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Appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix, most frequently caused by some type of hard material getting lodged at its tip.
The appendix is a small pouch located at the juncture of the small and large intestines. Although it may have had a function at some point in evolutionary development, the appendix serves no purpose now.
Causes
Despite its uselessness, the appendix can cause problems when it becomes inflamed. Inflammation occurs when the hollow, tubular structure becomes clogged with masses of waste matter, intestinal worms, or other material that can prevent normal drainage. The blockage provides a fertile environment for bacteria to grow and multiply, causing infection and inflammation.
Symptoms
In the beginning, appendicitis may produce a dull or sharp pain in the navel area of the abdomen. Any movement, such as coughing or sneezing, can intensify the pain. In early stages, patients may also feel nauseated and may be unable to eat. Constipation can accompany appendicitis; however, about 10 percent of patients have diarrhea instead. Adults may run a mild fever (up to 101 degrees Fahrenheit), but children generally experience higher fevers. Occasionally, the pulse rate accelerates to about 100 beats per minute.
Within hours, the pain moves to the lower right side of the abdomen over the appendix and becomes continuous. Because the location of the appendix may vary from one individual to another, pain may emanate from the back, side, or pelvis -- or even from the opposite side of the abdomen. Soon the entire area around the appendix becomes extremely tender as the abdominal muscles begin to tighten.
As the fever rises and the pain grows more intense, chances of rupture also become greater. Rupture results when the appendix becomes so swollen and filled with pus that it bursts, spreading infection to surrounding organs. One serious complication that may result from rupture is peritonitis (inflammation of the lining of the abdominal cavity).
Any fever with nausea and abdominal pain should be reported to a physician. More severe pain is an immediate medical emergency that must be evaluated and treated to prevent potential complications. Appendicitis can affect anyone, but the disease is more prevalent among people between 10 and 30 years of age.
Diagnosis
When confirming appendicitis, the doctor checks for tenderness over the appendix. A blood test determines whether there is an elevated white blood cell count (in response to infection, the body produces extra white blood cells to help fight the disease). The doctor may perform additional tests to rule out disorders sometimes mistaken for appendicitis, such as inflammation of the gallbladder, kidney stones, or a kidney infection.
In women, a twisted ovarian cyst (the formation on an ovary of a sac filled with fluid or semisolid material) or a ruptured ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy that develops outside the uterus) may produce symptoms that are similar in appearance to those of appendicitis.
Treatment
Although appendicitis cannot be prevented, prompt diagnosis can lead to effective treatment. Patients who suspect appendicitis should not eat, drink, or take drugs to relieve pain until a doctor has been consulted. Eating or drinking any substance, especially taking a laxative, will stimulate activity in the intestine, which may cause the appendix to rupture.
The most common treatment for acute appendicitis is surgery to remove the inflamed organ. To ensure against further infection, antibiotics may also be prescribed after surgery.
This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.
