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What can you eat if you suspect appendicitis? Not everything goes according to plan. Intestinal inflammation in children


First aid for appendicitis must be provided professionally, since illiterate actions lead to the development of complications. We invite you to find out how it turns out urgent Care until the ambulance arrives. What you can and absolutely cannot do if you suspect inflammation of the appendix. Help with appendicitis mainly consists of providing comfortable position body for the patient. Everything else may be unnecessary.

Appendicitis is an inflammation of the vermiform (blind) appendix of the cecum.

In typical cases, its symptoms manifest themselves as sudden pain in the right iliac region or in the pit of the stomach, around the navel.

What to do if you have appendicitis and severe abdominal pain?

Not many people know what to do if you have appendicitis and need emergency treatment. surgical care. If abdominal pain is not accompanied by any other symptoms, then it is enough to give an enema with warm water, in order to free the cecum from feces. After the enema, you need to lie down quietly, placing it on (under) sore spot cold heating pad (i.e. a heating pad filled with ice water or with ice). Next, it is advisable to fast for at least a day (you can drink as needed).

If the patient experiences abdominal pain (colic), nausea, even vomiting, bloating, fever and (which also happens) urinary retention, this clearly indicates a more serious condition. inflammatory process. IN similar cases consultation with a specialist is highly advisable (you need to call “ Ambulance”, which most often sends patients with suspected appendicitis to hospitalization).

What to do if your stomach hurts and you suspect an attack of appendicitis: emergency help

Until the doctor arrives, emergency care for appendicitis is provided independently, but it is important not to harm the patient. Every person should remember the simple rules of what to do if appendicitis hurts, how to behave in this situation.

If the doctor has not yet arrived, measures must be taken with the patient to prevent negative consequences. So, a suspicion of appendicitis arose: what should never be done in this case is to apply a heating pad or other body source to the anterior wall of the abdominal cavity.

First aid for an attack of appendicitis consists of the following measures:

1. Put him to bed.

2. Sharply limit any movements of the patient; it is best to try not to move at all.

4. You should not use any laxatives (especially oil-based ones like castor oil!), because when straining or contractions in the abdomen, the inflamed appendix can burst, which threatens the patient with peritonitis (i.e., inflammation of the peritoneum), and this is extremely life-threatening!

Ice should be placed on the patient's stomach constantly, at short intervals.

5. It is better not to give the patient any painkillers, as this may make it difficult to diagnose the disease, even when experienced doctor may not be able to figure out what’s wrong with the patient. And if there is a delay in the operation, the walls of the inflamed appendix with a purulent, and even more so with a phlegmonous form of appendicitis, can rupture, which will lead to peritonitis - inflammation of the peritoneum, fraught with dire consequences for the patient’s life.

The main symptom of appendicitis is pain, which is of a varied nature. It can occur suddenly and be observed in the lower back, right lower half of the abdomen and epigastric region. The pain in most cases is acute, less often it is pulling and cramping. It also intensifies with tension in the anterior abdominal wall while walking and lifting. arise discomfort mainly in the morning and late afternoon.

Common symptoms of appendicitis

Lack of appetite, loose stool, nausea, vomiting - all of these are among the most common causes of appendicitis. Often they can be accompanied by painful and frequent urination. This occurs because the disease progresses. Inflammation began to spread to the bladder and ureter.

In order to reduce pain, you can take an antispasmodic drug. However, you should not take more than 2 tablets. Only one-time use is acceptable. Cold compresses on the abdomen and heating pads should not be used to reduce pain. All this will only lead to increased inflammation.

Increasing weakness and malaise is also appendicitis. They are noted by patients when severe inflammatory processes are observed in the appendix. Along with such symptoms, high fever with chills may be present. As a rule, it is not possible to knock it down with ordinary ones.

Incorrect gait is also a symptom of appendicitis. Patients bend to the right side and hold their stomach with their hand, thereby protecting it from shocks and reducing pain. When taking a deep breath, they note sharp pain in the suprapubic region who wear short-term nature.

If spasms intestines- the result of simple overeating, take an antispasmodic (for example, “Baralgin”, “Spazgan”, “No-shpu”), in extreme cases, give an injection of papaverine. For the next eight hours, avoid any food, drink warm water or green tea. Over the next few days, sit down: limit access to gas-forming products(sparkling water, cabbage, black bread, and so on), choose gentle food, baked or boiled.

Include in your daily diet oatmeal on water with a minimum of salt and sugar or oat broth. Alternatively, brew a glass of a mixture of rolled oats and rice with two and a half glasses of water and eat it for breakfast every morning. Avoid fried, fatty rough food, mechanically damaging the intestines. This includes corn, cereal breads, raw and fruits, as well as wall irritants intestines chocolate. Chicken eggs replace with quail, milk with one percent kefir, and with honey, if you don’t have it.

Use the tips traditional medicine after consultation with a doctor. Purchase pharmacy collection No. 1 or 2, or separately the herbs of chamomile, sage, yarrow, valerian, juniper, fennel and take them according to the prescription on the package.

Video on the topic

note

Never apply a hot heating pad to a sore spot; under certain conditions (for example, tumors), it can provoke the development of the disease.

Sources:

  • Spasms and antispasmodics
  • cramps in the stomach and intestines

Inflammation of the appendix of the cecum is called. It can occur at any age. Often its first signs are confused with diseases gastrointestinal tract or poisoning. However, there are also characteristic symptoms that you need to be able to recognize so as not to waste time and not face serious complications.

Instructions

Inflammation of the appendix is ​​often mistaken for poisoning or acute enterocolitis. But if you pay attention to the nature of the pain and other signs, then you can independently, if not determine appendicitis, then at least assume it and seek treatment timely assistance.

Nausea and vomiting are associated symptoms appendicitis. Because they can be signs of many diseases digestive system, they raise suspicion of inflammation of the appendix only with specific pain, but not by themselves.

An increase in temperature does not accompany all cases of appendicitis. Often it reaches 37.5 or remains normal. A high temperature most often rises when the inflammatory process has already become purulent. This often occurs when symptoms are erased or there is a delay in seeking medical help.

If the above symptoms appear, try to identify appendicitis yourself using the Shchetkin-Blumberg method. Take a position lying on your back with your legs straight. Using your fingers, apply slow pressure and quickly release your hand. If the pain radiates strongly to the groin or left side, do not waste time, but call an ambulance or go to the hospital.

Related article

Sources:

  • how to know if you have appendicitis

The appendix is ​​an extension of the cecum, which is located on the border between the large and small intestine. Inflammation of the appendix is ​​called.

Instructions

Appendicitis is the most common surgical disease, you can get sick at any age, but the largest number of patients is among people 20-40 years old, and women get sick 2 times more often. Among the main causes are constipation (they lead to blockage of the lumen of the appendix with feces), undigested food particles, inflammatory processes in the intestines, and abdominal injuries.

