Appendicitis

 Regarding appendicitis

The painful swelling of the appendix is known as appendicitis. The appendix is a little pouch that measures 5 to 10 cm (2-4 inches) in length. It is joined to the large intestine, which produces faeces (stools).

Although the actual purpose of our appendix is unknown, getting rid of it is safe.

The common first sign of appendicitis is an abdominal discomfort that may come and go.

Within hours, the lower right side, where the appendix usually is, begins to experience continual, intense agony.

Coughing, walking, or applying pressure to this area may all aggravate the pain. You might become lethargic, feel ill, and occasionally have diarrhoea.

Why does appendicitis occur?

The exact causes of appendicitis are not well understood. The majority of cases are assumed to happen when something obstructs the appendix's entrance.

For instance, a little particle of faeces may cause an obstruction, or an upper respiratory infection may cause a swollen lymph node to develop within the intestinal wall.

The obstruction causes edoema and inflammation to grow. The appendix may then burst as a result of the pressure from the enlargement.

There is no surefire strategy to prevent appendicitis because the reasons aren't fully known.

Who is impacted?

A common condition is appendicitis. Every year, appendicitis causes over 40,000 hospital admissions in England.

According to estimates, it affects about 1 in every 13 persons.

How to treat appendicitis

The appendix needs to be surgically removed as soon as feasible in the majority of appendicitis cases.

The surgical removal of the appendix, also known as an appendectomy or appendicectomy, is one of the most frequent procedures performed in the UK, and it has an outstanding success rate.

The procedure is most frequently carried out by keyhole surgery (laparoscopy), which entails creating numerous tiny incisions in your belly and inserting specialised surgical equipment through them.

In cases where the appendix has burst or access is more challenging, open surgery—in which a bigger, single abdominal incision is made—is typically performed.

The majority of people recover fully from an appendectomy in a few weeks, however they may need to avoid intense activity for up to six weeks