Appendicitis: What is it?
Appendicitis is a medical condition, which is generally painful when the appendix becomes inflamed and often gets filled with pus. It is one of the most common problems that occur in males between the age of 10 to 30.
Generally when one thinks of what is appendicitis, the only thing that can be related is the severe pain that is felt in the abdomen. The appendix is a small finger-shaped pouch that is found in the abdomen’s lower right side and is attached to the large intestine.
As far as the appendix location is concerned, it is present in the abdomen and is the main cause of abdominal pain which further results in surgery. If appendicitis is not treated at the right time with proper medication then it may result in infection as there are chances that the appendix may burst out.
What Are The Signs & Possible Symptoms of Appendix Pain?
The appendix pain is one of the most common symptoms of appendicitis. The pain is felt in the abdominal area and shifts to the abdomen’s lower right side when the case becomes serious. Other than the pain, some of the other appendicitis symptoms are as follow:
- Vomiting.
- Diarrhea.
- Loss of appetite.
- Nausea.
- Swelling in the abdominal area.
- Mild fever.
- Constipation.
- Inability to pass gas.
The intensity of your pain can vary according to the age and the size of appendicitis. However, the appendicitis pain may also vary as per the position of the appendix inside the body. Thus, you must realize the signs of appendicitis as early as possible so as to get the proper medication for the same.
What are The Appendicitis Causes?
In most of the cases, the main cause of appendicitis is not known. There can be a number of reasons that can cause appendicitis in a person. As a general assumption as to what causes appendicitis, some doctors believe that it is some appendix obstruction. This obstruction in the appendix can either be complete or partial.
The Following are Suggested as the Causes of Appendix Blockage:
- Stool.
- Foreign body.
- Cancer.
- Infection.
The appendix generally swells due to the infection or the multiplication of bacteria that causes appendicitis. Therefore, the appendix problem should be treated on time so as to prevent its rupture.
When Should You See a Doctor?
Most of the people are often confused as to when consulting a doctor in case of appendicitis. You must always keep a check on the symptoms of appendicitis and if the symptoms continue for long, it required to get treated by the medical help.
You must also consult a doctor when you are feeling abdominal pain in the lower right side along with the sensation of vomiting and fever. If the pain continues for more than 4 hours, the patient should be immediately shifted to the hospital for examination under the supreme medical observation.
What are The Treatments Options for Appendicitis?
The appendix disease requires some proper medications so that the related pain and symptoms can be sorted as soon as possible. There are some possible treatments that can be tried in case of appendicitis problem. Some of the possible treatments that can be considered are as follow:
- Surgery.
- Injections.
- Antibiotics.
- Home remedies.
The surgeries for appendicitis can either be an open surgery or delayed surgery. The open surgery is done in serious cases when the appendicitis size is large and the patient suffers from a lot of pain. In this, the patient is given a course of antibiotics to recover.
On the other hand, the delayed surgery is done after the doctors try to shrink the size of the appendix and clear the surrounding area using antibiotics. They may later perform the surgery if there is any need.
Natural Remedies for Appendicitis:
Once you are aware of what is appendicitis, you must also be aware of the natural remedies for its treatment. Along with these natural remedies, you must also get consulted by the doctor for being sure about your condition.
1. Lemon:
It is one of the most beneficial remedies to fight against the problem of appendicitis. Lemon offers a number of benefits that prevent the growth of appendix along with delivering the needed relief in cases.
The citrus juice present in lemon in the natural form reduces the pain along with bringing maximum benefits for indigestion and constipation. Also, it improves the immune system and reduces the infections. No matter what is the appendix pain location, lemon will definitely bring in the best of benefits for the problem.
How to Make:
- Take 1 fresh lemon and extract its juice.
- 1 tablespoon of raw honey.
- Mix both the ingredients to form the desired mixture.
How to Use and Apply:
- Consume the mixture of lemon and honey together.
- You can add water in the mixture if you want.
- Take this mixture for about 4-5 times in a day.
- Repeat this process for a few weeks or until you find some improvement in your condition.
Both the ingredients, lemon, and honey, are quite beneficial for the body and does not really cause any side effects. However, you must maintain equal quantities of both the ingredients to prevent any sourness in the mixture.
2. Ginger:
One of the best homemade remedies or natural treatment for appendix is ginger. It can easily be found in the houses and does not even require any special process to use it. This ingredient is not only helpful for the main symptoms of appendicitis but is also helpful for the other related symptoms like vomiting and nausea.
The properties of anti-inflammatory ginger help a lot in treating appendicitis. Ginger can reduce the pain and can also control the inflammation in the abdomen area. You can intake ginger in any form so as to get its benefits against appendicitis.
How to Make:
- Make use of raw ginger or you can also use the ginger tea available in the market.
- Take 1 teaspoon of grated ginger and mix them in a cup of boiling water.
- Let the water and grated ginger boil for sometime.
How to use and Apply:
- Drink the ginger tea for 2-3 times in a day.
- Continue drinking the ginger tea for few weeks to witness the needed improvement.
- Massage your abdominal area with the ginger oil.
Ginger brings the maximum benefits against the problem of appendicitis in the best natural form. However, if you are taking the ginger capsules, you must first consult with your doctor.