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Abdominal Bloating Abdominal Fullness Prematurely Afte... Abdominal Lumps Abdominal Mass Abdominal Pain Abdominal Rigidity Abdominal Sounds Abdominal Swelling Abnormal Posturing Abnormal Tooth Shape Abnormally Dark Or Light Skin Absent Menstruation Absent Thirst Agitation Ambiguous Genitalia Ankle Pain Appetite Decrease Appetite Increase Apraxia Arachnodactyly Armpit Lump Autistic Behavior Babinski's Reflex Bed Wetting Belching Binge Eating Blackheads Bleeding Gums Bleeding Into The Skin Blindness Blockage Of Leg Arteries Blood In The Semen Blood in Urine Bloody Or Tarry Stools Bone Pain Or Tenderness Bounding Pulse Bowel Incontinence Breast Lump Breast Pain Breath Odor Breath Sounds Breathing - Slowed Or Stopped Breathing Difficulty Breathing Difficulty When Lying Dow... Breathing That Sounds Abnormal Broad Nasal Bridge Bulging Fontanelles Bullae Chemosis Chest Pain Chills Clammy Skin Claw Foot Claw Hand Cloudy Cornea Clubbing Of The Fingers Or Toes Cold Intolerance Coloboma Of The Iris Comedones Confusion Constipation Contracture Deformity Coughing Coughing Up Blood Crying Excessively in Infants Cyst Decerebrate Posture Decorticate Posture Decreased Consciousness Decreased Urine Output Delayed Growth Delayed or Absent Tooth Formation Depression Diarrhea Difficulty with Urination Dizziness Drooling Drowsiness Dry Eyes Dry Hair Dry Skin Ear Discharge Earache Earlobe Creases Elbow Pain Epicanthal Folds Erection Problems Erosion Excessive Or Unwanted Hair In Women Excessive Thirst Excessive Urination Excessive Urination at Night Excessively Large Fontanelles Eye Burning, Itching and Discharge Eye Pain Eye Redness Eye Slant Eyelid Drooping Eyes That Bulge Face Pain Facial Paralysis Facial Swelling Fainting Fatigue Female Sexual Dysfunction Fever Finger Pain Fingers That Change Color Flank Pain Floating Stools Focal Neurological Deficits Foot Pain Foot, Leg, And Ankle Swelling Foul Smelling Stools Frequent Or Urgent Urination Frontal Bossing Gas (Flatulence) Gastrointestinal Bleeding Genital Sores (Female) Genital Sores (Male) Groin Lumps Groin Pain Gynecomastia Hair Loss Hallucinations Hand Or Foot Spasms Hand Tremors Headache Hearing Loss Heart Murmurs And Other Sounds Heart Palpitations Heartburn Heat Intolerance Heavy, Prolonged, or Irregular Mens... Heel Pain Hemolytic Crisis Hepatomegaly Heterochromia Hiccups Hip Pain Hoarseness Or Changing Voice Hump Behind The Shoulders Hyperactivity Hyperelastic Skin Hypermobile Joints Hyperventilation Hypotonia Impaired Smell Increased Head Circumference Indigestion Infantile Reflexes Intercostal Retractions Intertrigo Irritability Itching Jaundice (Yellow Skin) Joint Pain Joint Swelling Knee Pain Leg Pain Lichenified Limited Range Of Motion Lordosis Low Nasal Bridge Lower Back Pain Macule Malaise Memory Loss Metopic Ridge Microcephaly Micrognathia Morbid Obesity Morning Sickness Moro Reflex Motormental Retardation Mouth Sores Muscle Aches Muscle Atrophy Muscle Cramps Muscle Function Loss Muscle Twitching Nail Abnormalities Nasal Congestion Nasal Discharge Nasal Flaring Natal Teeth Nausea And Vomiting Neck Lumps Neck Pain Night Blindness Nightmares Nikolsky’s Sign Nipple Discharge Nodules Nosebleed Numbness And Tingling Obesity Opisthotonos Pain During Sexual Intercourse Painful Menstrual Periods Painful Urination Pale or Clay-Colored Stools Paleness Papule Patches Patchy Skin Color Pectus Carinatum Pectus Excavatum Penis Pain Photophobia Pilonidal Dimple Pinna Abnormalities And Low-set Ear... Point Tenderness Polydactyly Polyhydramnios Poor Feeding In Infants Preauricular Tag Or Pit Premenstrual Breast Tenderness and ... Prognathism Pupils That Are Different Sizes Purpura Pustules Rapid Shallow Breathing Rash in a Child Under 2 Years Rashes Rib Cage Pain Ridged Sutures Scales Scrotal Swelling Seizures Sensorineural Deafness Separated Sutures Shin Splints Short Philtrum Short Stature Shoulder Pain Simian Crease Skeletal Limb Abnormalities Skin Blushing/flushing Skin Discoloration Skin Lumps Skin Turgor Sleeping Difficulty Sneezing Snoring Sore Throat Spasticity Speech Impairment (adult) Splenomegaly Splinter Hemorrhages Strange Behavior Stress And Anxiety Striae Subcutaneous Emphysema Sunburn Sunken Fontanelles Supernumerary Nipples Swallowing Difficulty Swallowing Pain Or Burning Sweating Sweating Decrease Swelling Swollen Glands Swollen