Appendicitis Symptoms and Appendectomy Procedures

Answer 1

Appendicitis is an acute and very painful condition caused by the inflammation of one’s appendix. In the majority of cases, once an individual has been diagnosed with appendicitis, they must undergo surgery to have their appendix removed. While severe inflammation of the appendix can be deadly, when appendicitis is detected early, it can be safely treated with minimal recovery time.

What is the Appendix?

The appendix is a tube-like organ located in the lower abdominal region on the right-hand side of the body. Although it is located where the large intestine and small intestine meet, it does not serve a functional purpose in the digestive process, although some medical research supports the idea that the appendix helps control bacteria in the colon. Because the appendix serves no necessary purpose, its removal will not affect the day-to-day activities of those who experience appendicitis symptoms.

Appendicitis Symptoms and Signs

The arrival of appendicitis symptoms can come quickly or occur over a few days. Symptoms begin with a dull pain in the lower abdomen that may throb in different areas. As the appendix becomes more inflamed, inflammation spreads to the membranes of the abdominal cavity, causing the pain to sharpen and the area to become tender to the touch. Individuals can also run a fever and become physically ill as the pain becomes more intense.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Because the symptoms of appendicitis are very specific, physicians are able to diagnose and treat the condition with relative ease. If an inflamed appendix is not medically treated, it can cause the organ to rupture, spreading the inflammation to other internal organs, leading to shock and even death. To prevent this, doctors are able to make small incisions in the abdominal or pelvic regions and remove the inflamed appendix. People commonly know this procedure as an appendectomy, which generally takes less than an hour to complete. In less severe cases, antibiotics have been used to successfully treat appendicitis without the need of surgery.

Recovery

Patients who have undergone an appendectomy procedure spend one to four days in the hospital, on average. Patients must refrain from physical and strenuous activity during the recuperation period to allow the tissue to heal. Most patients are fully healed in less than six weeks after the surgery.