In children, the cause of appendicitis may be: anatomical structure appendix (kinks), as well as its excessive mobility.

Main sign appendicitis - abdominal pain. The pain begins suddenly, without any precursors, among full health. Most often, the pain is localized first in the stomach area, and then descends to the right iliac region. But pain can be in the right hypochondrium, and in lumbar region, depending on the location of the appendix.

How can you distinguish pain at home from ordinary abdominal pain? After all, it is not always possible to quickly see a doctor, especially in the summer, when many vacation outside the city. There are a number of simple techniques for this. If you gently tap the ilium with the pad of your finger, there will always be pain; if you tap on the left, there is no pain.

If you try to cough, the pain on the right side intensifies with appendicitis. If you lie on your right side and tuck your legs, the pain subsides; if you lie on your left with your legs extended, the pain intensifies. If you suspect it, you should not knead your stomach, as the appendix may burst. But if you press lightly with your palm in the right iliac region and then release it, the pain will intensify.

If such signs appear, as well as if there is nausea or vomiting that does not bring relief, you should immediately consult a doctor, since without surgical treatment, peritonitis develops within 2-3 days and the patient’s condition may become critical.

Video on the topic

Appendicitis is an inflammatory process in the appendix.
In appearance, it is a small pouch near the junction of the large and small intestines, which resembles the interweaving of several fingers.

The appendix plays a significant role in immune formation, but does not perform vital functions. important function. In most cases, appendicitis occurs after compression of a hernia, accompanied by severe pain in the abdominal cavity. After this, the patient necessarily requires medical care in the form of surgery. And judging by age categories, people from 9 to 35 years old most often suffer from this disease.


Symptoms


In most patients, appendicitis does not go away without a trace; they feel nausea and pain in the abdomen, namely in the lower part of the right side. Pain can be not only in the side, but also near the navel, after which vomiting occurs.


After a certain time has passed, abdominal pain may stop for a while. If the doctor has diagnosed a disease, then on the sore spot, the pain may disappear or increase slightly, and after releasing the hand, the stomach begins to ache very much, the temperature rises to 39 degrees.


If appendicitis occurs in children in the first year of life, then the pain may not only be specifically in the right side, but spread throughout the entire abdomen. What if you get appendicitis? old man or a pregnant woman, the pain will be much less, and during surgery it will not be so noticeable.


Causes



If the lumen in the appendicitis is blocked, then strong congestion mucus will interfere with its work, which will lead to inflammation of the mucous membrane.


Treatment


In case of this disease, you should immediately consult a doctor, because a ruptured appendix, if not operated on in time, will lead to serious consequences and other diseases. For example: peritonitis.

Tip 6: Symptoms and signs of appendicitis in adults and children

The appendix can become inflamed at any time in both adults and children. People aged 10 to 35 years are at risk, but an attack of appendicitis can occur at any other age. The signs and symptoms of this insidious phenomenon depend entirely on the general physiological state person, on his gender and age group.

Symptoms and signs of appendicitis in adults differ markedly from children. Mostly, adults first complain of pain on the left side of the body (in the area of ​​the ilium), and then on the right side to the lower abdomen. Doctors do not advise focusing only on this sign, since inflammation of the appendix manifests itself differently in all people.

For example, some people may experience initial pain in the navel area, while others may experience initial pain in any other area of ​​the body. This is explained by the individual location of the appendix of the cecum: in each person it is formed with slight displacements in one direction or another.

One of permanent signs inflamed appendix are painful sensations, worse when coughing or changing body position. Basically, a person with an attack of appendicitis is forced to take a certain position of his body - the fetal position (with his legs tucked under his stomach).

The pain causes the abdominal wall to constantly tense. Pressing it also causes some pain. Because of wide range the spread of pain, patients often cannot pinpoint exactly where they have it. An attack of appendicitis is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting and constipation. The body temperature reaches 38°C.

Appendicitis can be diagnosed independently. To do this, you need to press quite firmly and sharply with your fingers on the lower abdomen on the right, and then release sharply. When pressing, pain is not felt, it occurs immediately after it.

The peculiarity of the manifestation of appendicitis in children is that their inflammatory processes increase more rapidly than in adults. Symptoms of inflammation of the vermiform appendage of the cecum in children are more pronounced, but put accurate diagnosis It can be very difficult for doctors, because often the child cannot tell exactly where it hurts.

The peak of childhood appendicitis most often occurs from 2 to 4 years and from 7 to 9 years. In various childhood signs and symptoms of appendicitis have their own characteristics. For example, children under 5 years old cannot determine the exact location of the pain; instead, they curl up in the fetal position and begin to cry loudly, further provoking pain.

Children do not allow adults to touch their bellies, which indicates that the pain is localized in this particular place. In addition, the child experiences incredible thirst, constantly asking for water. At the same time, the body temperature rises, and an attack of fever begins. In this case, doctors should be called as soon as possible.

An inflamed appendix is ​​dangerous due to its lightning-fast dynamics! Therefore, when the first signs and symptoms appear, as well as at the slightest suspicion of appendicitis, you should call a doctor as soon as possible. This applies to both children and adults.

Children adolescence experience the same signs and symptoms of appendicitis as adults, but in most cases the pain does not occur in the abdomen, but in the rectum, back or spine, and side. Teenage girls often confuse the pain caused by an attack of appendicitis with problems in women's health (menstrual pain).

Instructions

First you need to know that acute appendicitis- This is an inflammation of the vermiform appendix of the cecum. Intestinal colic - severe cramping pain in the stomach due to disruption motor activity intestines (against the background of spasm).

Unfortunately, in both cases, it is impossible to prevent the occurrence of pain. Most common reasons appendicitis and intestinal colic are a violation of the diet, frequent constipation history of frequent stressful situations at work or in the family. And if the diet is still somehow possible to follow (for working people this is impossible, since it is important not only what you eat, but also what regime you follow), then only the Shao-Lin monks can avoid stressful situations.

If you have abdominal pain of any location that does not go away within several hours, even after taking no-shpa, you must immediately call an ambulance and go to the hospital.

How does a hospital surgeon exclude or confirm the diagnosis of acute appendicitis?

Already in the hospital emergency department, they take blood tests, where they note the level of leukocytes, their norm is 4-9 thousand. After hospitalization, in the department they put a heating pad with ice on your stomach, give you an injection of antispasmodics (no-spa / platifillin / papaverine, etc.) and after 2 hours a blood test is taken again.

At intestinal colic(spasm) an injection of no-shpa relieves or reduces pain; ice, as is known, also has an antispasmodic and analgesic effect, in a general analysis there's blood coming out decline in leukocyte levels. In acute appendicitis, no matter how many antispasmodics you take, even a ton, the pain will not go away. The fact is that the cause of appendicitis is not spasm, but inflammation, and its pathogenetic treatment is surgery - removal of the appendix. Of course, you can give antibiotic injections that can suppress inflammation, but in the pursuit of preserving the appendix and avoiding a small operation, you can waste time waiting for the effect of antibiotics to get peritonitis with the need for a major abdominal operation and all the attendant risks.