3. Garlic:
Just like ginger, garlic also has beneficial ingredients against the problem of appendix. The natural form of garlic is one of the best and the most effective remedy for fighting against the problem of appendicitis.
Garlic also has anti-inflammatory properties which help in reducing the pain and the growth of the abdominal area. The continuous treatment of garlic can bring in best results for the inflammation.
How to Make:
- Make use of raw garlic or you can use garlic oil in your cooking.
- Mix some cloves of garlic in any oil and boil the mixture for some time.
- Garlic capsules are also an option but you must consult your doctor before using them.
How to Use and Apply:
- Consume 2-3 cloves of garlic on daily basis on an empty stomach.
- Make sure you eat garlic on an empty stomach so as to get the maximum benefits.
- You can also massage with the garlic oil on your abdominal area.
Garlic brings no side effects as such but you should consult your doctor before taking the garlic capsules for being sure. Also, you must start with this ingredient only once you are sure that you are not allergic to it.
4. Fenugreek Seeds:
The seeds of fenugreek are one of the most beneficial solutions to the problem of appendicitis. These seeds are quite effective against the treatment of the appendix. As per the appendicitis meaning, it forms due to the blockage in the appendix due to any infection or waste.
As a solution to this problem, fenugreek seeds work effectively for removing the collection of excess mucus and waste in the intestine. This prevents the formation of appendicitis to the maximum extent. Further, it also prevents appendicitis from becoming severe along with reducing the pain.
How to Make:
- Take 2 teaspoons of fenugreek seeds.
- Take 1 cup of water.
- Mix both the ingredients together and bring it to a boil.
- Let the mixture boil gently on low flame for 10 minutes.
- Drain the mixture.
How to Use and Apply:
- Consume the mixture of fenugreek seeds and water on a regular basis for a few weeks.
- Repeat this process for 2-3 times daily.
- You can also include the fenugreek seeds in your cooking for enhancing the treatment process.
Fenugreek seeds can lower the blood sugar along with the nasal congestion; therefore, you must consult your doctor before taking it. Once you are sure, you can start with this treatment. Also, you can take these seeds in lesser quantity to prevent any such side effects.
5. Castor Oil:
Castor oil is one such home remedy that is most trusted by people in case of appendicitis. The oil is so effective that it can remove the blockage from the abdominal along with reducing the inflammation growth.
Not only this, most of the people usually trust castor oil for the appendicitis treatment because of the fact that it improves the problem of constipation along with the betterment of the bowel movements.
How to Make:
- Take 2 teaspoons of castor oil.
- A piece of flannel cloth.
How to Use and Apply:
- Warm the piece of flannel cloth by dipping it in warm water.
- Remove the excess water.
- Put some drops of castor oil on the flannel cloth.
- Put this cloth on your abdominal area.
- Leave the cloth for about 20-25 minutes.
- Repeat the process for 2-3 months by doing this activity for 3 times in a week.
Castor oil can bring in some dizziness along with some low blood pressure, thus a doctor must be consulted before starting with the medication.
Additional Tips and Precautions to Maintain in Case of Appendicitis:
Many experts suggest some essential tips that must be followed when suffering from the problem of appendicitis. The following tips, however, will not completely cure the problem, but they will certainly help in reducing the pain along with helping the appendicitis treatment do deliver the effective and needful results.
Here are some of the beneficial tips or precautions that should be followed:
- Never ignore any of the signs or symptoms of appendicitis.
- Eat a lot of green vegetables and fresh fruits as a preventive measure against the problem of appendicitis.
- Include ingredients with high fiber in your diet.
- Maintain personal hygiene.
- Have a balanced lifestyle including exercising.
- Take a good quantity of Vitamin C and zinc that can help you to fight against infections.
The problem of appendicitis is quite common but thankfully it can be cured easily. The only thing that you must keep in mind is to always be aware of your health conditions and never to ignore any of the early symptoms of the problem.
Write to us, if you have any query or doubt related to appendicitis and get it answered by the experts. Comment below your thoughts related to the problem. Let’s together fight against the problem of appendicitis and have a healthy life!
FAQs:
1. Is Every Appendix Same in Size?
No. Not all the appendixes are same in size. Some of the appendixes are large while some are short. But one thing that is common with appendixes of all sizes is that they stick to the lower right side of the abdomen and causes a lot of pain. The point to be noted is the fact that appendix pain area can vary from person to person. Most of the experts say that they are not necessary to have a healthy and happy life.
2. How Long is The Recovery Time From Appendicitis?
There is hardly any recovery time from appendicitis and the patients can resume their day to day work right after the treatment. The patients are not even admitted to the hospitals for long and are discharged right after they come to their senses.
However, the case is different for perforated appendicitis. The patients with this appendicitis can take weeks to return to their normal life because of the complication and severity of the appendix problem.
3. Is The Appendicitis Pain Constant?
No, the appendix pain is not constant. It may come and go. It may also gradually increase and then may become constant. There are also variations in the appendix pain location. If your appendix has reached the stage of severity, then there are high chances that you may feel severe pain.
The other symptoms like mild fever and vomiting may also follow with the pain. Further, if your appendix is behind the colon, you may also suffer from the problem of back pain.
