Symptoms of chronic inflammation of the appendix. Appendicitis: causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment Chronic inflammation of the appendix symptoms in a woman

Surgical excision of the inflamed appendix does not yet indicate that this process will not have to be dealt with in the future. A sluggish inflammatory process that does not acquire acute forms can take place over several years, and this is most often observed in older people. How does chronic appendicitis proceed, symptoms in women, diagnosis and treatment of a rather painful disease?

Do women get chronic appendicitis?

To the question of whether there is chronic appendicitis in women, each surgeon will answer with confidence that It is in women of the weaker sex that this disease is most common.. There are many reasons for this, but there is only one way out - an immediate appeal to the doctor with further treatment, usually surgery.

Often, women do not pay attention to alarming symptoms, attributing everything to malaise or even to the onset of menstruation, which may have similar symptoms. One should not be careless about the signals of the body, which may not look like ordinary weakness - only a visit to the doctor with a detailed thorough examination and accurate diagnosis will help to proceed with immediate treatment.

If there is any doubt that this is chronic appendicitis, the symptoms in women, who were noticed in a timely manner, will help prevent complications and exacerbation of the disease. Even if not all the signs indicating the disease are present, you should not try to get rid of pain on your own - these actions can lead to considerable health complications.

Symptoms of chronic appendicitis in women

Is it possible to independently recognize the symptoms of chronic appendicitis in women? This is not as difficult as the victims of the disease may find, because in most cases the disease has similar symptoms. The most common symptom that almost everyone experiences is abdominal pain.. They can be localized both on the right side, and near the navel itself or even on the left. The nature of the pain can also be different - it can be unpleasant and aching or occur in sharp flashes.

additional signs, indicating the development of the disease:

  1. bowel disorders (usually prolonged constipation);
  2. nausea, almost always turning into vomiting;
  3. frequent urination, accompanied by bouts of pain;
  4. at night, the temperature usually rises significantly;
  5. if you press on the alarming side of the abdomen, a flash of severe pain is felt.

Often in women, such signs are associated with most gastric diseases, so it’s quite difficult to say for sure that this is an inflammation of the appendix. Only an immediate visit to the doctor with a subsequent examination will help determine the cause of pain and respond to this alarming manifestation. You should not be afraid of the diagnosis of chronic appendicitis, the symptoms in women can often indicate a milder ailment, the main thing is not to be careless about these signs.

How is chronic appendicitis diagnosed?

How is chronic appendicitis diagnosed and is it possible to make mistakes in the definition of the disease? If acute appendicitis is already listed in the woman’s medical history, then first of all the doctor will suspect its chronic form, and will focus on the symptoms that can confirm this. Just one look at the patient's stomach will be enough to make sure that the cause of the ailment is the appendix. This is easy to determine - this side of the abdomen will be softer, with loose skin.

The next stage of the examination, which will help to find out the size of the focus of inflammation and the structure of the appendix - x-ray. Computed tomography is rarely prescribed and only in cases where there is a suspicion that this is not an inflammatory process, but just one of the gastric diseases. A general blood test must also be carried out. The results of the studies will help determine the development of inflammation.

What symptoms in older women may indicate an inflammatory process on the appendix

In women at a young age, the chronic form of the disease is extremely rare, most often women a little older become victims of an insidious appendix. Despite your age, you must definitely respond to the alarming signals of the body and urgently go to the doctor.

What symptoms in older women should attract attention? They practically do not differ from the general signs of the chronic form of appendicitis:

  1. pain, which can be located both on the right and in other parts of the abdomen;
  2. a sunken and wrinkled area of ​​the skin in the area of ​​a previous surgical intervention;
  3. bouts of nausea alternating with vomiting;
  4. problems with stool (this can be both diarrhea and prolonged painful constipation);
  5. problems with passing urine, which may resemble cystitis in their soreness.