They are varied, and the main insidiousness of the disease is that its manifestations are often confused with a simple cold or other diseases. Sometimes appendicitis is similar to cholecystitis, in other cases it manifests itself with signs characteristic of inflammation of the appendages or even pregnancy with the attachment of a fertilized egg outside the uterus.

It hurts, oh, how it hurts!

The main symptom of appendicitis is pain, but this condition cannot be identified by pain alone. In addition, the condition can manifest itself with fever, nausea and vomiting, and bowel dysfunction. However, all these phenomena are not necessary. Among older patients, they are most often not noticed. You can suspect appendicitis by sudden and sharp pain. With such a symptom, you should immediately contact an ambulance, even if the pain is tolerable. By the way, the symptom may disappear after some time, but this is not yet a reason to calm down - such a phenomenon may indicate the transition of the form to a more severe one.

If you have symptoms of appendicitis, you should not try to alleviate the condition with painkillers or antimicrobial drugs. Indeed, the pain may subside, but the picture of the disease clinical symptoms will be blurred, which will complicate making an accurate diagnosis. If you suspect appendicitis, you will have to avoid a hot bath or pain relief with a heating pad, as this can activate the inflammatory process and spreading purulent discharge throughout the abdominal cavity. It is dangerous to use choleretic medications or give an enema. First aid for a patient at home is to call an ambulance and ensure complete rest.

Clarifying the status

If you notice suspicious symptoms, you should call a doctor. The patient will be taken to the clinic, where the body's vital signs will be checked and symptoms of appendicitis will be identified in the laboratory if the problem turns out to be the problem. The doctor will feel the painful area, but this is unlikely to make an accurate diagnosis. To check the condition, they will first take blood and urine samples for examination, then send them for an ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity. The presence of an inflammatory focus is confirmed by an increased concentration of leukocytes.

To make sure that the symptoms and signs of appendicitis are observed, laparoscopy is prescribed. They do it in the abdominal wall small puncture, enter into human body a device that transmits images via cable to a monitor in real time. This way the doctor can determine exactly what is happening to the person and what are the causes of the pain.

Forms and stages

The most difficult thing to recognize is the symptoms of appendicitis at home, when the disease is just beginning to develop. The first half day the catarrhal form lasts. There is soreness and discomfort in the stomach area, but it is usually not strong enough to cause concern. Many people confuse them with gastritis. The sensations become stronger in the evening, at night. The pain is dull and considered insignificant by many. Possible vomiting and nausea. Doctors say this phenomenon is related to human reflexes. In elderly patients, vomiting is almost always absent or very mild. This complicates timely and accurate diagnosis.

You can suspect symptoms of appendicitis at home if the pain in the first half day from the moment of its appearance migrates to the abdomen from the lower right, if the appendix is ​​located on the right (anatomical anomalies are possible, this must be taken into account). Gradually, the pain begins to throb and press, and the intensity increases. For some, the development of the condition is accompanied by loose stools and an increased urge to urinate.

Symptoms of appendicitis in adults and children initial stage include a temperature rise above 37 degrees. Gradually appear different signs general poisoning, including weakness, rapid heartbeat, dry mouth. The pain intensifies and becomes more and more difficult to bear. The abdomen is soft and painful on palpation on the right. This stage is better suited than others for urgent surgery, but it is rarely possible to identify the pathology, and people delay contacting a specialist.

Progress of the disease

How to identify the symptoms of appendicitis? In women and men, the disease, left unattended at the catastrophic stage described above, manifests itself over time great discomfort. By the end of the first day, the pain is already clearly defined on the right side of the lower abdomen, intense and pulsating. The patient constantly feels nausea. The heart rate is about 90 beats per minute. The temperature is close to 38 degrees. If you visually examine the patient, you can see that the right side of the abdomen lags behind the left when inhaling and exhaling.

In the lower right at this stage of appendicitis, tension is observed. This indicates the spread of the inflammatory focus to the peritoneum. Diagnostic tests for women at this stage are all positive, making it easy for the doctor to determine exactly what needs to be treated. As a rule, it is at this stage that the patient is referred for emergency surgery.

Second and third day

The third stage of the disease is gangrenous. Symptoms of appendicitis in women and men are changing again. At first the pain subsides. This indicates the death of nerve cells localized near the source of inflammation, due to which sensitivity becomes less. But general poisoning is showing itself more and more clearly. Tachycardia is stronger, the patient is vomiting. The temperature drops first to normal, then to 36 degrees and even less.

Doctors know exactly how to identify the symptoms of appendicitis at this stage: there is no peristalsis, the stomach is swollen, touching the body in the appendix area brings the patient severe pain.

Fourth stage

Symptoms of appendicitis in women and men who survive the case until it enters the perforated phase include very severe pain. The pain is clearly defined on the right side of the lower abdomen, becomes stronger over time, there is no relief even after a short time, the pain is constant. The patient vomits many times and has severe tachycardia. Even with a visual examination, you can see how tense the abdomen is, and noticeable bloating. No peristalsis. The tongue becomes covered with a brownish coating, body temperature rises to 40 degrees, sometimes even higher.

If you ignore the symptoms of appendicitis, in women and men the phase of peritonitis or abscess begins.

It is important to know

The times mentioned are statistical averages. In some cases, the disease can develop literally instantly, in others the course is rather slow.

Not everything goes according to plan

Appendicitis can develop in the form described above - this is a typical scenario of the disease. There is a risk of atypical development when there are no clinical symptoms, although there are inflammatory processes in the body. There are several atypical forms, each of which has its own characteristics.

It is quite rare to observe symptoms of appendicitis in women and men, which develops as an empyema. This term refers to a condition when the pain is immediately localized to the right in the lower abdomen, the deterioration of the condition occurs gradually, the pain is relatively weak. Poisoning of the body shows itself only on the fifth day of development of the pathology, the patient shudders, develops a fever, and is in a weak state.

Sometimes symptoms of appendicitis in women and men indicate a retrocecal form. On average, it is detected in every tenth patient. The primary symptoms of the disease are mild, the temperature rises to fairly high levels, the stool is semi-liquid, and mucous discharge is possible. In some cases, the pain is localized in the lower back and radiates to the thigh on the right side.

Symptoms of appendicitis developing according to the pelvic scenario are possible in women. On average, it accounts for about 9-18% of all patients. The disease manifests itself as loose stools containing mucous discharge. There is irritation of the peritoneum, but rather weak. A slight rise in temperature is possible, but the general poisoning of the body is practically not felt.

Possible options: what else happens?

Possible subhepatic appendicitis. With this form of the disease, discomfort is localized under the ribs on the right.