Gums Taste Impairment Telangiectasia Tenesmus Testicle Lump Testicle Pain Tinnitus Tongue Problems Tooth Discoloration Toothaches Ulcers Uncontrollable Eye Movements Uncontrollable Movement Uncontrolled Or Slow Movement Uncoordinated Movement Unpredictable Or Jerky Movement Urinary Incontinence Urine Discoloration Vaginal Bleeding Between Periods Vaginal Bleeding In Pregnancy Vaginal Discharge Vaginal Itching Vesicles Vision Problems Vomiting Blood Walking Abnormalities Watery Eyes Weak or Absent Pulse Weakness Webbing Of The Fingers Or Toes Weight Gain Weight Loss Wheezing White Spots in the Pupil Whitehead Widely Spaced Teeth Wrinkles Wrist Pain Yawning
DISEASES AND CONDITIONS GLOSSARY:
Aarskog Syndrome Aase Syndrome Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm ABO Incompatibility Abortion - Complete Abortion - Elective Or Therapeutic Abortion - Incomplete Abortion - Infected Abortion - Threatened Abscess Acanthosis Nigricans Achalasia Achilles Tendinitis Achondrogenesis Achondroplasia Acidosis Acne Acoustic Neuroma Acoustic Trauma Acquired Platelet Function Defect Acrodermatitis Acrodysostosis Acromegaly Actinic Keratosis Actinomycosis Acute Adrenal Crisis Acute Arterial Occlusion - Kidney Acute Bilateral Obstructive Uropath... Acute Bronchitis Acute Cerebellar Ataxia Acute Cholecystitis (Gallstones) Acute Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Infecti... Acute Gouty Arthritis Acute HIV Infection Acute Interstitial Nephritis Not NS... Acute Kidney Failure Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) Acute Mountain Sickness Acute Myeloid Leukemia Acute Nephritic Syndrome Acute Pancreatitis Acute Tubular Necrosis Acute Unilateral Obstructive Uropat... Acute Upper Airway Obstruction Addison’s Disease Adenomyosis Adhesion Adjustment Disorder Adolescent Depression Adolescent Pregnancy Adrenocortical Carcinoma Adrenoleukodystrophy Adult Still's Disease Agammaglobulinemia Age-related Hearing Loss Agoraphobia Agranulocytosis Aicardi Syndrome AIDS Albinism Alcohol Withdrawal Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy Alcoholic Ketoacidosis Alcoholic Liver Disease Alcoholic Neuropathy Alcoholism Alkalosis Alkaptonuria Allergic Conjunctivitis Allergic Rhinitis Allergic Vasculitis Allergies Allergy To Mold - Dander - Dust Alopecia Areata Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency Alport Syndrome Alström Syndrome Alveolar Abnormalities Alzheimer’s Disease Amaurosis Fugax Amblyopia Amebiasis Amebic Liver Abscess Amelogenesis Imperfecta Amenorrhea Amniotic Constriction Bands Amphetamine Or Sympathomimetic Into... Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Anal Fissure Analgesic Nephropathy Anaphylaxis Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome Anemia Anemia - B12 Deficiency Anemia Of Chronic Disease Anencephaly Aneurysm Aneurysm In The Brain Angina Angiodysplasia Of The Colon Angioedema Ankylosing Spondylitis Annular Pancreas Anorchia Anorectal Abscess Anorexia Nervosa Anthrax Antisocial Personality Disorder Aortic Arch Syndrome Aortic Dissection Aortic Insufficiency Aortic Stenosis Apert Syndrome Apnea Of Prematurity Apoplexy Appendicitis ARDS (acute Respiratory Distress Sy... Arrhenoblastoma of the Ovary Arrhythmias Arterial Embolism Arterial Insufficiency Arteriosclerosis Of The Extremities Arteriovenous Malformation - Cerebr... Arthritis Asbestos-related Pleural Effusion Asbestosis Ascariasis Ascites Aseptic Meningitis Aseptic Necrosis Asherman Syndrome Asperger Syndrome Aspergillosis Aspiration Pneumonia Asthma Astigmatism Asymptomatic Bacteriuria Asymptomatic HIV Infection Ataxia-telangiectasia Atelectasis Atheroembolic Renal Disease Atherosclerosis Athlete's Foot Atrial Fibrillation/flutter Atrial Myxoma Atrial Septal Defect Atrophic Vaginitis Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Dis... Atypical Mycobacterial Infection Atypical Pneumonia Aural Polyps Autism Autoerythrocyte Sensitivity Autoimmune Disorders Autoimmune Hepatitis Autonomic Hyperreflexia Autonomic Neuropathy Avian Influenza