Though problems with the digestive tract typically cause little more than gas, bloating and discomfort, there are some issues that can trigger severe pain. Painful issues such as these are often serious and may be life threatening. One such condition that is life threatening, if left untreated, is appendicitis.
Appendicitis occurs when the appendix becomes infected and inflamed as a result. The appendix is a small, finger shaped pouch that is attached to the large intestine. It is located in the lower right side of the abdomen. Though small — or perhaps because it is so small — inflammation of the appendix is a medical emergency. If it swells too much too fast, the appendix is at very real risk of bursting. If it bursts, any fluids and bacteria that were in the appendix will seep into the abdominal cavity, putting your entire abdominal cavity at risk of becoming infected as well.
Infection of the abdominal cavity can lead to inflammation of the abdominal lining, or peritonitis, and/or sepsis. Both of these conditions are serious and, if not treated in time, fatal.
The overarching cause of appendicitis is blockage of the channel that connects the appendix to the large intestine. Blockage, if not cleared, leads to eventual inflammation and subsequent infection. That said, blockage can occur for a number of reasons, including the following:
Regardless of the cause of the inflammation, it is the subsequent infection within the appendix that is ultimately concerning. Though an infection of any organ within your abdominal cavity is troubling, the appendix poses a particular problem because of its tendency to swell and swell quickly. In fact, once a person begins to experience symptoms of appendicitis, they have between 36 and 72 hours to seek medical attention and treatment before the tube bursts. Once the appendix bursts, it can spread life-threatening bacteria throughout the abdominal cavity.
The best and most accurate way to determine if you have appendicitis is to seek a diagnosis from a trained medical professional. However, most people are not prompted to seek medical care unless and until they have worrying symptoms.
The most common and troubling symptoms of appendicitis that should drive you to seek immediate medical attention are sudden abdominal pain and vomiting. However, not everyone develops these symptoms right away. There are other signs you may have an inflamed appendix that may resemble other, less trouble conditions. Those are as follows:
Appendicitis is not all that common, affecting about 7% of the population. Unlike many other conditions, which typically affect people of older age, appendicitis typically afflicts younger persons, between the ages of 10 and 30. The general consensus is that if you have not have appendicitis by the age of 30, you are unlikely to develop it at all. That said, the risk is not completely eliminated after the age of 30. A small percentage of older people are occasionally treated for the condition and/or have noticeable scarring that indicates a previous infection.
Because of how serious appendicitis can become, and quickly, you should always treat appendix pain as a medical emergency. Again, a ruptured appendix can lead to serious and life-threatening conditions within hours. For this reason alone, you should never take the “wait and see” approach with appendix pain, and neither should your doctor.
That said, in very rare cases, appendix pain does subside on its own, and so does the associated infection. However, if you suspect you have appendicitis, you should consult with your doctor immediately, if for no other reason than to receive a diagnosis and peace of mind.
If you catch appendicitis early on, it may be possible to treat the infection with a round of antibiotics. However, despite surgeons being hesitant to rush operations, even they make exceptions for swollen and infected appendixes. The appendix serves no real purpose, and most health professionals will agree that the benefits of removing an even slightly swollen appendix far outweigh the risks. For this reason, most medical professionals would rather take the more aggressive approach when it comes to treating appendicitis.
Appendicitis is an urgent medical condition that typically requires surgical removal of the appendix. Though in rare cases the appendix can heal itself, health professionals do not recommend waiting to see if it does. The appendix can burst within as few as 36 hours of becoming infected and inflamed, so health organizations urge afflicted persons to undergo an appendectomy as soon as possible. The benefits of doing so far outweigh any cons associated with removing the appendix and could possibly save your life.