It is not necessary to wait for the appearance of all signs, because each female body has its own characteristics, and even chronic appendicitis can be signaled by different symptoms. The main thing is to pay attention to abdominal pain in a timely manner and consult a doctor who will find out its cause and, if necessary, carry out immediate treatment.

Treatment of chronic appendicitis - how does it happen?

If the disease becomes threatening and the pain continues for a long time, the treatment of chronic appendicitis is carried out with just one method - surgery. At the same time, studies of internal organs and the possibility of spreading to healthy tissues are being carried out. It is possible that the inflammatory process on the appendix has caused damage to neighboring important organs and the treatment will be longer.

If the inflammation of the appendix does not threaten anything and does not portend exacerbations, it is quite possible that surgery will not be needed. To influence the disease, a course of taking antispasmodics or special physiotherapy exercises is sufficient.

Despite the fact that the disease is not always threatening, only an experienced doctor can determine the degree of its development, who will prescribe the necessary method of exposure. It is strictly forbidden to try to do something with a rather dangerous disease on your own - complications in this case are guaranteed.

Treatment of chronic appendicitis with proven folk remedies

If there is no exacerbation of the disease or complications, it is quite possible that it will be possible to cope with it with plant compounds, which traditional medicine is so rich in. Of course, in advance you need to get the consent of the doctor to use home medicines. If the doctor considers alternative therapy possible, you can try treatment without medication.

Most a simple and proven recipe for a cure for chronic appendicitis- a decoction based on milk and cumin. It will not only quickly relieve pain, but also stop the inflammatory process, especially in the early stages. It is not difficult to prepare the product - boil milk (240 ml), add 30 g to it. cumin seeds and boil for 3 minutes at a slow boil. Refrigerate under a lid. After filtration, you can begin treatment.

Take 60 ml of decoction every three hours, and you do not need to add anything to it, despite the unpleasant taste. The pain will disappear the very next day, but treatment should be continued for at least a week.

Chronic appendicitis is a sluggish form of the inflammatory algorithm in the region of the appendix of the rectum. It is usually associated with a previous attack of acute appendicitis, which is most common in women. Chronic appendicitis is accompanied by characteristic symptoms, but diagnosis is necessary. This will make it possible to determine the causes and subsequent treatment of the pathological condition.

Causes of formation in women

Specialists identify three forms with which chronic appendicitis is associated in adults - this is residual, recurrent, primary chronic. The latter variety, also called residual, occurs in adults and occasionally in children. It is characterized by the presence in the patient's history of one acute attack, which ended in recovery without surgical intervention.

Chronic appendicitis in a relapsing form is repeated attacks of appendicitis with minimal symptoms at the stage of remission. Some experts pay attention to the presence of primary chronic, or inaccessible appendicitis. It develops gradually, with no preceding acute attacks, which are more common in adults than in children.

The residual variety of chronic appendicitis is a consequence of a previously formed attack of this pathological condition. In this case, its relief without surgical removal of the appendix should be considered a prerequisite. It is important to understand that after the subsidence of acute symptoms in the region of the caecum, suitable conditions remain in order to maintain the inflammatory process.

We are talking about adhesions, a cyst, an inflection of the appendix, hyperplasia of the lymphoid tissue - all this greatly complicates its emptying.

Given all this, I would like to draw attention to what are the symptoms of chronic appendicitis. It is their timely identification that will make it possible to start treatment as early as possible, which is necessary not only for adults - women or men, but also for children.

Symptoms of the chronic condition of appendicitis

Symptoms of chronic appendicitis are characterized by a predominance of implicit or even blurred manifestations. The presented pathological condition is associated with the presence of a feeling of discomfort and heaviness. In addition, chronic appendicitis is accompanied by dull aching pains in the region of the right iliac part, which may be permanent or form episodically. Also, such painful sensations are manifested due to physical exertion and any errors in the organization of the diet.