During pregnancy, appendicitis most often appears in the second half of the term. The condition is expressed by moderate symptoms, pain is closer to the right side of the body under the ribs. Assessing the condition of the expectant mother begins with checking the temperature. Fever is one of the first symptoms of appendicitis in women. How to determine at home in a particular case whether the cause is inflammation of the appendix or not, no one can say - the condition can only be clarified in a clinic. Mild symptoms characteristic of peritoneal irritation are possible.

Sometimes men are indicated to have a left-sided shape. The picture as a whole is standard, but the pain is felt on the left. This is possible if a person has a specific anatomy from birth - the organs are located in the reverse order. Left-sided appendicitis can develop with increased activity cecum.

Chronicle

The cases described above are acute appendicitis. In addition, the disease can develop as chronic. Symptoms of appendicitis in this case will include periodic soreness, which becomes stronger if you cough, walk, or run. A relapse is possible, in which the symptoms are similar to the acute form. When chronic, the temperature is normal or slightly higher than standard values ​​(about 37 degrees).

On average, chronic appendicitis is diagnosed in one patient out of a hundred. Clinical manifestations may be similar to pyelonephritis, ulcers or cholecystitis. Sometimes appendicitis manifests itself as phenomena characteristic of gynecological or other pathologies of organs localized in the abdominal cavity.

Special case: men get sick

Some manifestations of appendicitis that are characteristic of men are also characteristic of women, but there are also some distinctive features that are characteristic only of the stronger sex. As a rule, appendicitis can be suspected by a white coating covering the tongue, pain and repeated vomiting, and a rise in temperature. The patient feels weak, his mouth becomes dry, the rhythm of contraction of the heart muscle becomes confused and becomes more frequent. With appendicitis, appetite disappears, bowel movements are disrupted, the person is constantly in a forced position, in which the pain is somewhat relieved.

Vomiting and nausea come after an attack of pain. The appetite weakens at first and gradually disappears altogether. The tongue is moist at first, but gradually dries and turns white. If the source of inflammation is located near the intestinal loops, diarrhea is a concern. When localized in the area Bladder the urge to urinate becomes more frequent.

Symptoms vary, much depends on age, stage of the disease, and the presence of underlying diseases.

Features of pain

With appendicitis, pain is often felt in the iliac region, but this is typical for people whose inflamed organ is located in a standard manner. In the pelvic position it hurts near the pubis, when located behind the rectum - in the lower back or side of the abdomen. It may hurt on the right side under the ribs if the appendix is ​​higher than the standard position. About seven hours from the moment the first pain appears is enough time to understand where exactly the pain is felt. The sensations are especially strong during careless movements. Sometimes they are provoked by coughing, laughing, talking. Relief comes by curling into the fetal position.

A fairly characteristic symptom of appendicitis in men is a tightening of the testicle on the right. When the scrotum is pulled back, this area responds with pain. Pulling occurs spontaneously and is not controlled. When lightly stretched, the area hurts. Possible pain in the anus, frequent urge to defecate. The pain may become worse if you try to lift your arm or leg on the right.

Children get sick: features

The acute form of the disease can appear at any age. From medical statistics It is known that children from 5 to 14 years old are more likely to get sick. On average, the incidence of pathology among girls is higher than among boys. Symptoms may differ from those described above due to the structural features of the organ and insufficiently formed lymphoid tissue.

The basic symptom is abdominal pain, and it is possible in different areas- it depends on the characteristics of the position of the affected organ. The baby is worried, does not eat, does not sleep, and cries. There is a fever, the heart rate increases, the stool becomes liquid, or constipation occurs. Possible bloating, sometimes problems with urination, even dysuria. The disease usually appears suddenly and symptoms progress rapidly.

Some time ago, scientists conducted statistical studies, the results of which turned out to be quite clear: about 40% of patients with appendicitis were admitted to the clinic after eating seeds and chips the day before. The dependence was especially pronounced among children 14 years of age and close to it.

Atypical and typical options

Occasionally, with appendicitis in children, pain is felt in the groin area, reproductive organs, in the stomach or ureter. This makes it very difficult to accurately determine the cause of pain. Often, children with appendicitis reflexively lie on their left side and pull their legs to their chest - with this position the pain eases. The child does not allow touching his stomach, cries and screams, cannot eat or sleep. As the baby calms down, it takes a certain position and does not move.

The patient's face turns red and is visible on the tongue. white coating, fever and tachycardia are observed. In middle-aged children, pulse and temperature do not correspond to each other; In medicine this is called the scissors sign. The patient vomits, but there is no relief.

It has been established that this process takes a direct, but not necessary, part in maintaining the normal intestinal microflora, performing secretory, endocrine, and barrier functions. The appendix is ​​no more than 10 centimeters long, separating the large and small intestines. The organ consists of lymph tissue, which proves its involvement in the immune system.

Often the disease bypasses people with poor health, affecting absolutely healthy people. According to experts, there are several reasons that can provoke the occurrence of appendicitis. Doctors have tentatively established several general theoretical risk factors underlying the disease.

Mechanical causes include blockage of the appendix with feces. This reason is typical for people suffering from constipation.

In addition to feces, possible mechanical causes of appendicitis can be:

  • Hernia in the area of ​​the obturator foramen of the appendix;
  • Intestinal tumor;
  • Cysts in the area of ​​the appendix;
  • Pregnancy.

All this with high probability can cause mechanical strangulation and inflammation of the intestine.

The intestines are often infected from pathogenic microorganisms. Infectious cause the occurrence of an inflammatory process inside a segment of the cecum caused by an unstable situation is a fairly common occurrence.

Exists vascular cause the occurrence of appendicitis, which is typical for older people, as well as those who suffer from cardiovascular diseases.

There is an endocrine theory of the occurrence of the disease. It has practically not been proven, but there is a theoretical fact that hormones that mediate inflammatory processes are produced in this process of the intestine.

Symptoms of appendicitis

The disease develops differently, depending on a number of causes and the form of the disease itself. There is some common manifestation of appendicitis - pain. This symptom is always present. The pain may initially have no clearly defined boundaries.

There is a feeling acute pain in the abdomen, causing one to squirm and bend over. After a couple of hours, the lesion concentrates closer to the right side of the iliac region. Sometimes depending on the structure human body and its individual characteristics, the localization of pain can be located on the right almost under the ribs or at the very bottom in the pelvic area.

Associated symptoms of appendicitis are often:

  • Diarrhea;
  • Vomit;
  • Dry tongue;
  • Lack of appetite;
  • Increased thirst;
  • Darkening of urine;
  • Increased body temperature;
  • Sensation of irrigation pain in the lower back;
  • Pain in turning from one side to the other in a horizontal position.

There are two main forms of the disease, each of which has several clinical variants.

Acute form of appendicitis can be:

The destructive form of acute appendicitis, depending on the causes and process of development of inflammation, is:

Chronic appendicitis is not a rare phenomenon.

