Treatment of appendicitis without surgery

Causes, signs, symptoms of the disease

I would like to note that the causes of the disease have not yet been fully studied.
But many experts believe that the causes of this disease are primarily explained by the presence of bacteria, which actually cause the inflammatory process in the appendix of the cecum. As a rule, inflammation develops very rapidly. The main symptom of the disease is acute cramping pain that occurs in the umbilical region and spreads to the entire abdomen. In addition to the mentioned sign of appendicitis, there are also a number of others that characterize the pathology. These include:

• loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting;
• stool disorder, diarrhea, constipation, flatulence;
• general malaise, increased muscle tone in the abdominal area;
• increased temperature, pale skin.

The appearance of these signs indicates the development of a serious illness and therefore, in order to avoid serious consequences, it is better to immediately call a doctor. Neglect of one's health during appendicitis has quite disastrous consequences: the development of peritonitis, purulent inflammation and intestinal obstruction. Therefore, it is better not to risk your own life, but to immediately call an ambulance.

When to call an ambulance

Signs of organ exacerbation are:

• acute painful sensation in the abdomen during the rest period;
• sharp pain in the abdominal area when pressing;
• vomit;
• nausea;
• a significant increase in body temperature.

It is impossible to predict the occurrence of acute appendicitis. All its symptoms are very similar to other diseases, so it can often only be identified in a hospital with a special examination.

An ambulance should be called at the first suspicion that indicates appendicitis: sharp acute pain in the abdominal area, an increase in body temperature up to 40°, vomiting, diarrhea. If a person lies down, but the pain does not subside, there can be no talk of independent attempts at treatment or postponing calling a specialist to the house.

It’s better to play it safe and call an ambulance, even if your suspicions are not confirmed. The faster doctors can make a diagnosis, the faster you will receive the necessary treatment and relief from pain.

If symptoms of appendicitis occur in a child, call an ambulance immediately; often children endure until the last minute before telling their parents that something hurts. In addition, do not forget that in children, inflammation of the appendix can manifest itself completely differently than in adults.

If the pain begins to subside, this may be a sure sign that the disease has reached its most severe stage. Don't hesitate and call an ambulance.

Author of the article: Nina Vladimirovna Sokolova, naturopathic doctor, herbalist

The symptoms of the category of patients do not differ. Under the age of twenty, young men and boys are more likely to get sick. It has been noted that men are more often diagnosed with ruptures and necrosis of the cecum of the intestine. Over the age of twenty, women are more likely to get sick. In girls twelve years of age and older, it should be taken into account during clinical examination.

Typically, inflammation of the appendix occurs unpredictably. This can happen on weekends at home, in kindergarten, on a walk, and even at a party. In children under 3 years of age, from the very beginning of the disease, behavioral deviations can be noticed: they refuse to eat, are capricious, sleep poorly, etc.

The first thing that might make you think about appendicitis is pain in the abdomen. Most often, if this is inflammation of the appendix, the pain is localized mainly on the right side or in the navel area. The pain may eventually move from the center of the abdomen to the right and down, but not to the.

Appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix. Vivid clinical symptoms, numerous nuances of acute and chronic inflammation make diagnosis and surgical treatment of appendicitis both an easy and difficult medical task. Removal of appendicitis (appendectomy) is the only way to radically treat acute and chronic forms of the disease.

Emergency surgery. The indication is the acute stage or exacerbation of chronic inflammation. The operation is performed two to four hours after admission to the clinic. Planned surgery. If emergency intervention is prohibited, the operation is carried out after the threats have been eliminated. The time of the planned operation is determined.

In the first 12 hours after the operation, you should not eat food at all, but basically, there is no appetite anyway. If you feel well, at the end of the first day you are allowed to drink a little rice water, low-fat chicken broth or fruit sweet jelly. In this case, meals should be fractional, food should be taken in small portions 5-6 times a day.

Appendectomy involves a gentle regime for a month after the operation. Heavy physical activity is contraindicated for 3 months. This means that patients have the right to be on sick leave for 30 days from the date of the operation. Loads in the amount of normal life.