Chronic appendicitis, which occurs in women and men, is often associated with disorders of the digestive system. We are talking about bouts of nausea, flatulence, as well as the formation of constipation or diarrhea. Temperature indicators in the vast majority of cases remain optimal. However, sometimes, especially in the evening, an increase to subfebrile levels is likely.

In the presence of a chronic form of appendicitis, much more varied symptoms can be identified. So, we can talk about the bladder complex, namely, a very painful and frequent repetition of urination. Specialists identify the vaginal symptomatic complex in women, namely the strongest pain during a gynecological examination.

Chronic appendicitis - symptoms can also be associated with a rectal complex of manifestations, in which there is significant pain during a rectal examination. Subsequent attacks of an acute caecum inflammatory condition may present with symptoms that are associated with acute appendicitis.

Given all this, it is safe to say that chronic appendicitis is a condition that is difficult to identify based solely on symptoms.

That is why, in order to determine a clear and correct diagnosis, it is strongly recommended not only to contact a specialist, but also to attend to the implementation of a correct diagnostic examination. In addition to issuing a medical verdict, this will allow you to start an adequate recovery course, which will eliminate the likelihood of complications, critical consequences in women and children.

Diagnosis of the disease

Indirect manifestations of chronic appendicitis can be identified by palpation of the abdomen. We can talk about local pain in the right iliac region, as well as a positive symptom of Obraztsov and quite rarely positive symptoms of Rovsing or Sitkovsky. Specialists draw the attention of patients to the fact that:

  • to detect a condition such as chronic appendicitis, it is strongly recommended to perform radiopaque irrigoscopy associated with the large intestine. The presented examination makes it possible to identify the absence or partial filling of the appendix with barium, slowing down its emptying, which is a direct evidence of changes in the shape of the appendix, narrowing in the area of ​​its lumen;
  • the implementation of colonoscopy makes it possible to reject the presence of any neoplasms in problem areas in men and women. Conducting a survey radiography and ultrasound allows you to achieve a similar visualization in relation to the abdominal region;
  • clinical analyzes of the patient's blood and urine in the presence of chronic appendicitis, in the vast majority of cases, are not associated with any pronounced changes.

In the primary chronic form of appendicitis, the diagnosis is determined by excluding other probable diseases of the peritoneal organs, which are characterized by similar symptoms. It is necessary to carry out a differential diagnosis of the presented pathological condition with the following diseases: stomach ulcer, Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic cholecystitis, spastic colitis.

In addition, speaking of differential diagnosis, I would like to draw attention to the abdominal toad, yersinioso and many other diseases, including gynecological in women and helminthic infestations in children. It is important to consider that the diagnostic examination should include a complete list of procedures, so that the diagnosis remains as correct as possible. Also, in some cases, a second examination may be required to determine certain features of the pathological condition and why signs of chronic appendicitis have formed.

Features of treatment

Particular attention deserves how exactly the treatment of chronic appendicitis should be carried out. In particular, with an already confirmed diagnosis and a stable painful syndrome, it is strongly recommended to take care of surgical treatment. We are talking about the removal of the blind process, which can be performed using an open appendectomy or laparoscopic method. As part of the surgical intervention, a full study of the state of the peritoneal organs is also carried out to identify other likely causes of pain in the right iliac region.

The period after surgery must necessarily be associated with antibiotic therapy. Long-term results after the operation in relation to chronic appendicitis are assessed as more problematic than, for example, after acute appendicitis. This is due to the development of adhesive algorithms.

In the case when mild symptoms are identified in a patient with a chronic form of appendicitis, conservative treatment is resorted to.

We are talking about the use of antispasmodic medicinal components, the introduction of physiotherapy procedures, the elimination of intestinal disorders.

Macroscopic changes in the area of ​​the appendix in the chronic form of appendicitis can remain so blurred that they can be identified only when conducting a morphological examination of the most remote process. In the event that in women or men the blind process remains unchanged, there is a possibility that the operation may further aggravate the already present painful syndrome. As you know, it is he who is the basis for the implementation of appendectomy.

