Can Appendicitis Go Away On Its Own
Appendicitis happens when the inside of your appendix is infected by a virus or bacteria, or the tube that joins your large intestine and appendix is blocked by stool. In some cases, tumors can also be a cause of appendicitis.
In these cases, the appendix started to show symptoms like soreness and swollen muscles, creating a low blood supply situation for the organ. Without enough oxygen-blood supply, the appendix starts to decay which later develops holes and tears, resulting in an appendix burst.
Appendicitis is neither a self-cured disease nor it can be treated without any medical professional. So, to cure the disease, medical help is a must.
Gradual Loss Of Appetite
A loss of appetite is a consequence of the inflammation your system produces. It produces this symptom when faced with a blockage. And this blockage put the appendix in this state, to begin with.
These reactions get it the way of your digestive systems functions. Also, it affects the secretion of hunger hormones.
- As a result, patients tend to have complications caused by nutritional deficiencies.
- Even though it might seem normal at first, this is a symptom that requires a prompt medical evaluation.
Does Appendicitis Hurt When You Push On It
Yes, due to the inflammation the appendix generates significant signals to the brain, causing pain in the lower abdomen region. The pain can originate from the lower right region or from the central part of the abdomen itself.
If one touches the infected region, they can experience slight swelling in the muscle surrounding. In some cases, the skin can turn red, blue, or black, depending upon the severity of the case. If one presses that region, they can feel shooting pain in the appendix.
In case of appendix burst, they take an off sight for a while as the inflated muscles relax. But after some time, when the bacteria spread to different regions of the belly, the pain started to rise and got worse than before.
In that case, the lower abdominal region is filled with bacterial fluid along with uncontrollable pain!
Read Also: Upper Back Pain Dizziness And Fatigue
Complete Loss Of Appetite
With the pain and digestive upsets, its understandable that the last thing people think of doing is eating. Nausea often means that they cant face anything in fear of vomiting. If theyve already been vomitingwhich is common before the pain startsthen patients are worried that they wont be able to keep the food down anyway.
Its not just food that patients with appendicitis are put off from. They dont want to drink anything either, only taking sips of water because they know their bodies need it.
This is a symptom that is often overlooked in children and pregnant women. For children, they may be picky eaters or not always share when they are hungry. Parents are so focused on other symptoms that they dont even think about this part, understanding that nobody wants to eat when they feel sick.
As for pregnant women, loss of appetite is common, as the uterus shifts the organs. The stomach cant intake as much food anyway and will take longer to digest the food. Some women suffer badly from morning sickness and suffer from loss of appetite because of that, meaning the symptoms is easily ignored.
Appendicitis Tests And Procedures
Your doctor will examine your abdomen by applying gentle pressure on the painful area. He or she may perform a digital rectal exam to examine your lower rectum. The following tests and procedures also are often used:
- Blood test. A high white blood cell count may indicate an infection.
- Urine test. A urinalysis can determine if a urinary tract infection or a kidney stone causes your pain.
- Imaging tests. An abdominal X-ray, ultrasound, or a computerized tomography scan can help confirm a diagnosis.
Read Also: Is Fatigue A Sign Of Breast Cancer
What Are The Causes Of Appendicitis
Appendicitis can be caused by a lot of factors however nothing has been distinctly established. Some of them are as follows:
- Inflammatory bowel disease.
- A blockage of the appendix opening,
- A bloated tissue in its wall resulting from infections in the body,
- Clogging of appendiceal lumen can cause this situation to escalate to this. Other causes may include parasites, stool and inflammatory diseases of the bowel.
- Abdominal strain or injury is also a cause.
What Happens When The Appendix Bursts
The major concern in appendicitis is that of a bursting appendix. The spillage of intestinal contents containing millions of bacteria and strong digestives juices into the abdominal cavity can cause heavy damage to the internal organs. Death can result from a burst appendix. Therefore, this condition must be treated as an emergency.