The information on the site is intended for informational purposes only and does not encourage self-treatment; consultation with a doctor is required!

How to treat appendicitis?

Appendicitis is not amenable to conservative treatment, and surgery to remove it, performed as soon as possible from the moment of inflammation, is so simple that it is preferred. Moreover, it eliminates any possibility of relapse.

Treatment of acute appendicitis

consists of removing the inflamed appendix; the indications for surgery are the results of a clinical examination; sometimes instrumental diagnostics are performed. Performing CT and ultrasound reduces the prevalence of negative appendectomies, but their number within 10% has always been considered normal. The surgeon usually removes the appendage, even if it is perforated.

Appendectomy is considered one of the simplest operations in the abdominal cavity, but sometimes the situation is complicated by the location of the appendix. The appendix is ​​somewhat more difficult to excise if it is:

• behind the blind,
• behind the ileum
• behind the mesentery of the right flank of the colon.

Inflammatory bowel diseases involving the cecum are considered a contraindication to removal of the appendix.

Removal of the appendix should be preceded by intravenous administration of antibiotics, preferably third-generation cephalosporins. For uncomplicated appendicitis, further use of antibiotics is not required.

If the development of appendicitis has led to perforation, then antibiotics are taken until body temperature and leukocyte count normalize. On average, postoperative antibiotic therapy lasts 5 days.

If surgery is not possible, antibiotics, although not a treatment option, significantly improve survival. Without surgical treatment or antibiotic therapy, mortality reaches more than 50% (in general, it is estimated at 1%).

If a large inflammatory mass formation is detected, which includes the appendix, the distal ileum, and the cecum, resection of the entire formation and ileostomy are prescribed.

In even more advanced cases, when a pericolic abscess has formed, it is drained with a tube under ultrasound guidance or an open operation is prescribed. when the abscess is eliminated, the appendix is ​​excised.

Treatment methods for chronic and acute stages of the disease

I would like to draw special attention to the fact that the general symptoms of chronic appendicitis are similar to many diseases that are associated with inflammatory processes. It is for this reason that establishing a final diagnosis is the task of a specialist who must first examine the patient, after which treatment will be prescribed.

The complex of research and diagnostics includes:

1. general examination of the patient and examination of his medical history.
2. laboratory tests of blood and urine.
3. probing and ultrasound of the abdominal cavity.

Although most ordinary people know that the treatment of this disease is exclusively surgical intervention.

But treatment of appendicitis with folk remedies can also be used, but in this case the patient must help himself in recovery and for this it is necessary to adhere to certain rules:

• give up harmful and unhealthy foods;
• adhere to a certain diet, which involves eating several times a day in small portions;
• Significantly reduce the consumption of caffeinated drinks.

Full compliance with the listed recommendations, as well as a responsible approach to diet, will help a person effectively eliminate the diseases associated with chronic appendicitis and improve their general condition.

Treatment of symptoms of appendicitis in the acute stage involves only surgical intervention. The operation is called appendectomy. The most common is strip surgery under general and sometimes local anesthesia. Laparoscopic surgery is also possible, which is done at the beginning of the exacerbation stage. In case of serious complications, it is more optimal to extract the appendage through the incision.

There is a consensus about the standard of treatment for chronic appendicitis; most doctors recommend surgical intervention, namely laparoscopy.

What diseases can it be associated with?

Appendicitis is not one of those diseases that are based on specific primary diseases. At the same time, appendicitis is sometimes associated with other diseases, for example, it is involved, or, or.

The risk of developing appendicitis is higher if the amount of pathogenic intestinal microflora in the body exceeds normal limits. For example, it is normally present in a healthy person, but is suppressed due to the beneficial intestinal microflora, strong immunity, and compliance with hygiene standards. When poisoning occurs and the number of E. coli increases, the risk of appendicitis increases against the background of such a disease.

It is important to differentiate symptoms characteristic of appendicitis from other causes.