The operation is extremely rarely associated with complications, however, for optimal recovery of the body, it is advisable to stay in a hospital for some time under the supervision of specialists. Special procedures and the use of medicinal components make it possible to speed up the recovery process and minimize pain. In order for the recovery to be even faster, and the likelihood of complications to be minimized, it is necessary to resort to certain preventive measures.

Preventive measures

Proper prevention is a prerequisite not only for women, but also for men. It is she who makes it possible to count on the most rapid recovery of the body. Speaking about prevention, experts mean following a diet, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, drinking plenty of water. It is very important to normalize the activity of the digestive system in order to exclude the possibility of any changes.

In addition, experts insist on the use of vitamin components, additional medicines that make it possible to improve the functioning of the intestines and the entire gastrointestinal tract.

An equally important element of prevention should be considered timely diagnostic examination and treatment of any pathological conditions that cause disorders.

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    1. Can cancer be prevented?
    The occurrence of a disease such as cancer depends on many factors. No one can be completely safe. But everyone can significantly reduce the chances of a malignant tumor.

    2. How does smoking affect the development of cancer?
    Absolutely, categorically ban yourself from smoking. This truth is already tired of everyone. But quitting smoking reduces the risk of developing all types of cancer. Smoking is associated with 30% of cancer deaths. In Russia, lung tumors kill more people than tumors of all other organs.
    Eliminating tobacco from your life is the best prevention. Even if you smoke not a pack a day, but only half, the risk of lung cancer is already reduced by 27%, as the American Medical Association found.

    3. Does excess weight affect the development of cancer?
    Keep your eyes on the scales! Extra pounds will affect not only the waist. The American Institute for Cancer Research has found that obesity contributes to the development of tumors in the esophagus, kidneys, and gallbladder. The fact is that adipose tissue serves not only to store energy reserves, it also has a secretory function: fat produces proteins that affect the development of a chronic inflammatory process in the body. And oncological diseases just appear against the background of inflammation. In Russia, 26% of all cancer cases are associated with obesity.

    4. Does exercise help reduce the risk of cancer?
    Set aside at least half an hour a week for exercise. Sport is on the same level as proper nutrition when it comes to cancer prevention. In the US, a third of all deaths are attributed to the fact that patients did not follow any diet and did not pay attention to physical education. The American Cancer Society recommends exercising 150 minutes a week at a moderate pace or half as much but more vigorously. However, a study published in the journal Nutrition and Cancer in 2010 proves that even 30 minutes is enough to reduce the risk of breast cancer (which affects one in eight women in the world) by 35%.

    5.How does alcohol affect cancer cells?
    Less alcohol! Alcohol is blamed for causing tumors in the mouth, larynx, liver, rectum, and mammary glands. Ethyl alcohol breaks down in the body to acetaldehyde, which then, under the action of enzymes, turns into acetic acid. Acetaldehyde is the strongest carcinogen. Alcohol is especially harmful to women, as it stimulates the production of estrogen - hormones that affect the growth of breast tissue. Excess estrogen leads to the formation of breast tumors, which means that every extra sip of alcohol increases the risk of getting sick.

    6. Which cabbage helps fight cancer?
    Love broccoli. Vegetables are not only part of a healthy diet, they also help fight cancer. This is also why recommendations for healthy eating contain the rule: half of the daily diet should be vegetables and fruits. Especially useful are cruciferous vegetables, which contain glucosinolates - substances that, when processed, acquire anti-cancer properties. These vegetables include cabbage: ordinary white cabbage, Brussels sprouts and broccoli.

    7. Which organ cancer is affected by red meat?
    The more vegetables you eat, the less red meat you put on your plate. Studies have confirmed that people who eat more than 500 grams of red meat per week have a higher risk of developing colon cancer.