It is important to note that perforation or rupture of appendix does not happen in every case of appendicitis. In some cases, appendicitis can resolve on its own without treatment. However, keeping in mind the potentially lethal complications of a burst appendix, immediate medical attention must be sought in all suspected cases of appendicitis.
One of the complications of appendicitis is peritonitis or inflammation of the peritoneum. The peritoneum is a membrane that lines the abdominal cavity. At times, the ruptured area of the appendix may be sealed off by the formation of an abscess. This prevents the spread of the harmful intestinal contents into the abdominal cavity.
However, this containment is of a temporary nature. The abscess can also burst at any time, leading to sudden flooding of the abdominal cavity with the intestinal contents. In such cases, a patients condition worsens rapidly. Gangrene is also a potential complication. It is important to note that less than half of all cases of appendicitis display the typical symptoms of this condition.
Read Also: How To Heal Chronic Fatigue
When You Get Home
If the hospital lets you go home shortly after surgery, you may have trouble thinking clearly for a day or two while the anesthesia wears off. Don’t drive or drink alcohol until your doctor says it’s OK. If your doctor gives you medicine for pain, take it exactly as prescribed. Also drink plenty of clear liquids to stay hydrated. As your appetite returns, eat bland foods like crackers, mashed potatoes, rice, and toast.
Symptoms Of Appendicitis During Pregnancy
Many appendicitis symptoms are similar to the discomforts of pregnancy. These include stomach cramping, nausea, and vomiting.
However, pregnant women may not always have the classic symptoms of appendicitis, especially late in pregnancy. The growing uterus pushes the appendix higher during pregnancy. This means pain may occur in the upper abdomen instead of the lower right side of the abdomen.
Pregnant women with appendicitis are also more likely to experience heartburn, gas, or alternating episodes of constipation and diarrhea.
You May Like: How Do You Know If Your Fatigue
When To See A Doctor
Appendicitis can be life-threatening, and it requires immediate medical care. It is likely to worsen the longer it is left untreated. Initial symptoms may feel like gas.
If over-the-counter medications do not relieve the gas, or if there is severe and worsening pain, the individual should see a doctor at once. It may be advisable to go straight to the emergency room.
Treating appendicitis as soon as symptoms appear will prevent it from worsening and causing further complications.
A healthcare provider will normally diagnose appendicitis by doing the following:
Essential Facts About Fevers
Like acute appendicitis, chronic appendicitis most often results in pain located in the lower right side of the abdomen. The pain may be as sharp and severe as it is with acute appendicitis, but it’s often more like a dull ache. Sometimes, abdominal pain is the only symptom that people with chronic appendicitis experience.
In other cases, people may suffer from some of the other typical symptoms of acute appendicitis, including nausea, fever, and diarrhea.
Some clinicians make a distinction between recurrent appendicitis and chronic appendicitis. A case report published in May 2015 in Therapeutic Advances in Gastroenterology describes the difference between recurrent and chronic appendicitis. One or more episodes of acute appendicitis, lasting one to two days, is considered recurrent appendicitis. Chronic appendicitis, on the other hand, usually occurs as a less severe, nearly continuous abdominal pain lasting longer than a 48-hour period, sometimes extending to weeks, months, or even years.
Once chronic appendicitis is properly diagnosed, removal of the appendix usually resolves the symptoms for most patients.
Recommended Reading: Can Mild Sleep Apnea Cause Fatigue
Signs And Symptoms Of Gastrointestinal Carcinoid Tumors
Most gastrointestinal carcinoids grow slowly. If they do cause symptoms, they tend to be vague. When trying to figure out whats going on, doctors and patients are likely to explore other, more common possible causes first. This can delay a diagnosis, sometimes even for several years. But some do cause symptoms that lead to their diagnosis.
