Know all about Appendicitis

It is an infection and a painful swelling of the appendix, which a finger-like but narrow pouch in the large intestine. While physicians are not really certain about the function of the appendix, removing it is apparently not harmful to a human body. In fact, Appendicitis is a common reason for emergency operation during the childhood.

Causes of appendicitis

The condition occurs when the appendix’s interior get filled with parasites, stool or mucus so that swells. Thereafter, the appendix feels irritated and gets inflamed. As the irritation and swelling increase, the appendix does not receive any kind of blood supply. Any body part requires an adequate blood supply to stay healthy. If there is a reduction in the blood flow, the appendix starts dying. There is an occurrence of perforation or rupture since holes start developing in its walls, enabling substances such as mucus and stool to pass through it and enter the affected person’s abdomen. As an appendix perforates, an infection called peritonitis occurs inside the abdomen. Majority of the incidents of appendicitis are known to take place in the age group of ten and thirty years.

Appendicitis can be a real concern

When an appendix gets infected and irritated, it can quickly convert into a rupture and infected appendix, at times within hours. When an appendix is ruptured, it can be really life-threatening. If there is a rupture in the appendix, the organs present inside an abdominal cavity gets infected leading to peritonitis. Such a bacterial infection may spread quite fast and can even be tough to treat when there is a delay in the diagnosis.

Know these symptoms of appendicitis

Following are some of the common signs of appendicitis. Yet every kid can experience the symptoms differently.

• Abdominal pain that:

Can begin the space around a parson’s belly button. The pain can also move over to the abdomen’s lower right side but can also begin in the abdomen’s lower right side.

Typically becomes more severe with the passage of time.

Can deteriorate while sneezing, coughing, being touched, taking deep breaths, and moving

Can spread in the entire abdominal region when there is a rupture inside the appendix

• Vomiting and nausea
• Reduction in appetite
• Chills and fever
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Behavioral changes

Ways of diagnosing appendicitis

Apart from a thorough physical examination and a checkup of the medical history, a diagnostic procedure may also include:

• CAT or CT scan of an abdomen that is expanded as Computed tomography scan without or with contrast

It is a special diagnostic imaging procedure, which utilizes a mix of computer technology and X-rays for producing axial or horizontal images of the body. The images are also known as slices. The function of a CT scan is to highlight detailed pictures of a particular body part including organs, fat, muscles, and bones. A CT scan is much more detailed as compared to an X-ray.

• Ultrasound of the abdomen

It is diagnostic technique through imaging that deploys sound waves of high-frequency along with a computer for creating images of organs, tissues, and blood vessels. Ultrasounds are used for viewing internal organs while they function and for assessing the flow of blood through different vessels.

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