There are several types of this form of inflammation of the appendix:

Each type of appendicitis is characterized special symptoms and moments of flow. It is believed that each type of appendicitis is its specific phase of development with the presence of a probability of exacerbation at a certain period.

Simple appendicitis is characterized by mild inflammation and thickening of the walls of the appendix of the cecum. Pain is minimal.

Phlegmous appendicitis poses a threat to human life. Pus accumulates on the walls of the appendix, the pain becomes severe and frequent. Thickening of the intestine occurs.

Gangrenous appendicitis is necrosis of organ tissue. There is a symptom of false relief: the pain subsides. Tachycardia appears, and the tongue becomes dry with a strong white coating. Body temperature at this stage of the disease can reach 40 degrees.

With perforated appendicitis, the walls of the appendix are perforated. Main symptom- sharp unbearable pain in the right iliac region, spreading throughout the entire abdomen within a couple of minutes. The tongue becomes covered with a brown coating.

The abdomen becomes hard and swollen. There is no peristalsis. Begins purulent peritonitis. In men it can be fatal.

There are cases when peritonitis does not develop, and perforation of the intestine ends with an appendiceal infiltrate - a purulent abscess. The pain stops, but the body temperature remains at high level. A painful lump appears, similar to a tumor. Muscle tension occurs. The blood formula according to leukocyte indicators shifts to the left.

If you experience any similar symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor by calling “emergency”. Sometimes it seems real threat life.

We suggest you learn about the symptoms of appendicitis from this video.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of the disease begins with a preliminary examination of the patient, collection of anamnesis, observation of the patient’s behavior and routine palpation.

As a rule, a person suffering from appendicitis tries to take a forced position. He tries to breathe shallowly, avoid tension in the abdominal muscles, and lie on his left side. When examining a patient, palpation is carried out extremely carefully.

Symptoms characterize the presence of inflammation of the appendix:

  • Rovsinga – increased pain on the right after pushing pressure on the left;
  • Shchetkin-Blumberg - increased pain after light pressure in the appendix area and quick removal of the hand from the peritoneal wall.

A blood test in the presence of appendicitis always shows moderate leukocidosis, which constantly increases the indicator.

Rectal diagnostics are often performed. If there is inflammation of the rectal process, then the anterior wall overhangs and there is pain. In women, protrusion of the right vaginal vault is observed.

If appendicitis is suspected, an ultrasound of the gastrointestinal tract and abdominal cavity is performed. The enlargement of the vermiform appendix will be clearly visible on the screen.

Additional methods for diagnosing inflammation of the appendix are:

For women, an examination by a gynecologist is required to exclude the presence of gynecological diseases requiring surgical or other intervention.

What to do if you have appendicitis?

Questions often arise about what to do in case of inflammation of the appendix, and what are the symptoms of appendicitis.

If there is even the slightest suspicion of appendicitis, you should immediately seek help from a doctor by calling an ambulance. The slightest delay can cost your life.

Before the doctors arrive, it is necessary to provide the patient with complete rest and a comfortable lying position.

If severe pain is present without pathological symptoms, it is recommended to use a warm water enema. This will help clear the rectum of excess pressure from feces.

In the absence of any inflammatory processes in the body, except for the symptoms of appendicitis, you can place a heating pad with ice or cold water on or under the sore spot. This will help ease the pain a little.

There are several basic rules for helping a person with suspected appendicitis:

  • Restriction of the patient's movements;
  • Restriction in food and drink; if you are very thirsty, you can drink iced tea in small spoons;
  • The use of laxatives is prohibited;
  • In order to facilitate diagnosis, the use of analgesics and antispasmodics should be abandoned;
  • On the first day, it is permissible to use mineral water without gases to relieve pain;
  • If you are very hungry, you can eat a couple of spoons of liquid potato or pumpkin puree;
  • If there is no vomiting, nausea, a decrease in body temperature and pain relief, you can allow you to drink a little milk in small sips or broth.

Treatment of appendicitis

All treatment of appendicitis comes down to surgery. Surgical treatment is carried out under general anesthesia and anesthesia. However, if there are some contraindications for general anesthesia, if the patient’s body is generally healthy, there is no excess body weight or other abnormalities, then it is possible to perform the operation under local anesthesia.

There are 2 treatment methods:

  • Classic, when after an incision in the peritoneum the inflamed appendage is removed;
  • Laparoscopy, when holes are made using several small incisions and removal occurs in a more gentle way. This method is the most popular, but is used in cases where there are no complications and the likelihood of peritonitis.

Laparoscopic surgery has advantages:

  • Fast wound healing;
  • Minimizing complications;
  • No subsequent scars on the abdomen.

If symptoms of peritonitis are present, then in parallel with the removal of the appendix, an inspection, sanitation of the peritoneum and drainage of the abdominal cavity are carried out. This will ensure the development of possible pathologies in the future.

To prevent the consequences of complications in treatment after surgery, antibiotics and analgesics are always used.

Probability fatal outcome practically equal to “zero” in cases of non-perforated appendicitis.

Rehabilitation after appendicitis removal

To avoid complications after surgery to treat inflammation of the appendix, you must follow all doctor’s recommendations and personal hygiene. Proper care It is obligatory to look after the patient after surgery.

This will help avoid complications of the following types:

  • Impaired functions of the cardiovascular system;
  • Impaired breathing and lung function;
  • Kidney dysfunction;
  • Flatulence and problems with peristalsis;
  • Suppuration of the wound surface;
  • Thromboembolism;
  • Education intestinal obstruction and adhesions.

The time spent in a hospital bed is no more than 7 days from the moment of surgery, if there are no complications.

Wherein medical staff carries out:

  • Monitoring the patient’s condition by regularly measuring blood pressure, temperature, and examining stitches;
  • Carrying out postoperative tests and examinations;
  • Therapeutic actions aimed at eliminating complications.

On the first day, you are allowed to wet your lips and drink water in small sips. Subsequently, on the second day, food intake begins, aimed at restoring the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Meals are fractional, in 5-6 doses, consisting of products, not causing bloating, constipation, heartburn.

Dietary food consists of the following main products:

  • Soft liquid porridges, possibly with low-fat milk;
  • Rice water and jelly;
  • Liquid vegetable purees;
  • Low-fat kefir, yogurt, fermented baked milk, yogurt;
  • Low-fat meat broth;
  • Pureed chicken or veal meat, rabbit or turkey can be used;
  • Soft low-fat curd mass;
  • Baked apples;
  • Low-fat boiled grated fish.

Gradually, they switch from pureed food to normal dishes, excluding spicy, fatty, smoked, fried, pickled and salted foods.

If there are no contraindications, country walks in the forest and relaxing at sea will be very useful.

Appendicitis is not scary when treatment comes in a timely and qualified manner. The main thing is not to waste time.