    8. Which of the proposed remedies protect against skin cancer?
    Stock up on sunscreen! Women aged 18-36 are particularly susceptible to melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. In Russia, in just 10 years, the incidence of melanoma has increased by 26%, world statistics show an even greater increase. Both artificial tanning equipment and the sun's rays are blamed for this. The danger can be minimized with a simple tube of sunscreen. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology in 2010 confirmed that people who regularly apply a special cream get melanoma half as often as those who neglect such cosmetics.
    The cream should be chosen with a protection factor of SPF 15, applied even in winter and even in cloudy weather (the procedure should turn into the same habit as brushing your teeth), and also do not expose yourself to sunlight from 10 to 16 hours.

    9. Do you think stress affects the development of cancer?
    By itself, stress does not cause cancer, but it weakens the entire body and creates conditions for the development of this disease. Research has shown that constant worry alters the activity of the immune cells responsible for turning on the fight-and-flight mechanism. As a result, a large amount of cortisol, monocytes and neutrophils, which are responsible for inflammatory processes, constantly circulate in the blood. And as already mentioned, chronic inflammatory processes can lead to the formation of cancer cells.

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Chronic appendicitis is a rare form of flaccid inflammation of the appendix (appendix), which develops after an attack of acute appendicitis and is accompanied by atrophic and sclerotic changes in the appendix wall. The disease is more common in young women. It rarely occurs in children and the elderly.

Forms of the disease

There are three forms of chronic appendicitis:

  • residual (residual) form - develops after a previously transferred acute appendicitis, which ended in recovery without surgical intervention;
  • primary chronic form - develops slowly, without a previous attack of acute appendicitis. Some experts question its presence, so the diagnosis of primary chronic appendicitis is made only if the presence of any other pathology that can cause a similar clinical picture is excluded;
  • recurrent form - symptoms of acute appendicitis recurring in the patient are characteristic, which subside after the transition of the disease to the stage of remission.
At any time, chronic appendicitis can turn into an acute form, and untimely performance of a surgical operation in this case threatens to develop peritonitis, a potentially life-threatening condition.

Causes and risk factors

The main reason for the development of chronic appendicitis is a slow-moving infectious inflammatory process in the appendix.

The development of primary chronic inflammation is promoted by disturbances in the trophism and innervation of the appendix wall, which lead to a decrease in local immunity. As a result, the microorganisms contained in the intestine provoke mild inflammation, which can last for many years, causing discomfort and pain in the right side of the abdomen. Under adverse conditions, a sluggish inflammatory process can be sharply activated, and then acute appendicitis develops.

The main cause of chronic appendicitis is a sluggish infectious process

Secondary chronic inflammation is the outcome of acute inflammation of the appendix. If, for one reason or another, surgical treatment of acute appendicitis has not been performed, very dense adhesions are formed in the appendix, reducing its lumen. This causes stagnation in the appendix of the intestinal contents, which provokes a long-term inflammatory process of insignificant activity.

The recurrent form of chronic appendicitis can be caused by both primary and secondary chronic inflammation. Periods of exacerbation of the disease are provoked by various unfavorable factors (stress, hypothermia, acute infectious diseases), which reduce overall immunity and thereby create prerequisites for enhancing the activity of the inflammatory process in the appendix.

Recurrent chronic appendicitis in very rare cases develops after surgical removal of the appendix (appendectomy). This can happen if the surgeon left a piece of the appendix longer than 2 cm.

Symptoms of chronic appendicitis

The symptomatology of chronic appendicitis is blurred, and sometimes it may be completely absent (during periods of remission with a relapsing form). Typically, patients complain of intermittent aching dull pain in the right iliac region. The pains are of low intensity, but can be aggravated under the influence of gross errors in the diet, intense physical exertion.

Other symptoms of chronic appendicitis are:

  • constipation, alternating with diarrhea;
  • nausea;
  • an increase in body temperature in the evening to subfebrile values ​​​​(37.1 - 37.9 ° C).

In women, a symptom of chronic appendicitis is pain that occurs at the time of mechanical impact in the uterine body, for example, during intercourse or gynecological examination using a vaginal speculum.