Avoidant Personality Disorder Axillary Nerve Dysfunction Bacterial Gastroenteritis Baker’s Cyst Balanitis Barbiturate Intoxication And Overdo... Barrett’s Esophagus Bartholin’s Abscess Bartter Syndrome Basal Cell Carcinoma Basal Cell Nevus Syndrome Basal Ganglia Dysfunction Bassen-Kornzweig Syndrome Bathing Trunk Nevus Becker's Muscular Dystrophy Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome Bedwetting Bell's Palsy Benign Ear Cyst Or Tumor Benign Positional Vertigo Beriberi Bezoar Bilateral Hydronephrosis Bile Duct Obstruction Biliary Atresia Biliary Stricture Bipolar Disorder Birth-acquired Herpes Birthmarks - Pigmented Birthmarks - Red Bladder Cancer Bladder Outlet Obstruction Bladder Stones Blastomycosis Blastomycosis Skin Lesion Bleeding Disorders Bleeding Esophageal Varices Blepharitis Blind Loop Syndrome Blocked Tear Duct Blood Clots Blount's Disease Body Lice Bone Tumors Borderline Personality Disorder Botulism Bowlegs Brachial Palsy In Newborns Brachial Plexopathy Brain Abscess Brain Herniation Brain Tumor - Adults Brain Tumor - Children Branchial Cleft Cyst Breast Cancer Breast Infection Breast Milk Jaundice Breath Holding Spell Brief Reactive Psychosis Bronchial Adenoma Bronchiectasis Bronchiolitis Bronchitis Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia Brucellosis Bruxism Bulimia Bullous Pemphigoid Bunions Burkitt Lymphoma Bursitis Byssinosis Campylobacter Enteritis Canavan Disease Cancer Cancer - Penis Cancer - Renal Pelvis Or Ureter Cancer - Throat Or Larynx Cancer - Vulva Candida Esophagitis Canker Sores Caplan Syndrome Caput Succedaneum Carbunculosis Carcinoid Syndrome Cardiac Amyloidosis Cardiac Tamponade Cardiogenic Shock Cardiomyopathy Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Cat Scratch Disease Cataract Catheter-associated UTI Cavernous Sinus Thrombosis Celiac Disease - Sprue Cellulitis Central Pontine Myelinolysis Central Serous Choroidopathy Central Sleep Apnea Cerebral Hypoxia Cerebral Palsy Cervical Cancer Cervical Dysplasia Cervical Polyps Cervical Spondylosis Cervicitis Chagas Disease Chalazion Chancroid Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (heredi... Charley Horse Chediak-Higashi Syndrome Chemical Pneumonitis Cherry Angioma Chickenpox Chiggers Child Abuse - Physical Child Abuse - Sexual Child Neglect And Psychological Abu... Childhood Disintegrative Disorder Chinese Restaurant Syndrome Chlamydia Chlamydia Infections In Women Chlamydial Urethritis - Male Choanal Atresia Cholangiocarcinoma Cholangitis Choledocholithiasis Cholera Cholestasis Cholesteatoma Chondromalacia Patella Choroidal Dystrophies Chronic Bilateral Obstructive Uropa... Chronic Bronchitis Chronic Cholecystitis Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Chronic Glomerulonephritis Chronic Gouty Arthritis Chronic Granulomatous Disease Chronic Inflammatory Polyneuropathy Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) Chronic Motor Tic Disorder Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disea... Chronic Pancreatitis Chronic Persistent Hepatitis Chronic Renal Failure Chronic Subdural Hematoma Chronic Thyroiditis (Hashimoto̵... Chronic Unilateral Obstructive Urop... Chylomicronemia Syndrome Cirrhosis Cleft Lip And Palate Cleidocranial Dysostosis Clubfoot Cluster Headaches CMV - Gastroenteritis/colitis CMV - Immunocompromised Host CMV - Pneumonia CMV Esophagitis CMV Retinitis Coal Worker's Pneumoconiosis Coarctation Of The Aorta Cocaine Intoxication Cocaine Withdrawal Coccidioidomycosis Coccidioidomycosis - Acute Pulmonar... Coccidioidomycosis - Chronic Pulmon... Coccidioidomycosis - Disseminated Colic And Crying Colitis Collagen Vascular Disease Colloid Nodular Goiter Colon Cancer Color Blindness Colorado Tick Fever Colorectal Polyps Common Cold Common Peroneal Nerve Dysfunction Compartment Syndrome Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Compression Fractures Of The Back Concussion Conduct Disorder Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia Congenital Afibrinogenemia Congenital Antithrombin III Deficie...