What are the symptoms of Appendicitis?

Posted by editor07 on Thursday 30 Apr 2009

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Appendicitis is a serious ailment of the intestine that is caused due to inflammation of the vermiform appendix. Both men and women are equally affected by this disease that manifests itself in acute and chronic forms and calls for nearly 50% of all medical emergencies between the age group of 10-30 years.

What is the appendix?
The appendix is a small close ended tube about 8-10 cm long that is situated at the end of the caecum or the pouch connected to the ascending colon at the beginning of the large intestine and ileum. It resembles a worm and is made up of the same fibrous outer covering that protects the alimentary canal. It is surrounded by a layer of muscular tissue beneath the outer covering and another layer of lymphoid tissue. The lymphoid tissue neutralizes the irritating waste matter generated in the body.

Symptoms of Appendicitis:
Appendicitis begins with an acute and sudden pain in the middle of the abdomen, near the navel which gradually shifts to the lower right side. This pain is unlike any other pain and worsens within a few hours. It has a tendency to get worse even when the patient takes deep breaths, coughs or tries to move around. Comfort may be derived by drawing up the right leg.

If the left side is pressed, the pain tends to accelerate on the right side of the abdomen. This may be preceded by a feeling of discomfort in the abdomen, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, indigestion, low grade fever, abdominal swelling, diarrhea or constipation. The muscles of the right side of the abdomen become rigid and continued inflammation may lead to the rupture of the appendix. This may further be accompanied by discharge of pus into the abdominal cavity and may result in a lethal state called peritonitis.

Treatment and prevention of Appendicitis:
The patient suffering from appendicitis must be placed on bed rest once the initial symptoms onset. Abdominal packs can be applied until the symptoms of acute pain, vomiting and fever subside. In order to make an abdominal pack, you must take a strip of wet sheet and cover it with dry flannel cloth and bind it tightly around the abdomen. Alternatively, you can also apply hot compress to help subside the pain.

If you are looking to prevent appendicitis, you must take all measures to combat constipation and consume a diet comprising of fresh juicy fruits and vegetables that are high in roughage and fiber content. Increase your daily intake of water up to 10 glasses a day as this helps flush out the harmful toxins and poisonous wastes from the body and enhances your metabolism. The juices of carrot, cucumber and beet can be taken alone or in combination to prevent appendicitis.