Pain that occurs during a rectal examination of the prostate may be a symptom of chronic appendicitis in men.

Chronic appendicitis can also be accompanied by the development of vesical manifestations - frequent and painful urination.

With an exacerbation of chronic appendicitis, patients develop a clinical picture corresponding to acute appendicitis.

Diagnosis of chronic appendicitis

Diagnosis of chronic appendicitis is quite difficult, since there are no objective clinical symptoms of the disease. A certain help in the diagnosis is provided by the data of the anamnesis - an indication of the patient to one or more attacks of acute appendicitis he has suffered.

Indirect signs of chronic appendicitis may be weakly positive (without exacerbation) symptoms of Sitkovsky, Rovsing, Obraztsov, as well as the presence of a zone of local pain in the right iliac region.

Chronic appendicitis is more often detected in young women. It rarely occurs in children and the elderly.

If chronic appendicitis is suspected, irrigoscopy (X-ray of the large intestine with contrast) is performed. This reveals the following changes:

  • narrowing of the lumen and deformation of the appendix;
  • incomplete filling of its lumen with contrast;
  • delayed emptying (contrast removal).

To exclude neoplasms in the colon and caecum, colonoscopy is indicated, as well as ultrasound scanning and plain radiography of the abdominal cavity.

Laboratory diagnosis of chronic appendicitis is not very informative, since changes are usually not detected in clinical blood and urine tests, or they are associated with some other pathology.

Differential diagnosis of chronic appendicitis is carried out with the following diseases:

  • gynecological diseases;
  • diseases of the urinary tract;
  • ileotiphlitis and typhlitis;
  • abdominal ischemic disease;
  • peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum.

Treatment of chronic appendicitis

If the diagnosis of chronic appendicitis is not in doubt and the patient has a persistent pain syndrome, an appendectomy is performed - an operation to remove the appendix using a laparoscopic or traditional (open) method.

If there is doubt about the presence of chronic appendicitis, one should refrain from performing an appendectomy, since the removal of an unchanged process in the future usually only aggravates the severity of the pain syndrome that served as the basis for surgical intervention.

Treatment of chronic appendicitis with unexpressed symptoms is conservative. Patients are prescribed antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory drugs, physiotherapy procedures.

Possible consequences and complications

Long-term chronic appendicitis leads to the development of adhesions in the abdominal cavity, which, in turn, can cause intestinal obstruction.

At any time, chronic appendicitis can turn into an acute form, and untimely performance of a surgical operation in this case threatens to develop peritonitis, a potentially life-threatening condition.

Forecast

The prognosis for timely treatment of chronic appendicitis is favorable.

Prevention

There are no special measures for the prevention of chronic appendicitis. It is necessary to adhere to a healthy lifestyle (proper nutrition, giving up bad habits, playing sports, observing the regime of work and rest), which allows you to increase the activity of the immune system and thereby reduce the risk of inflammation in the appendix.

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Chronic appendicitis is a chronic inflammation of the appendix or appendix. Such a disease is observed not so often, and acute appendicitis is considered to be the cause of its development. In such cases, they talk about the residual form of the disease. But sometimes the symptoms of chronic appendicitis occur only periodically, then the patient is diagnosed with a recurrent form of the disease. This usually occurs if, after the removal of the appendix, a stump remains, more than 2 cm long.

Symptoms and Diagnosis

In general, the signs of chronic appendicitis are not much different from the symptoms of the acute form of the disease. The differences are only in their severity and duration. So, often the disease manifests itself:

  • Pain. Usually, patients complain of periodic or even constant discomfort, heaviness on the right in the iliac region and in the center of the abdomen around the navel, which increases after eating, during active physical work, coughing, laughing, especially when lifting the straight right leg in a prone position, etc. In addition, pain can be given to the groin, thigh or lower back.
  • Nausea and vomiting.
  • Constipation or, conversely, diarrhea.

