APPENDICITIS: Important things to know about this scary condition.

The layman understands and uses the word “appendix” in one of the funniest ways you could ever think in Africa. You could just hear someone say “the doctor admitted my grandma because she was diagnosed of appendix” you could hear another in church praying “lord I don’t want to have appendix”. This is amazing. It’s hard to observe why a generation of people could be scared of appendix and not be scared of their own finger nails. It is therefore a just cause to shed light on the word ‘appendix’ before proceeding into making justice to the causes, symptoms, prevention, treatment and home remedies for the disease termed Appendicitis.

What is the appendix?

The appendix is an organ in the body just as the heart is. Like every organ in the body, the appendix is not a disease and is as harmless as every other organ, but the problem arises when there is a disorder or a disease that alters its normal functions.

The appendix is a narrow, finger-shaped, tube-like organ, attaching to the intestines at the caecum on the lower right side of the abdomen. In other words, the appendix is a narrow tube, resembling a small finger that attaches to the intestine in the lower right side of the belly.

The physiologic function of the appendix is currently unknown. “The appendix acts as a storehouse for good bacteria,” Some scientists say “rebooting the digestive system after diarrheal illnesses”. Other experts believe that:  just as some babies are born with very minute, physiologically irrelevant tails (which is eventually cut off), the appendix is just a mere useless remnant from our evolutionary past.

What is appendicitis?

The term Appendicitis refers to the inflammation of the appendix.

It is most common cause of abdominal pain that results in surgery in the United States. About 5% of the American population experience it at some point of their lives. It can either be chronic or severe and if left untreated, it can lead to bursting of the appendix.

 If bursting of the appendix occurs, it could lead to spilling of bacteria into the abdominal cavity. The case is therefore more complex because the release of bacteria into the abdominal cavity may lead to infection of the surrounding organ and the peritonea (The membrane that covers the internal organs) in the abdomen, and could claim the life of the patent.

 It’s usually a medical emergency that leads to surgery. Fortunately enough, you could live a healthy life without the appendix.

What causes appendicitis?

Appendicitis occurs when the appendix is blocked. The appendix is a very sensitive organ and can swell in response to variety things such as:

·        Foreign material—maybe swallowed with food e.g. stone, etc.

·        Waste materials i.e. poop.

·        Intestinal worms.

·        Tumours.

·        Traumatic abdominal injuries.

·        Cancer.

·        Infections caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi or other parasites which makes it swollen and filled with pus.

What are the symptoms of appendicitis?

At the start, appendicitis starts with pain all over the abdomen, sometimes in the upper belly and then to the area around the navel. These pains are usually not intense initially for the first six hours then later it becomes sharper.

 There may also be cases of nausea, vomiting, fever, loss of appetite. The patent might also have cases of constipation or diarrhea, swollen belly, not being able to pass gas.

 In some rare cases there might be no abdominal changes. The early symptoms are sometimes hard to distinguish from the inflammation of the stomach and intestines a disease known as ‘gastroenteritis’. Children and adults have fewer symptoms and that makes their diagnosis less obvious.

How can appendicitis be prevented?

Appendicitis is not a hereditary disease and is not transmittable from person to person. But there seems to be no way to prevent appendicitis. However, people who consume foods with higher fibre contents have lesser chances of having appendicitis.

One of the surest ways to avoid appendicitis is to mind the causes of appendicitis (as written earlier) and steer clear of them.

Home remedies for appendicitis

As it has been said earlier, if you have any of these symptoms, it’s better to see your doctor right away.

Appendicitis is a serious condition that requires attention and immediate medical attention. It is absolutely unsafe to rely on home remedies. Isn’t it better to get yourself treated well than harbour the pains while taking some home remedies that could not guarantee your health?

Appendicitis is usually treated by removing the inflamed (swollen) appendix. This process is known as appendectomy. Fortunately enough, like it was mentioned earlier, you could live a completely healthy life without the appendix.

What should I do after appendectomy?

Perhaps you have gone through appendectomy and you’re still feeling some pains, you might want to ask “what should I do to ease the pain after the surgery?”

Most likely, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics and pain relievers to support your recovery. In addition to the medications, other things you might want to do to relieve the pains and speed up the recovery are:

·        Eat a lot of fruits, especially those rich in vitamin C supplements e.g. orange, grapefruit, mango, Papaya, Watermelon, etc. They help speed the healing process of wounds.

·        Drink plenty water and other fluid nutrients e.g. juices, etc.

·        Rest well.

·        Avoid strenuous activities, lifting heavy objects or rigorous exercises until your doctor says otherwise.

·        Go for a walk every day, especially in the morning.

·        Keep your surgical incision sites clean and dry.

In some cases, your doctor might encourage you to adjust your diet. If you’re feeling nauseous after surgery, it might be helpful to eat bland foods such as toast and plain rice. If you’re constipated, it might be better to take a fibre supplement.

Are there any side effects of appendix removal?

This is a very good question and it’s alright to ask. At least one should be sure that after the surgery, there won’t be further problems.

There might be some complications after appendectomy which are:

·        Bleeding

·        Wound infection

·        Infection and redness and swelling of the belly that can occur if the appendix bursts during surgery (peritonitis)

·        Blocked bowels

·        Injury to nearby organs

This complications are a ‘maybe’, if at all any of them occurs, be sure to speak to your doctor about it.

It’s not possible to have appendicitis after the appendix has been removed. However, Stump appendicitis is the inflammation of the remaining stump of the appendix after appendectomy and can occur months to decades after the initial operation.

Flintwritings

[email protected]