
03/10/2024
Hi everyone, it's been a while since I dropped a post here, that's because I have been super busy lately.
My apologies!
I want to share something real quick, the topic I want to talk about today is one very familiar with most of you.
Oftentimes, most of my patients walk into the clinic for consultation and while taking history, they make sentences like I think I have an appendix so I need to do a surgery to have it removed.
Now having a surgery to remove your appendix is okay but saying you are having the surgery because you have appendix is wrong, that's because we all have one. That's why I want to talk about the APPENDIX today.
Before I continue pls I want you to go through the following words below!:
APPENDIX : The first projection on the large intestine which looks pretty much like a finger.
APPENDICITIS : The infection of the appendix characterised by pain, swelling and redness
INFLAMMATION : An immune response or simply the way the body respond to infection or foreign bodies that enters the body. The body does this through increasing the body temperature which is fever, there's also pain, swelling and redness.
APPENDECTOMY : Surgical removal of the appendix
From these definitions you can see that what makes one go for an appendectomy is appendicitis not appendix. Every complete human has an appendix. Yes that's because we all have our large intestines in our abdominal cavity except in cases where they were removed due to some health challenges. As long as your appendix is healthy, not occluded with stones, pus, tumors or infected by any disease pathogens, you do not need to remove it but when the reverse is the case, then appendectomy becomes a permanent solution.
CAUSES OF APPENDICITIS:
Stones, undigested grains, sand, infections, microorganisms like virus, bacteria etc, hardened f***l matter which found it's way to the appendix, tumors, abscess, etc once any of this get to the appendix, they trigger an inflammation, which when this inflammation is not managed and the root cause removed, the appendix becomes infected leading to APPENDICITIS.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS/ SYMPTOMS ASSOCIATED WITH APPENDICITIS
Nausea (an urge to vomit or throw up🤮) Vomiting Pain which usually begins around the belly button or umbilical area and then gradually get localized at the lower right side of the abdomen. This pain is excruciating when ever pressure is applied around that area. Exercises like coughing or sneezing triggers the pain. Sometimes the swelling is noticeable especially when the appendix is highly inflammed and about to rupture Some people also experience loss of appetite Some patients too find it difficult to empty their bowels when they go to the toilet🚽 (constipation) while some keep having diarrhoea. The list is a long one.
WHAT ARE THE COMPLICATIONS WHEN YOU FAIL TO TREAT APPENDICITIS It is an emergency which means there should be no delay. It can rupture and infect the surrounding organs in the body as well. If at this stage no treatment is sought, the infection can get to the blood and circulate in the bloodstream polluting the entire body system and if care is not taken. Patient may die mostly from septic shock.
WHAT ARE THE TREATMENT PLAN
Inflamed appendix can be managed in two ways depending on the severity of the case:
1 Through drugs
2 By surgery
However the permanent treatment or solution is surgery.
In conclusion, do not neglect any kind of abdominal pain no matter how insignificant it looks.
Thank you for reading till the end, if you find this piece of mine educative, please stick around for more.
To my 14 followers that have stuck with me despite my absence, your girl is super grateful. I do not take you for granted in any way.
Remember HEALTH is WEALTH, so do not play with your health.
IT'S ME YOUR FRIEND, DAA_IHIE'SWORLD.