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Actions for suspected appendicitis

Acute appendicitis occurs no more than once in a lifetime. Doctors have identified almost a hundred symptoms, the suspicion of which indicates appendicitis. A person without medical education, must know what to do when signs of the disease and its symptoms are detected in order to provide timely pre-medical care and guide their own behavior and the behavior of their loved ones if appendicitis is suspected.

Do I have appendicitis?

Before you call an ambulance or think that everything will pass, you need to check all the signs that indicate appendicitis. With inflammation of the appendix, pain first occurs in the middle region of the abdomen, concentrating near the navel, after which it is found in the ilioinguinal region on the right.

If you press on the abdominal area, especially the area where the appendix is ​​located, pain may occur. Such a feeling is a reason to call an ambulance. Suspicion of appendicitis is resolved if you press and sharply release your hand from the ilioinguinal region. Sharp pain when the arm is abducted, there is a higher percentage of the likelihood of appendicitis.

A hard and elastic abdomen, difficult to press when pressed with a finger, also indicates the development of an inflammatory process in the appendix.

If gait with a straight back fails due to painful sensations in the abdomen and the person feels most comfortable lying on the right side in a bent position, the suspicion of possible progression of appendicitis is confirmed.

The full range of suspicions is complemented by increased pain when straining or coughing. Finally, a shift of pain from the middle region of the abdomen to the ilio-inguinal region for half a day or one day indicates that removal of the inflamed appendix is ​​inevitable.

You need to know that appendicitis is accompanied by chills, as the temperature rises: from low-grade (about 370C) to high. Different patients experience symptoms that are not necessary for this disease. These include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation. Many patients cannot stop trembling, lack of appetite, a feeling of intestinal gas, and the urge to empty the rectum (although they turn out to be false).

If the sick people are children or women, the mechanism of the disease may differ from the generally accepted one. Vomiting may appear before the onset of pain, the process of urination brings pain, the localization of pain is of a non-standard nature: in the back, anus, epigastric region, etc.

Several are not allowed for appendicitis

Until the emergency doctor has made a diagnosis, appendicitis should not be completely suspected. If you still have time, you can monitor the development of symptoms in order to be more likely to believe in inflammation of the appendix. At high temperatures, the wait-and-see attitude should be kept to a minimum. Before the ambulance arrives, you need to learn several rules, violation of which will aggravate the situation and cause complications.

You cannot do the following:

  • take painkillers, as the picture of pain is blurred, and this is the main symptom if there is a suspicion of developing appendicitis;
  • take laxatives so as not to irritate the already inflamed intestines;
  • eat food and drink drinks before the doctor arrives and examines you;
  • apply a hot heating pad, the inflammation only intensifies;
  • delay calling an ambulance even when the pain has gradually subsided;
  • give an enema due to increasing pressure on the intestines and the danger of opening the appendix with subsequent progression of peritonitis.

What to do before the doctor arrives?

A set of measures to prevent complications after appendicitis or its perforation comes down to the following:

  • The patient minimizes movements and tries to lie in bed, taking a position that is comfortable for him (on the right side, with his legs tucked under).
  • The area of ​​pain can be cooled by placing a cold heating pad or ice. The rate of the inflammatory process will decrease.
  • If the patient has not had the opportunity to eat or drink during the day, then sometimes you can drink a teaspoon of iced tea. The patient cannot eat, but if you have an irresistible feeling of hunger, you can eat a few spoons of mashed potatoes.
  • The patient will be able to gradually begin to eat if the body temperature returns to normal, the pain subsides and the nausea disappears. The diet in this case will be the same as after an appendectomy: first protein water, then broths and pureed purees.

Before the emergency doctor arrives, the patient must be helped to collect things for hospitalization; after the operation, he will have to be treated in a hospital for some time. When calling 03, you need to explain the urgency of the measures, indicating suspicions of appendicitis.

How to behave when visiting an emergency doctor?

Even with obvious signs inflammation of the appendix, the doctor must first examine the patient and collect anamnesis. It is advisable to describe the time of onset of the first pain, the entire nature of the development of symptoms. The doctor must definitely feel the patient’s abdomen to find out at what stage the inflammation is and the degree of integrity of the appendix. The pain that occurs during palpation clarifies the clinical picture for the doctor. In some cases, the doctor may examine the peritoneum through the rectum. The rest of the diagnosis is carried out in the clinic where the patient is sent.

Clinical diagnosis

To detect acute appendicitis, you do not have to do numerous tests. It is enough to take a blood and urine test. A blood test shows how much inflammation has spread. Typically, in patients with appendicitis, the number of leukocytes in the blood increases by up to a thousand per 1 mm3. After opening the appendix, the number of leukocytes exceeds the upper mark for acute appendicitis and means the occurrence of peritonitis. When the number of blood leukocytes exceeds the norm for the inflamed appendix, and initial signs diseases, the presence of other diseases is assumed, for which additional tests are carried out.

A blood test for suspected appendicitis takes into account the condition leukocyte formula blood, which shifts to the left. This means that there are more young white blood cells in the blood than in a healthy state.

Urinalysis reveals the content of red blood cells, which can occur with kidney stones.

After testing body fluids, the patient may be referred for additional research for radiography. Conduct x-ray examination it is necessary when the anamnesis is collected superficially, the symptoms do not clearly define the disease. For women, after blood and urine tests, a pregnancy test may be performed to exclude ectopic pregnancy. An atypical picture of appendicitis after fluid studies may require the intervention of ultrasound, in which a hypoechoic structure of an oblong shape and the absence of peristaltic movements indicates inflammation of the appendix.

The specified mechanism of action when signs of appendicitis are detected will protect the patient from perforation of the appendix and inflammation of the peritoneum (peritonitis) and will not allow the onset of a dangerous disease with a high mortality rate - sepsis.

Appendicitis. How to suspect and what to do?

It would seem that the appendix is ​​an atavistic organ in people, but how many problems it can cause! Its inflammation is called appendicitis and can lead to serious complications. How can we prevent this?

Signs of appendicitis

The leading symptom of appendicitis is pain. Most often pain syndrome localized in the right iliac region. To put it in more understandable terms, it is 7-10 centimeters to the right of the navel and 3-5 centimeters below. Pain from appendicitis can occur suddenly, but in most cases it increases gradually. Typical appendicitis can be suspected at home - when pressing on the projection area of ​​the appendix, the pain increases sharply.

It is more difficult when the process has an atypical localization. In this case, pain as a symptom may occur in the navel area or in the right hypochondrium, resembling the pain of cholecystitis. Pain can cause tension in the abdominal muscles - when palpating the iliac region, the abdomen in this place is tense as a board.

Other signs of appendicitis include disorders of the digestive tract. This includes nausea, vomiting, and loose stools. These symptoms may precede the pain but may occur after it.

When externally examining a person with suspected appendicitis, you should pay attention to the color and nature of the oral mucosa. The tongue with appendicitis is usually dry and covered with a whitish coating.

At home you can perform thermometry - measurement general temperature bodies. Since appendicitis is an inflammation, 90% of patients experience an increase in temperature.

