Appendicitis is a common disease that is an inflammation of the appendix, a small appendix. The detected disease is treated surgically and, as a rule, does not have relapses. This inflammation can occur in anyone, at almost any age, so it is important to know about the symptoms of the disease or at least have an idea where appendicitis hurts so that you can seek medical help in time.
Appendix: its role in the body
The appendix is a small, 7-10 cm long appendix located at the end of the caecum. Although it produces intestinal juice, but in such a small amount that it remains invisible for digestion. For a long time, the appendix was considered a mistake of human evolution, and if possible it was removed, but after some time it was found that it contains lymphoid cells that play the role of protecting the body - similar ones are found in the tonsilsperson. Following from this, the opinion arose that the appendix is part of the body's defense system.
Later it was proved that the number of lymphoid cells in it is small, and they do not provide much help to the immune system. To this day, doctors believe that the harm from the vermiform appendix is more than good - in the event of its inflammation, with untimely assistance to the human body, significant damage can be caused. A late-diagnosed appendicitis can cost a patient's life, so every person should know how appendicitis hurts, because it is he who can be a potential patient.
How does the stomach hurt with appendicitis?
In most cases, the appendix is located between the right iliac bone and the navel, in the middle, and here the most painful sensation occurs. However, depending on the physiology, the appendix can be raised to the right hypochondrium or lowered to the lower part of the pelvis. In the first case, the pain syndrome will occur closer to the liver, in the second case, the manifestation of the disease in men can be confused with inflammation of the bladder, and in women with inflammation of the appendages.
When the appendix is located behind the caecum, wrapped to the ureter and kidney, the pain manifests itself in the groin, pelvic region and radiates to the leg, therefore, when the doctor asks where it hurts, appendicitis can be detected almost immediately, which means and treatment will not be long in coming. Pain during illness occurs suddenly, and every hour their intensity increases. In an acute attack of appendicitisthere is a sharp and unbearable pain, like colic.
The patient's pain syndrome will continue until the nerve endings die, when this happens, the pain will subside, but this is not a reason to postpone the visit to the doctor, the appendicitis will not go away just like that - the patient should be hospitalized immediately.
Causes of disease
It may seem to patients that the disease arose spontaneously, as appendicitis hurts almost suddenly, but the following factors can provoke the development of the disease:
- Injuries suffered in the abdomen.
- Inflammatory processes in the digestive tract.
- Food infections.
- Clogged appendix lumen with undigested food particles or feces, constipation.
- Excessive appendix mobility often seen in children.
Only a doctor can most accurately determine why appendicitis hurts and deal with the disease in a timely manner.
Disease progression process
The development of the inflammatory process takes place gradually - within a few hours the process swells, after which pus begins to accumulate in it. With a sudden occurrence in the abdominal cavity, even if the patient does not know how appendicitis hurts, you should contact an ambulance. If you do nothing for 2-3 days, you can get a rupture of the appendix, followed by the outpouring of a purulent mass into the abdominal cavity, subsequently peritonitis may form, and the risk of death of the patient is high.
Other symptoms of the disease
Does your appendix hurt? It's time to see a doctor, besides, the disease can be identified by other signs.
Exacerbation is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- General malaise.
- Feeling weak.
- Decreased appetite.
- Nausea.
- In some cases vomiting.
- Temperature 37, 2-37, 8.
- Chills.
- Yellowish or white coating on the tongue.
You can recognize the disease yourself in several simple ways, but you should be very careful when checking!
- Press lightly with the pad of your finger in the area of the ilium, usually where the appendix hurts. To be sure, compare the sensations when tapping the left and right sides - there should be no pain on the left side. Be careful! Do not carry out intensive palpation of the abdomen, otherwise you can provoke a rupture of the appendix and subsequently the development of peritonitis.
- During an illness with a loud cough, as a rule, the pain in the right iliac region increases.
- Find the focus of pain and lightly press the palm of your hand in this place, do not take your hand away for 7-10 seconds, while the pain will ease a little. If at the moment of abduction of the arm it resumes, this may be a symptom of an acute condition of appendicitis.