Whats Up With Your Stomach Anyway
Most people have experienced some form of stomach discomfort, whether its a stomach virus, food poisoning, or diarrhea. Less common, but still important to know about, is appendicitis. This occurs when the appendix, which is a worm-shaped pouch that sits on the lower right side of the abdomen, becomes inflamed. About five percent of the population ends up with appendicitis, which is most common in teenagers and those in their early twenties, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
An appendix that is inflamed should be treated immediately because it can burst and release bacteria into the abdomen. This can lead to a blood infection or severe inflammation of the intestinal lining. If it is not treated, your appendix can rupture, which can be life-threatening, says Jennifer Caudle, DO, a board-certified family physician and assistant professor at Rowan School of Osteopathic Medicine in Stratford, New Jersey.
Heres how to recognize the early symptoms of appendicitis so you can seek treatment immediately.
Don’t Miss: Does Carbidopa Levodopa Cause Fatigue
What Can Trigger Appendicitis
The root cause for appendicitis is still unknown, although experts believe that the potential reason behind the disease is the obstruction caused by external factors. Here is the list of reasons that can trigger appendicitis:
- Hardened buildup in the tube between the large intestine and appendix.
- Enlarged lymphoid follicles.
- Internal injuries.
- Tumour or cancer development.
The obstruction later compromises the blood supply to the appendix leading to the development of holes or tears in its walls. If not treated on time, the damaged area will burst and release the infection into the belly and other neighboring organs.
Symptoms Of Chronic Appendicitis
Chronic appendicitis tends to remain undiagnosed for a prolonged period of time, unless one experiences an episode of acute appendicitis symptoms. The symptoms of appendicitis in the chronic form are very mild in nature, which is why most people end up neglecting them, or getting used to them! You may suddenly experience a dull pain in the lower abdomen which automatically vanishes within a short period of time. How can you then identify the signs of chronic appendicitis? The following points can help you with the same.
You May Like: What Autoimmune Diseases Cause Extreme Fatigue
Sudden Pain In The Lower Abdomen
Sudden and severe pain on the lower right side of your abdomen is the classic telltale sign of appendicitis. This pain is caused by the inflamed appendix irritating the lining of the abdomens wall.
Some patients report a sharp, pointed pain, while others say their pain was more akin to a dull ache. Either way, this is typically one of the first signs that something is wrong.
How Appendicitis Is Treated
If you have appendicitis, it’s likely your appendix will need to be removed as soon as possible.
Removal of the appendix, known as an appendicectomy or appendectomy, is 1 of the most common operations in the UK and its success rate is excellent.
It’s most commonly carried out as keyhole surgery .
Several small cuts are made in the abdomen, allowing special surgical instruments to be inserted.
Open surgery, where a larger, single cut is made in the abdomen, is usually used if the appendix has burst or access is more difficult.
It usually takes a couple of weeks to make a full recovery after your appendix has been removed.
But strenuous activities may need to be avoided for up to 6 weeks after having open surgery.
Don’t Miss: How To Fight Diabetes Fatigue
What A Grumbling Appendix Can Tell You
The pain first hit when I was a teenager: an unrelenting grinding in my lower abdomen, as if my internal gears were gummed up. A fleeting thought crossed my mind could it be my appendix? but I dismissed it, since I felt fine the next day.
Throughout my young adulthood, the grinding pain recurred every few weeks or so. When it hit, Id clench my jaw and curl up in the fetal position, but within a few hours, the attack would pass. I wasnt concerned enough to have a doctor check me out since things receded quickly.
But then in my early 30s, I had what seemed like just another bout of this pain, but this time, it didnt go away. I headed to the hospital, where I learned that my appendix was about to rupture.
The appendectomy done on me revealed the likely origins of the mysterious pain that had plagued me for more than half my life. Appendicitis, it turns out, isnt always acute. Some people can limp along for years with appendix-related pain from some sort of inflammation or obstruction a condition known as chronic appendicitis.
Debate has long raged among physicians about whether the condition dubbed grumbling appendix is real.
But while controversy about the diagnosis still simmers, the consensus has moved somewhat toward acceptance of chronic appendicitis as a medical phenomenon.