All of the above signs are among the most early symptoms appendicitis. If you do not see a doctor in time, they will progress - the pain will intensify, the temperature will rise. As a result, symptoms of general intoxication appear - general weakness, malaise, dehydration.

Appendicitis in adults and children - are there any differences?

There are no fundamental differences - all the same symptoms, but the nature of their manifestations may differ. So, the differences in the symptoms of appendicitis in children:

  1. The pain is more “vague” in nature.
  2. Rapid progression of symptoms. If in adults, especially overweight ones, several hours or even days may pass from the onset of the disease to its manifestation, then in children a pronounced clinical picture develops within a couple of hours.
  3. The predominance of symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders - diarrhea and vomiting, which can lead to severe dehydration.

But all these differences are largely arbitrary, since the clinic is largely determined by the individual characteristics of each patient. Sometimes even experienced surgeons find it difficult to diagnose appendicitis. No wonder they have a saying: “You can’t make fame from appendicitis, but no problems!”

How is appendicitis treated?

It should be said right away that there are no home methods for treating this pathology. When trying to cure appendicitis on your own, there is a high risk of death from complications. So at the first symptoms of appendicitis you should consult a doctor.

The only method that is 100% effective is appendectomy. Research is now being conducted to treat this pathology with large doses of antibiotics, but in 70% of cases surgery still has to be performed.

The operation is performed under general or regional anesthesia. Previously, the main method of access was a 2 to 10 cm incision in the iliac region. Now they use an endoscopic method to remove the appendix. Removal of uncomplicated appendicitis takes from 10 to 30 minutes. But in case of complications, when the inflammation has progressed to the phlegmonous or gangrenous stage, the operation can last an hour or two.

How to behave after surgery?

After an appendectomy, as after any abdominal surgery (surgery performed in the abdominal cavity), there are some strict restrictions. First of all, these restrictions relate to nutrition. On the first day after surgery, strict fasting is prescribed to avoid complications - peritonitis. On the second day after surgery, patients are allowed to drink liquids, and on the third day they are allowed to eat liquid cereals and fermented milk products.

Intestinal healing occurs in 5-6 days. After this, the patient can eat whatever he wants, but still in postoperative period You should follow a gentle diet - avoid fatty and spicy foods. This is due to the fact that the body is somewhat weakened after the operation, and there is also a reaction from the digestive tract. Therefore, a sudden change in diet can provoke an exacerbation chronic diseases– pancreatitis, cholecystitis.

Complications of appendicitis

Timely detection of this pathology and timely surgery practically guarantee the absence of complications. If the operation is started late, then you can wait for peritonitis - people say that appendicitis has “burst.” From the point of view of doctors, this expression is somewhat incorrect, but in general it reflects the essence of the process. Gangrenous appendicitis can cause widespread inflammation of the peritoneum - peritonitis, which is very difficult to treat.

In children, appendicitis can be complicated by dehydration - dehydration of the body due to high fever, vomiting and diarrhea. Dehydration also occurs in adults, but much less frequently than in children.

Other complications are related more to the technique of the operation. These include bleeding during the intra- or postoperative period. If the rules of asepsis are not followed, purulent-septic complications may develop - suppuration of the sutures, phlegmon of the anterior abdominal wall. To prevent such complications of appendicitis, doctors prescribe antibacterial drugs after surgery.

Algorithm of action for suspected appendicitis

  1. If you feel pain in the abdomen, try to determine its location. Do not take painkillers.
  2. Touch the right iliac region - it may be tense.
  3. Examine the oral mucosa - with appendicitis, the tongue is dry and covered with a whitish coating.
  4. Take a temperature measurement.
  5. See a doctor if at least 2 signs are positive.
  6. If a child complains, you should consult a doctor only if pain occurs.
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How is first aid provided for appendicitis?

First aid for appendicitis must be provided professionally, since illiterate actions lead to the development of complications. We invite you to learn about how emergency care is provided before the ambulance arrives. What you can and absolutely cannot do if you suspect inflammation of the appendix. Help with appendicitis mainly involves ensuring a comfortable body position for the patient. Everything else may be unnecessary.

Appendicitis is an inflammation of the vermiform (blind) appendix of the cecum.

In typical cases, its symptoms manifest themselves as sudden pain in the right iliac region or in the pit of the stomach, around the navel.

What to do if you have appendicitis and severe abdominal pain?

Not many people know what to do if you have appendicitis and need emergency surgery. If no other symptoms are associated with abdominal pain, then it is often enough to give an enema with warm water in order to free the cecum from feces. After the enema, you need to lie down quietly, placing a cold heating pad (i.e., a heating pad filled with ice water or with ice) on (under) the sore spot. Next, it is advisable to fast for at least a day (you can drink as needed).

If the patient experiences spasmodic pain in the abdomen (colic), nausea, even vomiting, the abdomen swells, the temperature rises, and (which also happens) urinary retention occurs, then this clearly indicates a more serious inflammatory process. In such cases, consultation with a specialist is highly advisable (you need to call an ambulance as quickly as possible, which most often sends patients with suspected appendicitis to hospitalization).

What to do if your stomach hurts and you suspect an attack of appendicitis: emergency help

Until the doctor arrives, emergency care for appendicitis is provided independently, but it is important not to harm the patient. Every person should remember the simple rules of what to do if appendicitis hurts, how to behave in this situation.

If the doctor has not yet arrived, measures must be taken with the patient to prevent negative consequences. So, a suspicion of appendicitis arose: what should never be done in this case is to apply a heating pad or other body source to the anterior wall of the abdominal cavity.

First aid for an attack of appendicitis consists of the following measures:

1. Put him to bed.

2. Sharply limit any movements of the patient; it is best to try not to move at all.

4. You should not use any laxatives (especially oil-based ones like castor oil!), because when straining or contractions in the abdomen, the inflamed appendix can burst, which threatens the patient with peritonitis (i.e., inflammation of the peritoneum), and this is extremely life-threatening!

Ice should be placed on the patient's stomach constantly, at short intervals.

5. It is better not to give the patient any painkillers, as this may complicate the diagnosis of the disease, when even an experienced doctor may not figure out what is wrong with the patient. And if there is a delay in the operation, the walls of the inflamed appendix with a purulent, and even more so with a phlegmonous form of appendicitis, can rupture, which will lead to peritonitis - inflammation of the peritoneum, fraught with dire consequences for the patient’s life.

6. To relieve pain in the intestines, the patient can be given mineral water without gas on the first day.

7. If after a while the patient begins to feel severe hunger, he can be allowed to eat a few spoons of mashed potatoes.

8. If the nausea goes away, the pain calms down, and the temperature drops, then the patient can drink a little milk with water or protein water (to prepare it, you need to stir it in a glass of water chicken protein). And only after another 1-2 hours can you carefully move on to feeding the patient broth and puree from well-cooked vegetables.