Complications of untreated appendicitis usually include intra-abdominal abscesses, and. The risk of their development will be practically reduced to zero if the operation to remove appendicitis is performed by a qualified specialist in appropriate conditions in a timely manner - usually the first day after diagnosis.

Treatment methods for chronic and acute stages of the disease

Of course, using a method such as treating appendicitis with folk remedies, it is completely impossible to get rid of the disease, however, you can effectively reduce its symptoms and significantly improve your overall health.

Combined treatment - folk remedies and medications - has proven to be especially effective. But, before taking any drug or remedy, you should consult your doctor.

One of the popular methods is the treatment of chronic appendicitis using ordinary wormwood; this technique is especially effective at the initial stage of the disease. For treatment, you will need to consume a tincture of common wormwood on an empty stomach. For preparation you will need pure alcohol and plant leaves, which should be left for about 6-7 hours. The finished infusion is used diluted with boiled water (1:5).

The only correct decision in case of complications of acute appendicitis is not the decision to take medications, but an immediate call to the medical team. Because every hour of delay threatens the patient with the development of peritonitis and subsequent death. While waiting for an ambulance, you can lie on your right side and bend your legs under you. In this position the pain subsides slightly.

Useful decoctions and infusions that help in treatment

1. White clover infusion. To prepare, you will need flowering clover grass, which should be poured with boiling water (250 g). The decoction is infused for about half an hour. The drug is taken orally several times a day, after main meals. Please note that the broth must be fresh, that is, it will need to be prepared daily.
2. A decoction of yarrow herb. This recipe can be called not so medicinal as more of an anesthetic since the prepared remedy effectively helps with exacerbations of a chronic illness by relieving pain. In order to prepare such an effective antispasmodic at home, you will need nutrients such as raspberry and strawberry leaves, they must be mixed in equal proportions with yarrow herb. The collection of plants is brewed in a liter of water (boil for 15-20 minutes over high heat). Note that the volume of the prepared broth is enough for the whole day. It is necessary to take the product during the day in small quantities.

3. Infusion with milk. This remedy has also proven itself to be effective in relieving pain symptoms, and therefore, instead of taking painkillers, you can use this folk remedy for chronic appendicitis. The product is prepared in this way: add cumin in the amount of one tablespoon to boiling milk and cook for five minutes. This remedy is taken hourly.

Features of treatment at home

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If the first symptoms of inflammation of the cecal appendage are detected, it is unacceptable to independently treat the disease at home. You should immediately seek medical help if acute abdominal pain is accompanied by:

• migration to the right iliac region;
• increased temperature;
• nausea, vomiting;
• feeling of dry mouth;
• instability of heartbeat, blood pressure, breathing.

If you have at least 2 of the listed symptoms, even if the pain subsides, you still need to be examined as soon as possible, since the cause of the imaginary “relief” may be the death of the nerve endings of appendicitis, which only indicates complications are occurring. Before the ambulance arrives, you should not take painkillers, as they complicate the correct diagnosis of the disease by the doctor. In emergency cases, you can take an antispasmodic: “Noshpu”, “Papaverine”, “Spazmolgon”. It is strictly prohibited:

• Use laxatives and perform intestinal lavage. Such actions put additional pressure on the inflamed organ and can lead to its rupture.
• Warm the stomach, as high temperature creates a favorable climate for the proliferation of bacteria and infectious agents.

First of all, it is important to remember that inflammation of the appendix is ​​an acute and life-threatening pathology, which is characterized by sudden onset of symptoms, rapid progression and can lead to many concomitant purulent-infectious diseases. The disease cannot be delayed and requires professional medical care.

The presented recipe is universal and can be used for a long time as a painkiller for chronic appendicitis. The most convenient time to use the product is evening and night.

To prepare an anesthetic ointment you will need one chicken egg, butter (100 g) and vinegar essence (150 ml).