Clear signs of infection or swelling on a CT scan, along with significant ongoing pain, may convince doctors to go ahead with surgery.
Pain In The Lower Right Part Of Your Abdomen
One of the first signs of appendicitis is a sharp pain thats almost always in the lower right part of your abdomen. In other words, where this organ is located.
- This symptom increases gradually. It grows with the inflammation and pressure on your appendix thats caused by the obstruction.
- It can appear intermittently. Though, it usually lasts much longer when the disease advances.
- Its common for patients to feel it more strongly when they sneeze or make a sudden movement.
- In some cases, the pain spreads from your belly button to your lower back.
Read Also: Glasses For Eye Fatigue From Computer
Do I Have Appendicitis
Appendicitis could be mistaken for a variety of other abdominal problems. Examples of conditions that may cause signs and symptoms similar to that of appendicitis include intestinal obstructions, diverticulitis, colon cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, gastroenteritis, perforation caused by peptic ulcers, pancreatitis, enterocolitis, urinary tract infections, and stones in the kidney and gallbladder.
In women, endometriosis, ovarian cysts and pelvic inflammatory disease may cause signs and symptoms that resemble those of appendicitis. All these conditions need to be ruled out before confirming the diagnosis as appendicitis. A characteristic feature of appendicitis is severe and abrupt pain in the abdominal region where the appendix is located.
This pain tends to worsen within hours. Abdominal pain in the lower right quadrant is relatively more common in male teenagers and young adults. However, appendicitis could occur in any age group and gender. In fact, appendicitis is one of the most common non-gynecological causes of surgery in pregnant women.
In rare cases, even newborns can develop appendicitis.Since abdominal pain is a common symptom of many digestive problems, people tend to ignore the pain due to appendicitis and delay seeking medical attention. However, this could lead to serious complications, especially if the appendix bursts.
Sharp Pain In The Abdomen
One of the most notable symptoms of a burst appendix is severe, sharp pain in the lower right quadrant of the abdomen. In cases of acute appendicitis, the pain usually starts around the navel region. The area in the lower right quadrant of the abdomen develops tenderness to pressure. The pain keeps worsening and becomes sharp in nature. Activities such as breathing deeply, walking, sneezing and coughing become very painful.
The pain and tenderness in the lower right quadrant of the abdomen increases significantly when the appendix bursts. In some cases, the bursting of the appendix may at first provide relief from the pain, but then the severe pain sets in. It is important to remember that severe abdominal pain by itself is not a symptom of a burst appendix. Other signs and symptoms must also be considered in order to reach a diagnosis.
Read more on appendix pain.
Don’t Miss: How To Help Eye Fatigue
Who Is Not Eligible For The Treatment
Appendicitis is a common condition of inflammation of the appendix. The condition is accompanied by some severe symptoms such as excessive pain and inflammation especially in the lower right region of the abdomen. The onset of pain is sudden and is unbearable and troublesome in almost all cases. Hence such conditions cannot get resolved spontaneously and always need adequate treatment by surgery.
What Is The Treatment For Appendicitis
Appendicitis is almost always treated as an emergency. Surgery to remove the appendix, which is called an appendectomy, is the standard treatment for almost all cases of appendicitis.
Generally, if your doctor suspects that you have appendicitis, they will quickly remove it to avoid a rupture. If you have an abscess, you may get two procedures: one to drain the abscess of pus and fluid, and a later one to take out the appendix. But some research shows that treating acute appendicitis with antibiotics may help you avoid surgery.
Also Check: What Causes Fatigue And Muscle Aches
Types Of Appendicitis In Teens
Teens can have any of the following types of appendicitis .
- Acute appendicitis: This is an acute inflammation of the appendix with sudden onset of symptoms. It is more common and requires immediate treatment.
- Chronic appendicitis: Chronic inflammation of the appendix may show mild symptoms and often comes and goes. The pain can be severe or dull, and these episodes can be recurrent.
