our doctor explains the symptoms and treatment of appendicitis. Picture: Supplied. Source: Supplied

DR Cindy Pan explains the symptoms and treatment of this common but painful condition.

Question: How do you know if you have appendicitis? what is it and how is it treated?

Answer: Appendicitis, which means inflammation of the appendix, is the most common cause of acute abdominal pain.Typical symptoms include abdominal pain (commonly starting around the middle of the abdomen before moving to the right lower abdomen), poor appetite, nausea or vomiting and fever. It may be tender and sore when the doctor presses over the abdomen in the right lower region and there may be rebound pain when the doctor lets go after pressing deeply in this area. In some cases your abdomen may be quite rigid; the doctor will be unable to press deeply because your abdominal muscles are so tense. This can indicate that the appendix has burst and peritonitis (inflammation of the inner lining of the abdomen) has developed.the doctor may do blood tests to confirm the diagnosis of appendicitis. other tests which may be employed include CT scans and ultrasound.there are other conditions that can cause similar symptoms, such as ectopic pregnancy, severe menstrual cramps, pelvic inflammatory disease in women, gastroenteritis, urinary tract infection, diverticulitis, pancreatitis and other conditions. by listening to your symptoms, examining you physically and ordering appropriate tests, your doctor can assess the likelihood of appendicitis and, if necessary, send you to hospital for further assessment. If needed, immediate surgery may be performed to remove the appendix.  the surgery can be performed via a laparoscope (using tiny instruments attached to a narrow flexible microscope, also known as keyhole surgery) or through an incision in the abdominal wall. Your doctor will talk to you about which approach is best for you. after the surgery your recovery time can vary from days to weeks, depending on whether the appendix ruptured and whether there were any other complications. while appendicitis is extremely common, it is not a condition to be taken lightly, since if left untreated, the appendix may rupture, leading to abscess formation, peritonitis and even death.

Got a question for Dr Cindy Pan? Visit bodyandsoul.com.au/askourexperts

Abdominal pain is pain that is felt in the abdomen. The abdomen is an anatomical area that is bounded by the lower margin of the ribs and diaphragm above, the pelvic bone (pubic ramus) below, and the flanks on each side. Although abdominal pain can arise from the tissues of the abdominal wall that surround the abdominal cavity (such as the skin and abdominal wall muscles), the term abdominal pain generally is used to describe pain originating from organs within the abdominal cavity. Organs of the abdomen include the stomach, small intestine, colon, liver, gallbladder, spleen, and pancreas.

Digestion and Stomach Problems

Persistent or severe abdominal pain must be evaluated by a physician. Urgent surgery may be required for those with acute abdominal pain, such as for appendicitis, perforated peptic ulcer, intestinal obstruction, ectopic pregnancy, ovarian cyst, and also urgent treatment must be given to those with kidney stone, gall bladder disease and pancreatitis.

You also need to seek emergency help if the pain radiates to your chest, neck or shoulder, on finding blood in your urine, if pain is accompanied by shortness of breath, dizziness, bleeding or high fever, if the abdomen pain is sudden and severe, and also if you find blood in your urine and the abdomen feels swollen and tender. in many cases of abdominal pain one can wait, use home care remedies, and call the doctor only if symptoms persist.

Excessive gas, heartburn, ulcers, appendicitis, Ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, cholecystitis, appendicitis, food allergy, food poisoning, bowel obstruction, hernia, kidney stones, urinary tract infection, parasite infections, Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis could be the possible causes of abdominal pain.

If pain is around the naval, take 1gm of ajwain with lukewarm water, 2-3 times, with one hour intervals, or apply paste of pinch of asfoetida {heeng} with lukewarm water around the naval area. an effective home remedy for abdomen or stomach pain is grating a small piece of ginger and squeezing out its juice and applying it on the bottom of your belly and massaging it gently.

Other few remedies that I know of is drinking lemon tea with some honey added to it, as well as drinking plenty of water, as this helps ensure smooth bowel movements. Another home remedy would be drinking a mixture of 1tsp each of mint juice and lime juice with some ginger juice and black slat added to it. more than anything if you see that the pain still persists and there is no relief then do visit the doctor as it could be pain rising from any other source which could need emergency treatment.

kapal bhati – About the Author:

Also read about Home Remedies for Acidity babaramdevmedicines.com

In Focus: Teenager describes life with Crohn’s Disease

12:00pm Thursday 17th February 2011

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A BURNHAM teenager has this week given a compelling account of her life with Crohn’s Disease.

Rebecca Stevenson, aged 18, was diagnosed with the inflammatory bowel disease last August – the same day the former King Alfred student picked up her A-level results.

Here, she describes how she has coped living with the disease since that day: “Despite being something I feared, a clear diagnosis gave me peace of mind.

My symptoms were extremely prominent because my increased lack of appetite led me to lose three stone within a relatively short amount of time. I also suffered from acute abdominal pain – perhaps the most predominant symptom for sufferers.

Crohn’s Disease can also affect the sufferer mentally. I suffered constant fatigue and in turn became a shadow of my former bubbly self.

The nature and severity of these symptoms varies from person to person so each sufferer can document a different experience.

In order to diagnose Crohn’s Disease, patients typically have to undergo a colonoscopy. This basically involves the insertion of a small fishing rod type camera up your bottom to unearth the infected areas.

It wasn’t exactly my idea of a dream photo shoot so my consultant kindly offered alternatives that made me feel a lot more comfortable. Thankfully, I was able to get a diagnosis through undergoing a couple of MRI scans.

The thought of lying in a loud claustrophobic machine really worried me but the radiographers calmed me and kept me informed throughout.

These tests were extremely useful in the fact that they illustrated 30cm of inflammation within my small intestine – making it clear to them that it was active Crohn’s Disease.

My diagnosis took a weight off my mind but I still felt scared, confused and upset that I had a life-long illness to educate myself about and deal with.

despite the ongoing research, it’s still known as an idiopathic disease. This means that there is still no definitive factor when describing its sole cause.

many researchers theorise that it’s the fault of the immune system. they believe that the immune system accidentally treats good bacteria like it would a foreign body. This interference then prompts the white blood cells to gather in one area of the body therefore resulting in an inflammation.

they also believe that Crohn’s may be hereditary and may also be influenced by the environment.

I’ll be receiving treatment in its various forms for the rest of my life. This will involve ongoing medication, a possible operation to remove the infected area, blood tests and routine checks for colon cancer. however, despite all this Crohn’s patients can ultimately lead a normal and fulfilling life for the most part.

This is because Crohn’s isn’t known as a ‘constant disease’. It’s characterised by flare-ups followed by varying periods of remission.

I’ve been lucky enough to have not really felt the full affects of a flare-up just yet. by reducing my stress levels and eating little and often I can limit the probability.

I’ve been living with my diagnosis for six months so I’ve now come to terms with my medication and fortnightly blood tests. I’ve also met a couple of people that suffer from the same disease, which has given me the support I needed and has helped me to regain the self-confidence that I lost.

I also occasionally see a dietician for advice on how to get my body back to its full strength following my dramatic weight loss. It’s been an extremely tough time psychically and mentally but I know that I’ve got a huge support system around me for when things do flare up.

I urge anyone who has been feeling unwell with similar symptoms to book themselves in for a routine blood test. I dragged it out for far too long and now have to live with a stronger disease as a consequence. It really is better to be safe than sorry.

Whilst my condition isn’t curable, it is treatable and in my opinion that fact alone gives me a lot to live and be thankful for.”

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