First, the essence is poured into the egg; if it floats up immediately, this indicates that it is not fresh, so it is better to take a fresh one. After 24 hours, the egg shell will dissolve; what remains of it should be removed from the container with a stainless spoon and removed from the film. At the next stage, the previously removed egg should be placed in a clean container and filled with the same solution in which it was kept for 24 hours and the mixture should be mixed thoroughly, adding oil. Next, the resulting mushy mixture should be placed in a cold place for several hours.

This ointment is used for treatment and pain relief in the form of compresses and rubbing. The sore spot is rubbed with the prepared mixture and covered with a sheet of foil, after which a gauze bandage is applied. It is best to do such compresses at night. The use of this method is contraindicated for people with cardiovascular diseases.

Treatment methods

The main method of treating acute appendicitis is surgical operation on the abdominal cavity by removing the inflamed appendix (appendix). It is highly not recommended to treat appendicitis with various methods of traditional medicine, so as not to provoke a significant worsening of the disease.

At home, before hospitalization, the patient is strictly forbidden to eat food or drink large amounts of liquid, apply various heating pads or bottles of hot water to the site of the inflammatory process, and it is also not recommended to take antispasmodic drugs (spasmalgon, but - spa). Until the ambulance arrives, the patient must remain on strict bed rest.

In the surgical department, before the operation, the patient’s abdominal cavity must be examined by a surgeon in order to compare the main complaints with possible signs of appendicitis.

In addition, the patient must undergo an ultrasound scan, as well as laboratory tests (general blood and urine tests), which, in case of appendicitis, confirm the presence of an acute inflammatory process in the body, by significantly increasing the ESR and leukocytes. Before the operation, the patient is prescribed 1 or 2 enemas to cleanse the intestines. As a rule, the operation takes no more than 30–40 minutes. when using general anesthetic anesthesia. Surgical removal of acute appendicitis today is a fairly effective and fast way to treat the disease.

Surgical treatment of appendicitis is carried out with a small (no more than 5 - 7 cm) incision in the right iliac region of the abdomen, after which the surgeon makes a minor suture, which heals quite quickly. In cases where the patient’s appendicitis had a chronic (long-term) course with further development of complications (suppuration), the surgeon at the site of the suture can additionally temporarily install a drainage in order to suction the pus from the abdominal cavity.

Also, for 3 to 5 days after the operation, the patient is prescribed antibacterial drugs to prevent possible infection and the development of a secondary infection at the site of appendectomy.

If necessary, before the operation, the patient may be administered the following medications:

• analgesics (baralgin, analgin) that help relieve severe abdominal pain;
• cardiac (corglikon, strophanthin, verapamil, digoxin) are administered in cases of emergency to relieve a heart attack;
• antispasmodics (but - spa, platifilin, spasmalgon) are used in cases of severe spasms and pain in the abdomen;
• antihistamines (diphenhydramine, dexamethasone, prednisolone) drugs help relax muscle fibers;
• sedatives (calming) - valocordin, barboval.

Attention:

After removal of appendicitis, during the first 12–24 hours, the patient must remain in bed until his or her previous state of health is completely restored.

Folk remedies in the fight against inflammation

It should be noted that before starting self-medication with folk remedies, you should consult a doctor. Treatment of appendicitis at home with folk remedies is controversial.

The most effective ways:

1. Brew 20 grams of crushed burdock leaves with a glass of boiling water, leave and drink half a glass every hour throughout the day.
2. In equal proportions you need to take 20 grams of wormwood and mistletoe. Grind, brew a glass of boiling water, and drink half a glass three times a day.

Treatment of other diseases starting with the letter - a

When the appendix is ​​inflamed or only when they suspect it, most people think that they will have to go under the surgeon’s knife. But is this so necessary and inevitable? Maybe first you should try treating appendicitis at home with folk remedies?

This is truly a medical fact! The appendix is ​​just a mirror of the large intestine and if it becomes inflamed, then the appendix becomes inflamed! Inflammation of the large intestine can only be caused by a chronic intestinal infection, or simply put, dysbiosis

With timely treatment, intestinal intoxication can be reduced or at least minimized. Let's look at the most commonly used folk remedies that can help treat appendicitis without consulting a doctor, on your own.

