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Dr. C's Journal, Medicine, Men's Health, Women's Health

DR. C’S JOURNAL: SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF APPENDICITIS

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The appendix is a finger like projections at the origin of the colon in the right lower part of your abdomen. It may become inflamed, especially if there is a blockage. Appendicitis is best considered a medical emergency, since it may rupture and infect the entire abdominal cavity.

When I was a practicing pediatrician, appendicitis was one of the two conditions I refused to allow myself to overlook; the other one was meningitis, which is now mostly prevented by immunization.

Pain in the abdomen is almost invariably present as the main symptom of appendicitis. This pain often begins around the belly button and then migrates to the right lower part of the abdomen. The patient should try to notice whether jarring the abdomen by walking makes the pain worse; if so, this finding would favor an inflammatory condition like appendicitis.

A similar condition, diverticulitis, may cause similar symptoms in the left lower part of the abdomen, and other conditions may cause confusion. The doctor checks to see if it is more painful in the right lower belly area, and she may pull her hand away suddenly. If the pain intensifies, there may be inflammation around the appendix. Sometimes a vaginal examination or rectal examination will be needed to help with the diagnosis; the appendix is close to these areas.

Other symptoms and signs may be a low-grade fever, vomiting, add an elevated white blood cell count. In the modern medical era, ultrasound, CT scans, and MRIs are sometimes used to visualize the appendix to evaluate its size and possible inflammation.

Treatment used to consist only of surgery, but with imaging techniques available to prevent disaster, the condition can be treated with antibiotics. 30 to 50% of those so treated will still eventually require surgery. Removal of the appendix is now sometimes performed through a fiberoptic scope, leading to more rapid recovery.

A dilemma is present for individuals who go to the south pole to live for several months, and where weather may prevent them from getting proper medical help. Such  people may have their appendix removed as a preventative. Of course they also can take antibiotics if appendicitis develops, but it’s really scary to use medical treatment only, without the aid of modern imaging techniques.

Please consult the following Mayo clinic article for more information.

—Dr. C.

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Men's Health, Opinion, Women's Health

THE DOCTORS 101 CHRONIC SYMPTOMS & CONDITIONS #19: DIVERTICULOSIS

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Your large bowel, or colon, is at the end of the Gastrointestinal tract. It starts on the right side of your abdomen, where the small intestine empties into the caecum. This is also where the Appendix bulges down, looking like a little finger coming from the caecum. The 5 foot long large intestine is the final processing area of your food, after the nutrients have been absorbed.

The Colon contains virtually all of the microbiome, reduces the volume of the fecal matter, and propels it to its final destination. The propelling muscles are an inner circular ring, and 3 outer longitudinal strips. These outer strips of muscle do not completely encircle the Colon, allowing for protuberances of lining membrane and circular muscle to balloon out into prominences called Taenia.

It is in these weakened areas, especially where blood vessels penetrate that little herniations form over the years. Diverticulosis occurs in 50% of people more than 60 years of age, and in almost everybody more than 80 years.

Diverticulosis is a condition where pressures up to 120 mm or mercury, generated by the colonic muscles gradually push out little pouches of lining membrane called diverticula. Nobody knows why some people get an INFLAMMED diverticulum.

Age, of course, is a factor, as are Obesity, diabetes, smoking and poor diet; a tendency toward inflammation is common in all of these risk factors. Comparing diverticulitis with Appendicitis is an interesting exercise. The symptoms are mirror images of each other. Appendicitis occurs on the right side.

Diverticulitis usually occurs on the left side, except in asian people. The asian DIET seems to favor diverticula on the right side. When asians immigrate to the U.S. and start eating more Red meat and fewer vegetables, the diverticula shift to the left side.

Signs of Diverticulitis include gastrointestinal symptoms, such as pain, tenderness,nausea, cramps, constipation, and Fever. Rectal bleeding can sometimes occur. Treatment includes antibiotics.

If the condition worsens, serious complications, such as abcess may develop and require surgery. As usual, Prevention, including diet and exercise, is better than Treatment. A HIGH FIBER DIET is the best prevention.

–Dr. C.

Article #1 to read – Diverticular disease of the colon: New perspectives in symptom development and treatment

Article #2 to read – Management of Colonic Diverticulitis | Effective Health Care Program