Appendicitis can take everyone by surprise. Appendicitis syndromes (manifestations) are similar to many other diseases. By the way, this is one of the few diseases that are still diagnosed mainly only by the clinical picture. The only exception is laparoscopy - a minimally invasive examination method, for which good reasons are needed. So what are the symptoms of appendicitis? What complications can occur?
What is appendicitis
Appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix of the caecum, which can occur with different intensity. Inflammation is a common disease of the abdominal cavity, which requires emergency surgical intervention. Most often, the pathology is diagnosed between the ages of 22 and 25, but can occur at any age.
According to statistics, women tend to get more appendicitis than men. Acute appendicitis, which accounts for almost 90% of cases of acute surgical diseases, is a common causedevelopment of peritonitis.
Causes of inflammation
A set of symptoms or syndromes of appendicitis are formed for unknown reasons. Doctors still don't understand why some people get appendicitis and others don't. At the moment, only theories of the development of pathology are considered.
The most common hypothesis is an infectious lesion. With appendicitis, pathogens of various diseases are often determined in the patient's analyzes, for example, Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, Streptococcus and a number of bacteria. These bacteria are normal in the intestine, but under favorable conditions, their active reproduction begins, as a result of which an inflammatory process develops.
Also, the causes of pain in appendicitis may be blockage of the appendix. This is facilitated by congenital anomalies of development. Various neoplasms, fecal stones and foreign bodies can clog the lumen.
To stagnation of blood and the development of necrosis of the appendix contributes to circulatory disorders. Violation of the work of small vessels adversely affects the body, provoking inflammation. Excessive mucus production and further inflammation of the appendix can occur when intestinal motility deteriorates due to neurogenic reactions.
Medical practice shows that inflammation is more often diagnosed in patients suffering from chronic constipation, some infectious pathologies and diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
In men, appendicitis can become inflamed against the background of bad habits and latent infections in the body. In women, appendicitis syndrome is provoked by gynecological diseases. In childhood, congenital anomalies often lead to pathology, for example, narrowing of the lumen of the caecum.
First symptoms of appendicitis
It is quite difficult to determine appendicitis on your own. Diagnosis in some cases is difficult even for experienced professionals. Appendicitis syndromes in adults are similar to signs of poisoning, but without obvious intoxication of the body. Repeated vomiting, dry mouth, weakness, and diarrhea are usually not present.
Pain in appendicitis occurs in the stomach. After four to six hours, the discomfort intensifies, moving to the area to the right of the navel. The temperature rises to 37.2-37.4 °C. Migration of pain is possible, that is, a condition when discomfort is felt in different parts of the abdomen.
Clinical picture
The most characteristic syndrome in appendicitis is pain under the navel and in the area of the solar plexus. Sometimes the patient is worried about discomfort without a specific localization. The pain can be of different intensity. But gradually its localization becomes clearer - he feels discomfort in the area of the appendix. When moving, changing body position, sneezing and coughing sensations intensify. In the future, relief of pain is not possible. This indicates the development of complications (peritonitis).
Similar pain syndrome of appendicitis is not specific. Discomfort is common in manyother intestinal diseases. In children, for example, pain is noted with infections. To facilitate the diagnosis of the doctor, you need to inform about previous diseases. This will save time.
What syndromes still occur with appendicitis? Inflammation sometimes causes nausea and vomiting. With an empty stomach in the vomit, only liquid and mucus of the corpus luteum. Vomiting usually occurs once. The absence of bile in the vomit indicates cholecystitis, a blockage of the gallbladder. A situation is considered dangerous when, against the background of the symptoms of appendicitis (a syndrome of pain and other signs), repeated vomiting occurs, which does not bring relief to the patient.
Often patients are worried about high temperature (about 37-38 ° C). It is dangerous to increase it to 39-40 ° C and a sharp decrease to critical low levels. A common occurrence on the background of appendicitis is a syndrome called dyspepsia. This is a violation of the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, which occurs along with urinary disorders. At the same time, urine can acquire an intense shade, the patient has a strong belching, excessive gas formation, heartburn, blackening of the feces is possible. The latter is a very dangerous symptom that indicates intestinal or gastric bleeding.
Appendicitis can start with completely different symptoms and fairly mild pain. When taking strong painkillers, pain in acute appendicitis may indicate necrotic changes in the walls of the process. Seek medical attention immediately.
Shchetkin-Blumberg syndrome is typical for acute appendicitis. After soft pressure on the abdominal wall, you need to sharply tear off your fingers. With inflammation, pain is felt more when the hand is released, and not when pressure is applied to the abdomen. You can also determine inflammation by scissor syndrome. With appendicitis, severe tachycardia occurs against the background of normal body temperature.
You can also detect Asaturian's syndrome. For this, a fist is pressed on the left iliac region, and the right one protrudes. At this time, the caecum is palpated with the left hand, and in the process one can find a painful point that corresponds to appendicitis. Usually, pain on palpation increases when the patient is positioned on the left side. Often the pain syndrome occurs with pressure in the middle of the abdomen.
Symptoms in children
In children, the risk of developing peritonitis is much higher than in adults, so parents need to pay close attention to changes in the well-being of a small patient.
In infants, appendicitis becomes inflamed extremely rarely, the frequency of diagnosing pathology increases after two to three years. Most often, the diagnosis (if we are talking about acute appendicitis) is made to children aged 9-12 years, but in general the peak incidence occurs at 15-19 years old.