Possible medications for treating appendicitis without surgery

The use of antibiotics is aimed at eliminating the cause of inflammation.
Drug treatment of mild appendicitis with antibiotics involves the destruction of pathogenic microorganisms and infectious agents, which helps relieve inflammation of the cecum. The most common and effective among them:

• "Cefuroxime" is a 2nd generation anti-inflammatory antibiotic with a broad spectrum of action. It is used as a dropper, intramuscularly and intravenously. After 24 hours it is excreted from the body without changes in the chemical composition. Has no age restrictions.
• Metronidazole is an antimicrobial drug that is effective in the fight against single-celled parasites. Used for the prevention and treatment of many abdominal infections. Intended for internal use, injections and droppers. Age limit: 3 years.
• Clindamycin is a semi-synthetic bacteriostatic that inhibits the growth of pathogenic microorganisms. Can be taken in tablet form or administered intravenously. Disintegrates in the liver. Age limit: 8 years.

Treatment with antibiotics under medical supervision is allowed:

• in the initial stages;
• with a mild form;
• if there are difficulties in diagnosing the disease;
• after removal of the appendix to prevent infection of the abdominal cavity.

If, however, the situation worsened and the patient suffering from chronic appendicitis underwent surgery to remove it. In this case, special attention should be paid to adhesions, which are essentially new tissue that forms between several organs. The appearance of this tissue is explained by irritation of the mucous tissue enveloping the internal organs of a person due to surgical intervention.

I would like to note that often such a neoplasm seriously affects the functions of organs, complicating their activity, which is why such a problem should be dealt with, in which recipes proven over the years for adhesions after appendicitis can help, treatment with folk remedies involves the use of compresses and decoctions of various herbs :

• a tea drink or tincture from the root of a plant such as bergenia;
• decoctions of rose hips, lingonberries or nettles;
• a decoction for which the Maryin root herb is used.
• anti-adhesion compresses made from flaxseed.

Discovery of a new method

Today, Nottingham Research Center scientists specializing exclusively in diseases related to the digestive system have made a statement that the treatment of non-acute appendicitis can be carried out “without the use of a scalpel”, which has brought a sigh of relief to many patients. However, an experiment conducted in Great Britain did not give an absolute result. Only 63% of patients were successfully relieved of such a disease as appendicitis without surgery. Everyone else needed the services of a surgeon. But in total, the results obtained are even very good, because previously drug treatment was considered simply impossible.

Another study in this area was conducted by American doctors. The only difference was that it was carried out on children (with the consent of the parents, of course). Thirty children were admitted to hospitals and were given medication for ten days under the strict supervision of qualified doctors. As a result, only three children were operated on due to worsening conditions. And others felt much better after the first 24 hours.

Finnish scientists decided not to stand aside and conducted their experiment on 256 volunteers. After the course of medication, the subjects were carefully monitored for a year. Only 70 people still needed to undergo surgery, accounting for 27.3% of the total.

So what is this miracle remedy that helps cope with this pathology? The answer is very simple - antibiotics. What specific means were used? For the first two days, patients were administered cefotaxime and tinidazole intravenously. Then, for 10 days, ofloxacin and tinidazole orally. During the entire process, the patient remained within the walls of the hospital. Also, another drug used for these purposes was Augmentin, which is a very broad-spectrum antibiotic, including anaerobes and gram-negative bacteria.

Unfortunately, drug treatment of appendicitis without surgery has not yet been introduced into practice. Of course, if there is a special desire, an ordinary patient can safely refuse surgical intervention. In this case, the attending physician will be stumped and will have to look for alternative ways to combat the disease, which involves the use of antimicrobial drugs. There is a certain risk, but if the innovative method fails, the traditional one will come to the rescue. But it must be timely to avoid death. Therefore it is necessary to stay in the hospital. The patient himself must make a decision: try to cure appendicitis, excluding the surgeon’s involvement in this, thereby avoiding all the unpleasant consequences of the operation, or not play with fate using a method that has been proven for more than one decade.