Appendix, lat. appendix vermiformis - vermiform appendix, 5-7 cm in length (sometimes 20 cm), 1 cm in diameter, blindly ending, tube-shaped.

Exacerbation of appendicitis can occur at any age. Risk groups include children over 5 years old, adults 20-30 years old, pregnant women. The pathology is equally characteristic of females and males. Very rarely, appendicitis occurs in young children, which is explained by the age-related anatomical feature of the appendix, which has the shape of a funnel and is easily emptied, and the poor development of the lymphoid apparatus of the appendix.

Among all diseases of the abdominal organs that require immediate surgical intervention, appendicitis is the most common. If an attack of acute appendicitis occurs, you need to as soon as possible call an ambulance. If appendicitis is not treated, peritonitis can develop, a complication that can be fatal.

How appendicitis manifests itself, the symptoms and signs of this emergency condition should be known to every person. The main symptom of appendicitis in adults and children is pain. It occurs in the upper abdomen or near the navel; sometimes it is not possible to pinpoint the exact location of the pain (“the whole stomach hurts”). Then the pain moves to right side belly. This migration of pain is considered very specific sign diseases

Causes of appendicitis

The following causes of inflammation of the appendix are identified:

The appendix is ​​a small extension of the cecum. For most people, it is located on the right side of the abdomen, below the navel. The condition of the intestines can influence which side of a person’s appendicitis is on. If appendiceal peritonitis has developed, then the symptoms are pronounced and acute, the localization of appendicitis pain is usually on the right side, this is characteristic of the development of an acute inflammatory process in the patient’s body, which requires emergency medical care and surgery to remove the appendix.

Appendicitis can be located in different ways in the peritoneal area, which gives an ambiguous picture in the localization of symptoms; pain can radiate to the right side and to the lumbar region, or to the pelvic area, the patient’s genitals. Character pain has different intensity, intensifying or subsiding, cramping, can last for a long time or short-term.

Signs of appendicitis

There are many different signs of appendicitis in adults and children. The signal for the onset of the disease is strong pain. At the very beginning, it does not have a relatively clear location. A person may feel like he just has a stomach ache. However, after 4-5 hours, the pain is concentrated closer to the right iliac region.

It is worth noting that the appendix is different people can be located differently, it all depends on the structure of the body. If the process is in a normal position, pain will be observed in the right iliac region. If the process is located slightly higher, then the pain will be on the right under the ribs. Well, if the appendage is lowered down, it will hurt in the pelvic area. Among other things, the patient may be bothered by vomiting and, in some cases, diarrhea.

Other popular signs of appendicitis include the following: dry tongue, darkening of urine, increased temperature, which can reach 40 degrees; it can occur in pregnant women increased pain when turning from left to right.

Symptoms of appendicitis

In the case of acute appendicitis, the symptoms are pronounced. An attack of pain occurs in the right iliac region, expressed by a local and general reaction of the body. As a rule, pain in acute appendicitis begins suddenly.

At the beginning of an attack, they are often localized in the epigastric region, in the navel or throughout the abdomen, and after a few hours (sometimes after 1-2 days) - in the right iliac region. More often, the pain is constant, does not radiate anywhere, but intensifies when coughing. prevents the patient from falling asleep, but its intensity is usually low; characterized by a decrease in pain when lying on the right side.

In the first hours of the disease, nausea and vomiting may occur. Stool and gas are often retained. Liquid stools are observed much less frequently (mainly in cases of severe intoxication). Body temperature rises to 37.5-38°, less often remains normal. On the first day from the onset of the disease, the pulse increases to 90-100 beats per minute, blood pressure does not change and only decreases slightly in cases of severe intoxication. The tongue is initially slightly coated and moist, but soon becomes dry.

There are also other symptoms with appendicitis. For example, when examining the abdomen, a delay in breathing is often detected lower sections abdominal wall. Palpation of the abdomen should be carried out carefully, starting from the left half. In this case, in the right iliac region, as a rule, there is sharp pain, combined with protective tension of the abdominal wall muscles in a limited area. Most sick lung tapping your fingers in different parts of the abdominal wall helps to quickly determine the location of the greatest pain.

However, the symptoms and course of acute appendicitis are not always so characteristic. The clinical picture of the disease can be especially peculiar in children, elderly and senile people, as well as in cases of atypical location of the appendix. In any case, if symptoms similar to appendicitis occur, you should call an ambulance.

Leaks with aching dull pain in the right iliac region, which can periodically intensify, especially with physical stress.

Signs of appendicitis in women

Women are more prone to inflammation of appendicitis than men, the symptoms of which appear more often at the age of twenty or forty years. This is due to the physiological structure female body, pelvis, so it may proceed differently. They are especially different during pregnancy. Due to the fact that the appendix is ​​located close to the right appendages of the uterus, signs of inflammation are twice as common as in the male population.

  1. During palpation, women experience painful sensations, which indicates inflammation of the abdominal cavity.
  2. If you press a point below a woman’s navel, pain may occur, which intensifies when standing up, which indicates the involvement of the reproductive organs in the inflammatory process.
  3. When examining a woman’s vagina, pain is detected, especially when examining the cervix; with appendicitis, it indicates inflammation of the appendages.

When diagnosing and making a diagnosis, a woman is checked not only for the condition of the appendix, but for the condition of the genital organs as a whole.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis is made based on characteristic symptoms appendicitis. Confirms the diagnosis of “inflammatory signals” general analysis blood. The most reliable method is laparoscopy.

Clarification morphological form appendicitis (catarrhal, gangrenous, phlegmonous) is possible with surgical intervention: a histological examination of the removed appendix is ​​carried out. From instrumental methods use ultrasound, abdominal radiography, irrigoscopy, computed tomography.

Treatment

The generally accepted tactics for acute appendicitis is surgical removal of the inflamed appendix as early as possible. After 36 hours from the onset of the first symptoms, the probability of perforation (rupture) of the appendix is ​​16-36% and increases by 5% every subsequent 12 hours. Therefore, after confirming the diagnosis, the operation should be performed without unnecessary delay.

At the stage of prehospital care for suspected acute appendicitis, bed rest, exclusion of liquid and food intake, application of cold to the right iliac region. It is strictly forbidden to take laxatives, use a heating pad, or administer analgesics until a final diagnosis is established.

Currently, for simple forms of appendicitis, laparoscopic operations that do not require an incision in the abdominal wall are preferred. In this case, the endoscopic instrument is inserted into abdominal cavity through a small puncture in the tissue. Removing appendicitis using this method allows you to avoid surgical trauma and reduce recovery period factor of. Development risk postoperative complications when removing appendicitis using the laparoscopic method, it is minimal.

In the case of chronic appendicitis, appendectomy is indicated if there is persistent pain that deprives the patient of normal activity. At relatively mild symptoms Conservative tactics can be used, including eliminating constipation, taking antispasmodics, physical therapy.