- If you lie on your left side, the pain in your abdomen decreases, if you turn to the opposite side and straighten your legs, the pain will increase - this can also be a sign of acute appendicitis.
It is strongly not recommended to engage in intensiveself-diagnosis and especially self-treatment. In any case, call an ambulance, as appendicitis hurts in different ways, and it can disguise itself as other ailments: inflammation of the female organs, kidneys, bladder, renal colic, peptic ulcer, and much more.
Other signs may appear during appendicitis, they occur less often, but if you find them, then it's time to go to the hospital.
- The temperature does not drop 38°C or high - 40°C.
- The chill state.
- Constipation accompanied by frequent vomiting is a reason to see a specialist as soon as possible.
- Nausea.
- Shake.
- Diarrhea.
- Painful false urge to defecate.
First steps to take when a disease is detected
As a rule, abdominal pain increases within a couple of hours, but no matter how much appendicitis hurts, a doctor should be consulted immediately, at least to confirm or refute the presence of inflammatory processes in the body.
Things not to do before the doctor arrives:
- Try to go without painkillers until the doctor arrives, as this may complicate the diagnosis.
- Avoid food and liquids.
- Avoid applying warm objects to the stomach, this can only aggravate the situation. You can use a cold compress to relieve pain.
If severe pain subsided, this may indicate the transition of the disease to a more severe onestate, so do not relax, and do not let everything take its course.
Treatment and recovery from illness
When acute appendicitis is established, treatment is carried out by emergency surgery. Modern medicine allows surgical intervention to be carried out in a more gentle way - a laparoscopic operation, during which the inflamed process is removed, bypassing a large incision in external tissues. No less important in the treatment is the postoperative period, if all the recommendations of the doctor are followed, subsequent complications will be avoided. As a rule, the condition of the appendix directly at the time of the operation affects the recovery period - the more it was inflamed, the higher the possibility of resuming the inflammatory process in the abdominal cavity.
If the operation is successful, after about a week the stitches are removed and discharged from the hospital, more often this applies to young people. Elderly people, diabetics, hypertensive patients and patients with other chronic diseases have stitches removed a few days later, depending on the patient's condition.
Prevention measures
About a month after the operation, it is not allowed to take baths or go to the bathhouse - temperature loads interfere with wound healing - they negatively affect the seam, it becomes wide and rough outlines. In the postoperative period, to avoid complications and speed up recovery, you should get plenty of rest.
People suffering from certain ailments may not pay much attention to the symptoms of the disease, as it manifests itselfit is in that place of appendicitis, from which side they constantly hurt. Therefore, a disguised disease is much more dangerous for those people who:
- Cancer or chemotherapy.
- Diabetes.
- Obesity.
- There was an organ transplant.
- Pregnancy, especially in the 3rd trimester.
Appendicitis is also dangerous for young children and the elderly.
How to recognize appendicitis in children?
If appendicitis is suspected, on which side it hurts, all parents should know to be ready. Pain in the inflammatory process is localized in the right side of the abdomen. At toddler age, sick children experience a decrease in appetite, refusal of even the most favorite dishes and restless sleep.
Appendicular colic - acute cramps in the abdomen caused by contractions or spasms of the appendix. The pain can continue for quite a long time, alternately disappearing, then reappearing. Diagnosing appendicular colic is quite difficult, so they can cause the development of acute appendicitis.
Post-operative pain
Removal of the appendix is a fairly common procedure, in most cases without complications. However, if your appendix hurts after surgery, it may indicate possible complications.
- Slight separation of internal seams due to overstressing can cause cutting pain.
- Adhesive processes, which can subsequently affect the work of other organs, form a pulling pain.
- Too sharp pains may indicate that the intestines are being squeezed, which means that medical intervention is required.
- Discomfort and pain after appendix removal may occur due to malnutrition.
In the postoperative period, it is very important to follow all the recommendations of the doctor regarding lifestyle, suture care and the necessary diet, then you will have a better chance of not having to go back to the operating table. Stay he althy!