The effect of treatment with pharmacological agents is much lower and is not always present, compared to the effect of surgery.

A clear majority of people support the opinion that doctors are obliged to provide patients with the opportunity to make their own choice regarding treatment technology, announcing all the pros and cons of both directions. The researchers themselves insist and hope that as many people as possible learn about their discovery. This is justified by the fact that surgery for such a disease in our time is a rather radical and old-fashioned method. It is believed that it is time to move towards innovation.

Folk recipes

Recipe 1. Used as a homeopathic remedy. The root of the white foot is taken, cut into small pieces and a tincture is prepared from it. For 15 g of plant you need to take 150 ml of a 40-degree drink, the root is infused for 5-8 days. It is necessary to take this remedy at the first signs of appendicitis, the dosage is taken 2 or 3 drops every 1.5-2 hours without diluting. A little later, you can take 5-6 drops once an hour, diluting them in water, juice or tea.

Recipe 2. Take 1 tbsp. l. (or 10 g) dry leaves of the European hooffoot, which must be crushed, and pour 300 ml of boiling water. After this, the mixture is allowed to brew for at least 1-1.5 hours. The liquid must be filtered through a sieve or several folds of gauze or bandage. You need to take the tincture at least 3 times daily in a dosage of 60-70 ml. If there is no improvement within 2-3 days, you should immediately contact a specialist.

Recipe 3. You need to take: 100 g of mantle grass, 40 g of finely chopped blackberry leaves, as well as 40 g of strawberry leaves, which should be finely chopped. Mix all the herbs and put them in boiling water, at the rate of 4 tbsp. a mixture of herbs (about 40 g) requires 750 ml of liquid. The mixture is boiled over low heat for 3-5 minutes, and then allowed to brew for 8-12 minutes. Take the decoction throughout the day in small sips of 1-2 teaspoons.

Recipe 4. At the first suspicion or symptoms of appendicitis, you should prepare a drink from fresh blackberry leaves, approximately 10-20 g. The leaves should be cut and brewed with 250 ml of boiling water, like tea. Drink a hot mug once an hour.

Recipe 5. To prepare the infusion, you need to use 20 g of dried and crushed wormwood leaves, add 20 g of fresh mistletoe leaves, which should also be chopped. Mix all ingredients well and pour 700 ml of boiling water, let it brew for 2-2.5 hours. Take ½ cup once every 1.5-2 hours throughout the day.

Recipe 6. This recipe will be necessary to prevent the occurrence of appendicitis, but can also help with its first signs. Dried tarragon herb (tarragon) is crushed, 1 tbsp. l. pour 250 ml of boiling water. The mixture must be allowed to brew for 3-4 hours, after which it must be strained. The infusion should be drunk each time shortly before meals (20-30 minutes). Before drinking, you should prepare something new each time.

Recipe 7. Ointment is most often used for attacks of chronic appendicitis. Take 250 g of pork fat, 300 g of beef fat, several bunches of St. John's wort, its quantity is easier to determine directly during cooking, and 2-3 g of mumiyo. Fats should be melted each in a separate container and only in a water bath.

Then they are squeezed through a bandage or gauze into different clean glass containers. After this, they are poured into a common pan, where St. John's wort is added, which should cover the fat by 2-2.5 cm. All this is simmered over low heat under a lid for 30-40 minutes. Afterwards, the pan is wrapped in a warm blanket or blanket and left there for several hours.

Mumiyo is prepared by dissolving it in 1 tbsp. l. warm water. Add it to the container with fat. After the contents of the pan have infused, it is heated again. The contents are filtered through 3-4 layers of gauze to separate the St. John's wort. The ointment is ready, it should be rubbed in during severe painful attacks of chronic appendicitis.

Recipe 8. There is a statement that at the first signs of appendicitis, hot milk, boiled for several minutes with caraway seeds, helps. You should drink a glass of it every hour. Before each dose, prepare a fresh portion.

Recipe 9. Add 10 g of white clover to ¼ cup of boiling water. Infuse this mixture for 15-20 minutes. And throughout the day you need to drink three servings of tincture.