Appendicitis syndromes in children from birth to five years of age are commonly observed as follows: restlessness, moodiness, nausea and vomiting, weakness, drowsiness, dry mouth, thirst, fever, chills, pallor, indigestion (loose stools or constipation). ButThe signs listed above can indicate both appendicitis and indicate other diseases. Need to call a doctor anyway.
Already by school age, the same syndromes of appendicitis are observed in children and adults. The stomach will hurt, the temperature may rise, when pressed sharply, the patient will experience pain. Typical manifestations account for only 30% of cases, the remaining 70% are atypical. Sometimes the appendix is located elsewhere in the peritoneum. Pain can be in the lower abdomen, and in the stomach, back, rectum.
The following signs indicate that you urgently need to see a doctor:
- dry tongue;
- reduced appetite;
- chill;
- fever;
- single or repeated vomiting;
- nausea.
The stool remains normal in most cases, there may be constipation or diarrhea (in rare cases). You need to see a doctor no later than two to three hours after the onset of the attack. If a teenage girl complains of pain, then before the doctor arrives, you need to find out the date of the last menstruation. Pain that looks like appendicitis may be before your period.
During an attack, you can not apply a heating pad to the stomach and do warming baths, because heat accelerates inflammation. Do not give enemas that increase pressure on the inflamed area. It is forbidden to give the child any medications or laxatives, this can complicate the diagnosis and provoke a rupture of the appendix. You can not eat, you can only give sweetened water.
Mixed with
Pain in appendicitis can be confused with many other diseases of the digestive system. This is a banal food poisoning, hepatic and renal colic, inflammation of the uterus, lymph nodes in the intestine, acute cholecystitis. Even a doctor cannot always determine with an exact probability that a patient has appendicitis.
Possible Complications
If you do not go to a medical facility on time and remove the inflamed process, this is fraught with serious complications. Already after 48 hours, appendicular infiltrate develops, which greatly complicates surgical treatment. If the operation is postponed for a longer period, an additional inflammatory process will develop. This condition requires an open access operation. Further interventions may be necessary. Recovery takes up to two weeks, and recovery will last at least a month. It will be possible to return to normal physical activity only after a year.
The most dangerous complication of appendicitis is peritonitis. This situation can even lead to death. Usually, in this case, two days after the acute symptoms, a period of imaginary well-being begins, that is, the patient feels better, he decides not to seek help. But soon the condition worsens with the most severe consequences (destruction of intestinal tissues, acute inflammatory process). If you consult a doctor at the beginning of inflammation, you can reduce the length of stay in the hospital to one day and get byrelatively easy operation. In case of complications, you will have to spend in the hospital at best about a week.
Diagnostic measures
Diagnosis is based on the clinical picture and confirmed by blood tests. The most reliable method is laparoscopy. Clarification of the form of the inflammatory process is possible already during surgical intervention, after which a histological examination of the removed tissues is performed. When diagnosing from instrumental methods, computed tomography, abdominal wall x-ray, ultrasound examination, irrigoscopy are used.
Consequences of late diagnosis
If inflammation is not diagnosed in time, the risk of complications in the postoperative period increases. The wound is festering. It also increases the time of the operation, the duration of the process of rehabilitation and recovery of the body. Modern methods of treatment in most cases can avoid dangerous consequences if the patient is under observation. However, you should not rely only on the professionalism of doctors, because everyone should be responsible for their own he alth.
Treatment methods
To date, the pain syndrome of appendicitis in men, women and children is treated only by surgery. Previously, open abdominal surgery was performed, but this is always a difficult test for the body, difficult rehabilitation and a significant deterioration in the quality of life in the postoperative period. In most cases, appendicitisoperate laparoscopically.
With the help of a special tool, you can examine and operate on the internal organs. An experienced doctor with this method can operate even a five-day appendicitis, which greatly facilitates the life of the patient. By the way, laparoscopy is also the best diagnostic method. What looks like appendicitis, in fact, may be another disease that will be revealed already during the operation. Previously, appendicitis was only removed, so it was not possible to use this diagnostic method.
If there are no complications, then appendicitis syndromes in adults do not require antibiotics. In the presence of an inflammatory process in the pelvis, antibiotic therapy is prescribed. A combination of several groups of antibacterial drugs is usually prescribed. Complicated appendicitis requires antibiotics.
Useful advice from a surgeon
Doctors advise never to self-medicate if you have symptoms similar to appendicitis. You should not take any medications (especially anti-inflammatory, painkillers, or antispasmodics), because this can complicate the diagnosis. Timely access to a doctor will significantly speed up recovery and recovery after surgery. It is important that appendicitis cannot be cured with medication, only surgery is needed. By the way, there is a huge plus in the treatment of the vermiform appendix - having fallen ill with it once and cured, you can forget about appendicitis forever.
Chronic appendicitis
Chronicappendicitis is a sluggish form of inflammation, which is most often associated with a previous acute inflammatory process. The clinical picture is characterized by aching pain, abdominal discomfort, diarrhea or constipation, flatulence. Diagnosis is based on the exclusion of other causes that can provoke such symptoms. Treatment for an unexpressed clinical picture is conservative.
Appendicitis Prevention
To prevent the disease, it is necessary to treat various pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, constipation, eat right, and avoid overeating. With alarming symptoms, you should consult a doctor, because even a slight ailment can indicate a serious illness. In general, a he althy lifestyle is recommended.
