Many would say they have been
diagnosed of ‘appendix’. Common! That’s a popular misnomer; it’s a structure,
not a medical condition. An appendix is a small pouch shaped like a small
finger; it is on the right side of the abdomen (tummy) connected to the large
intestine. Experts
are not sure what the appendix is for. Mr DM, a 300L student in a
Nigerian University, once suffered from appendicitis. Below is an excerpt from
his recall:
“I started feeling the pain in the
year 2008 and it was mostly at the lower part of my tummy. But, I didn’t pay so
much attention to it until 2009 when the sensation became frequent. I had used
all sorts of pain relievers but the pain would recur. However, hell was let
loose around June of the same year when the pain became increasingly
unbearable. I was rushed to the hospital and a diagnosis of appendicitis was
made. In fact, I had to undergo emergency operation in other to save my life.
Thank God, I’m a living testimony.”
What is Appendicitis?
It is a condition in which the
appendix becomes swollen, inflamed and filled with pus. It generally affects
people aged 10 and 30, but it can strike at any age.
Causes
It is widely believed that there are
two causes:
Ø Infection- a
stomach infection may have found its way to the appendix.
Ø Obstruction- a
hard piece of stool/food may have got trapped in the appendix. The bacteria in
the trapped stool may then have infected the appendix.
What are the Signs and Symptoms?
Pain, starting around the navel, then
moving down and to the right side of the abdomen. The pain gets worse when
moving, taking deep breaths, coughing, sneezing, or being touched in this area.
Others include:
o
Progressively
worsening pain in the abdomen
o
Urinating
often, or difficult or painful urination
o
Nausea
o
Vomiting
o
Diarrhea/Constipation
o
Low
Fever
o
Loss
of appetite
o
Inability
to pass gas (fart)
N.B: Report to the hospital in case you have any of these signs and/or
symptoms.
Diagnosis
This can be very challenging. Many
patients do not have typical symptoms- the pain may be located in different
parts of the body. Other conditions may have very similar symptoms, such as
gastroenteritis, urinary tract infection, ectopic pregnancy or even kidney
stone. Moreover, not everybody have their appendix in exactly the same place.
The healthcare professional will examine you, ask questions and run some tests
when required.
Prevention
Research has shown that balanced diet
has a vital role to play in reducing the incidence of appendicitis. We have
been made to understand that consuming high fibre diets, fresh vegetables and
fruits help to lower the risk; the softer stools as products of these diets are
less likely to get trapped in the appendix. Others include drinking at least 8
glasses of water daily and regular exercise to prevent fecal matter from
lodging and hardening in the large intestine.
Treatment
In rare cases in which the infection
is very mild, antibiotics can be given to treat the patient. However, in most
cases, a type of surgery called APPENDECTOMY is required to remove the
appendix. Sometimes a decision will be made to surgically remove the appendix
because it is too risky to wait around for the tests to confirm the diagnosis. Without
treatment, an inflamed appendix can rupture, causing the lining of the abdomen
to get infected. That can be a life-threatening condition.
At Hope Rising Foundation (HRF) Nigeria, we are always at your service at
no cost. For questions and enquiries, contact us:
P:
08148327860
T: @HRF_Nigeria.