Recipe 10. For a decoction, mix 20 g of yarrow, 20 g of chopped strawberry leaves and 20 g of chopped raspberry leaves. For 20 g of herbal mixture you need to take about 400 ml of boiling water. The herbs should boil and simmer over low heat for at least 5 minutes. The decoction is drunk throughout the day in small portions of ¼ - ½ cup.

What to do after the operation?

After 20 - 24 hours after the operation, the patient is allowed to slowly get up, sit, and also walk around a little. In the first days, it is recommended to eat only liquid broths, milk porridges (oatmeal, buckwheat), you need to drink boiled water, and green tea is allowed.

Fermented milk products (milk, kefir, yogurt) are very useful, which should be eaten daily to increase the body's immunity in the postoperative period, thanks to the large number of useful vitamins contained in them. It is strictly forbidden to eat spicy, fatty, or fried foods. During the first week, you should not drink carbonated drinks, which have a serious effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

After 5 - 7 days, the patient is allowed to eat boiled meat, steamed cutlets with a further transition to the previous food intake. For about 8 to 10 days, it is necessary to remove the applied sutures, as well as the drainage, if installed. It is recommended to avoid heavy physical activity for 2–3 months.

In this article, we found out how to properly treat appendicitis.

What should you not do if you suspect appendicitis?

Under no circumstances should you put pressure on your stomach yourself to find out what might hurt there, especially in children. Since any incorrect pressure can simply break through the walls of the appendix - the appendix and peritoneum will be filled with pus. And this will inevitably lead to complications.

At the first suspicion of inflammation of the appendix, before doing anything to reduce the pain, you should make sure that it is appendicitis.

Do not warm your stomach under any circumstances, do not apply a heating pad or your hands, you will only speed up the development of peritonitis;

refuse the enema, it will only create unnecessary pressure on the appendix;

do not take painkillers, otherwise you will prevent the doctor from making a correct diagnosis (it is most often based on the patient’s pain);

refuse food. If you do have an inflamed appendix, you may need emergency surgery, which must be done on an empty stomach. As a last resort, just drink water;

Don't take laxatives, they will only cause your appendix to rupture.

Which doctors should you contact if you have appendicitis?

In the majority of cases, appendicitis is diagnosed clinically, that is, on the basis of patient complaints and physical examination. Instrumental examinations are usually regarded as a factor delaying surgery, which means the risk of appendicitis complications increases.

If the patient’s complaints are atypical or doubtful for appendicitis, instrumental examinations are prescribed, but in a very short time, without delay. It is advisable to perform a contrast-enhanced CT scan, which makes it possible to determine other causes of an acute abdomen. Another diagnostic method used for suspected appendicitis is ultrasound with dosed compression - faster to perform, but less informative in relation to other causes of acute abdomen.

Laboratory tests are not highly informative, but can nevertheless show leukocytosis, the presence of red and white blood cells in the urine. An increase in the concentration of leukocytes is not considered sufficient to warrant surgical intervention.

Instrumental diagnostics for suspected appendicitis without a characteristic clinical picture is necessary to reduce the number of laparotomies when it turns out that they are not necessary. It is noteworthy that earlier, when the feasibility of additional diagnostics was not assessed so highly, excision of the non-inflamed appendix during laparotomy was carried out for preventive purposes. Moreover, laparoscopy, which is used today to remove the appendix, also has a diagnostic nature.

Doctors' opinion

Even at the slightest hint of appendicitis, doctors extremely strongly recommend seeking professional medical help. Do not self-medicate or take antibiotics.

Each case is unique. And without the supervision of a doctor, the patient can only harm himself!

Appendicitis is a serious disease of the digestive system, and dangerous due to the rapid development of life-threatening complications. People of all ages encounter it. In general, about 15% of the population know about the disease firsthand. The most frequent calls come from residents between five and forty years old, with the average age in second place being thirty-five years old. What activities the appendix performs in the human body have not been fully studied. But it is a fact that it is not a vital organ.