How do they treat appendicitis?

Appendicitis is a condition that no one ever wants to experience. It’s like having a surprise party in your abdomen, except instead of balloons and cake, it’s pain and inflammation. Fortunately, if you do find yourself with appendicitis, there are treatments available that can help alleviate the symptoms and get you back on track.

What Is Appendicitis?

Before delving into treatment options for appendicitis, let’s first discuss what exactly this condition entails.

Appendicitis, simply put, is inflammation of the appendix – a small pouch attached to the large intestine. The main symptom is abdominal pain that starts near the belly button but eventually moves to the lower right side of your abdomen where your appendix is located. Other signs include fever, nausea or vomiting, loss of appetite and bloating.

Diagnosis

A proper diagnosis needs accurate examination by medical professionals.

Physical Examination

The doctor gently presses on different parts of your abdomen to detect tenderness or swelling. Coughing or walking may also intensify peritoneal irritation while moving towards McBurney point (a point situated within 1/3 distance from anterior superior iliac spine).

Blood Test

Blood tests will reveal elevated white blood cell counts which show an increased immune response in inflamed tissues inside our body commonly seen during infections etc..

Imaging Tests

If necessary they might ask you for imaging exams such as ultrasound or computed tomography (CT) scans depending on symptoms severity.

Nonsurgical Treatment Options

There are certain situations when nonsurgical options may be appropriate:

Antibiotics

They might be prescribed antibiotics alone if:
– Your appendix hasn’t burst already.
– You have mild symptoms,
– If complete resolution happens then surgery can be avoided later unless complications arise again.

Pain relievers

Pain medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), aspirin, and ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin)can be used to alleviate the pain.

Diet Management

Including more fiber-rich foods in our diet can help regulate bowel movements and ease digestive stress during such surgeries.

Surgical Treatment Options

If non-surgical options do not work then surgery remains the most common option:

Appendectomy

An appendectomy is essentially when your appendix is surgically removed from your body through an operation called laparoscopy by specialized medical professionals.

Open Appendectomy VS Laparoscopic Appendectomy

Two types are commonly seen!

  • In open appendectomy, a single large incision on the abdomen may be needed to access inflamed swollen tissues.
  • In laparoscopic appendectomy, small incisions are made around multiple parts of this region so that tiny cameras along with other instruments can be passed for observation without causing any harm. Typically it has smaller lower rates of surgical-related complications during wound healing than an open procedure.
Recovery Time And Post-operative Care

Recovering from an appendectomy has different timespans depending on various factors related to health history in each individual case originating from personal age group choices etc..

During recovery you might need:
– Pain medications as prescribed by doctors,
– Avoiding lifting heavy objects & strenuous activities.
– Certain dietary recommendations ranging anywhere between 3 weeks – 8 weeks after some variations within time frames might happen under certain extreme conditions!

Complications After Surgery

Again it completely depends upon every individual who has undergone such surgery may lead to rare chances with life-threatening complications like severe infection development within these sites.

As much as we wish there was a “cure” for appendicitis where patients could snap their fingers and immediately feel better again, modern medicine still requires deliberate examination an assortment of treatment options. The good news? With proper care, those dealing with this inflammatory condition stand a great chance of moving forward with their lives happier, healthier and free from the unease that comes along with appendicitis.

Random Posts