Guide To Appendicitis Treatment And Recovery

Appendicitis develops when the appendix, an organ in the lower right side of the abdomen, becomes inflamed. This condition can be caused by viral infections, and it may also occur due to infection with bacteria such as Clostridium, E. coli, or Streptococci. The appendix may become inflamed as a result of an obstruction due to fecal matter, a foreign body, or roundworm or threadworm infections. Appendicitis occurs most often in patients between ten and thirty years old, and individuals who have a family history of the condition are thirty percent more likely to develop it themselves. In the early stages of appendicitis, patients might experience sudden pain in the lower right side of the abdomen; the pain sometimes begins near the belly button, and it may worsen with coughing or walking. Nausea, abdominal bloating, and vomiting have been reported. To diagnose this condition, doctors will perform a physical examination of the abdomen to check for pain. Patients may need to have imaging studies such as x-rays, CT scans, or ultrasounds to confirm the diagnosis. Since appendicitis may cause the organ to rupture, patients should seek urgent medical treatment as soon as they notice any symptoms that could be related to their appendix.

Course Of Antibiotics

A study completed in 2015 suggests roughly eighty percent of adult appendicitis patients could be safely treated with a course of antibiotics instead of an appendectomy. Before offering antibiotics, doctors will need to confirm the patient has a mild form of the condition, and this requires a CT scan. Patients who are given antibiotics will be closely monitored for any worsening symptoms, and surgery may still be necessary if there is no improvement. If the more serious form of appendicitis is detected on the CT scan, patients will be given emergency surgery, as antibiotics are not effective in this case. After having an appendectomy, some patients will be given oral or intravenous antibiotics during their recovery. For example, patients who are recovering from complex acute appendicitis generally need to receive antibiotics for two to five days.