes sicker.

patients feel nausea and/or vomiting soon after abdominal pain begins. there is a loss of appetite, abdominal swelling, fever range from 99 F to 102 F, failure to pass gas almost half the time. Other symptoms are sharp pain anywhere in the upper or lower abdomen, back, or rectum. Patients feel pain in passing urine. The patient vomits that go before the abdominal pain. Patients have severe cramps and complain about constipation or diarrhea with gas.

The location of pain may vary, depending on age and the position of the appendix. Young children or pregnant women, especially, may have appendicitis pain in different places.

EARLY SINGS OF APPENDICITIS

For the doctor, the following additional signs may be elicited during the examination of someone suspected to have appendicitis. Responses that may indicate appendicitis include.

Guarding: Guarding occurs when a person subconsciously tenses the abdominal muscles during an examination. Voluntary guarding occurs the moment the doctor’s hand touches the abdomen. Involuntary guarding occurs before the doctor actually makes contact.

Guarding occurs when a person subconsciously tenses the abdominal muscles during an examination. Voluntary guarding occurs the moment the doctor’s hand touches the abdomen. Involuntary guarding occurs before the doctor actually makes contact. Rebound tenderness: A doctor tests for rebound tenderness by applying hand pressure to a patient’s abdomen and then letting go. pain felt upon the release of pressure indicates rebound tenderness. A person may also experience rebound tenderness as pain when the abdomen is jarred-for example when a person bumps into something or goes over a bump in a car.

A doctor tests for rebound tenderness by applying hand pressure to a patient’s abdomen and then letting go. pain felt upon the release of pressure indicates rebound tenderness. A person may also experience rebound tenderness as pain when the abdomen is jarred-for example when a person bumps into something or goes over a bump in a car. Rovsing’s sing: A doctor tests for roving’s sing by applying hand pressure to the lower lift side of the abdomen. Pain felt on the lower right side of the abdomen upon the release of pressure on the lift side indicated the presence of roving’s sing.

A doctor tests for roving’s sing by applying hand pressure to the lower lift side of the abdomen. Pain felt on the lower right side of the abdomen upon the release of pressure on the lift side indicated the presence of roving’s sing. Psoas sing: The right psoas muscle runs over the pelvis near the appendix. Flexing this muscle will cause abdominal pain if the appendix is inflamed. A doctor can check for the psoas sing by applying resistance to the right knee as the patient tries to lift the right thigh while lying down.

The right psoas muscle runs over the pelvis near the appendix. Flexing this muscle will cause abdominal pain if the appendix is inflamed. A doctor can check for the psoas sing by applying resistance to the right knee as the patient tries to lift the right thigh while lying down. Obturator sign: The right obturator muscle also runs near the appendix. The doctor tests for the obturator sign by asking the patient to lie down with the right leg bent at the knee. Moving the bent knee left and right requires flexing the obturator muscle and will cause abdominal pain if the appendix is inflamed.

The right obturator muscle also runs near the appendix. The doctor tests for the obturator sign by asking the patient to lie down with the right leg bent at the knee. Moving the bent knee left and right requires flexing the obturator muscle and will cause abdominal pain if the appendix is inflamed. Aaron’s sing: Aaron’s sing is the pain felt in the epigastrium upon continuous firm pressure over Mcburney’s point. It is indicative of chronic appendicitis.

Aaron’s sing is the pain felt in the epigastrium upon continuous firm pressure over Mcburney’s point. It is indicative of chronic appendicitis. Blumberg’s sing: Blumberg’s sing here the abdominal wall is compressed slowly and then rapidly released presence of pain makes the sing positive which is indicative of peritonitis.

Diagnostic Evaluations

Medical History: The doctor will ask specific questions about symptoms and health history. Answers to these questions will help rule out other conditions. The doctor will want to know when the pain began and its exact location and severity. Knowing when other symptoms appeared relative to the pain is also helpful. The doctor will ask questions about other medical conditions previous illnesses and surgeries, and use of medications, alcohol, or illegal drugs.

The doctor will ask specific questions about symptoms and health history. Answers to these questions will help rule out other conditions. The doctor will want to know when the pain began and its exact location and severity. Knowing when other symptoms appeared relative to the pain is also helpful. The doctor will ask questions about other medical conditions previous illnesses and surgeries, and use of medications, alcohol, or illegal drugs. Physical examination: Details about the abdominal pain are key to diagnosing appendicitis. The doctor will assess pain by touching or applying pressure to specific, areas of the abdomen.

Details about the abdominal pain are key to diagnosing appendicitis. The doctor will assess pain by touching or applying pressure to specific, areas of the abdomen. Laboratory Tests: Blood tests (Full blood count or complete blood count) are used to check for signs of infection, such as high white blood cell count. Blood tests may also show dehydration or fluid and electrolyte imbalances. Urinalysis is used to rule out a urinary tract infection. Doctors may also order a pregnancy test for women.

Blood tests (Full blood count or complete blood count) are used to check for signs of infection, such as high white blood cell count. Blood tests may also show dehydration or fluid and electrolyte imbalances. Urinalysis is used to rule out a urinary tract infection. Doctors may also order a pregnancy test for women. Imaging test: The doctor may also recommend an abdominal X-ray, an ultrasound scan, or computerized tomography (CT) scan to help confirm appendicitis or find other causes for pain.

MANAGEMENT

Non-surgery management

Non-surgical treatment may be used if surgery is not available if a person is not well enough to undergo surgery, or if the diagnosis is unclear. Appendicitis treatment usually involves surgery to remove the inflamed appendix. Other treatments may be necessary depending on the situation. Antibiotics are prescribed before an appendectomy to fight possible peritonitis. Non-surgical treatment includes antibiotics and a soft diet until the infection subsides. A soft diet is low in fiber and easily breaks down in the gastrointestinal tract. A broad-spectrum antibiotic is usually advised. This may include a choice of metronidazole at a dose of 500mg three times daily with cefuroxime or augmentin 1.2 grams shortly given through the veins.

Home Remedy for Appendicitis