Important: errors in the diet can also provoke a deterioration in the patient's condition.

At the same time, unlike acute appendicitis, the chronic form of the disease is not characterized by:

  • temperature rise;
  • deterioration in general condition;
  • the appearance of weakness, etc.

Attention! With an exacerbation of the disease, all signs of acute appendicitis are observed.

But the symptoms of chronic appendicitis in adults are often supplemented by disorders of the pelvic organs, for example:

  • frequent and painful urination;
  • pain associated with defecation or rectal examinations;
  • discomfort during intercourse or a gynecological examination.

Adult women are more likely than other people to suffer from chronic appendicitis

Therefore, signs of chronic appendicitis in women, namely, they develop this disease most often, are often confused with manifestations of gynecological pathologies. Consequently, patients are often misdiagnosed and given unnecessary therapy while appendicitis continues to serve as a ticking time bomb. To avoid this, it is necessary to undergo a thorough examination, which will include:

  • Ultrasound of the abdominal organs;
  • radiography;

Differential Diagnosis

Since the symptoms of chronic appendicitis are not specific, it is very important to be able to distinguish this ailment from pathologies of other abdominal organs, in particular:

  • ulcers of the stomach or duodenum;
  • Crohn's disease;
  • spastic colitis;
  • cholecystitis;
  • cystitis;
  • vaginitis;
  • pancreatitis;
  • ovarian cysts;
  • adnexitis;
  • proctitis;
  • pyelonephritis;
  • yersiniosis;
  • ileotiphlitis, etc.

Therefore, in particularly difficult cases, patients undergo diagnostic laparoscopy. The essence of this method is to examine the abdominal organs with the help of special equipment, which the specialist introduces through pinpoint punctures of the anterior abdominal wall.

It is very important to diagnose and start treating chronic appendicitis as early as possible, since the constant presence of a focus of infection in the body, of course, does not affect its work in the most favorable way. Moreover, it is fraught with perforation of the appendix with the subsequent development of peritonitis, which can cause the death of the patient.

Treatment

Thus, the question of whether there is chronic appendicitis is no longer worth it. But since this organ, contrary to popular belief, still performs some functions, the task of doctors when such a pathology is detected is to preserve the process of the caecum, if possible. Therefore, treatment often begins with conservative therapy, and only if it is ineffective or if the patient's condition worsens, an operation is prescribed.

Treatment of chronic appendicitis, as a rule, begins with physiotherapy and taking:

  • anti-inflammatory drugs;
  • antibiotics;
  • antispasmodics;
  • immunocorrectors;
  • vitamins;
  • drugs that improve blood circulation;
  • pre- and probiotics.

Attention! Self-administration of any medications can lead to a deterioration in the patient's condition.

Also, patients need to be moderate enough in nutrition and exclude:

  • fried, spicy, salty foods;
  • smoked meats;
  • canned food;
  • alcohol;
  • coffee and chocolate;
  • fat varieties of meat and fish, dishes based on them, etc.

Surgery

As mentioned above, surgery for chronic appendicitis is resorted to when conservative therapy is ineffective or in the presence of powerful, persistent pain. If the patient's condition and the technical capabilities of the clinic allow, the removal of the appendix is ​​performed laparoscopically. Otherwise, the patient undergoes a traditional open appendectomy.

After removal of the appendix by laparoscopic method, no conspicuous traces remain on the human body

  • adhesions;
  • pregnancy, especially in the first trimester;
  • cicatricial changes, etc.

After it, patients can usually return to a full life after 2 months, although this largely depends on the type of operation performed and the course of the postoperative period.

Important: the symptoms of chronic appendicitis can, to a greater or lesser extent, disturb patients for several years, but there is always the possibility of the disease turning into an acute form, so it requires timely treatment.

Treatment with folk remedies

If the disease is sluggish and does not give cause for particular concern, then as part of conservative therapy, patients can begin treatment of chronic appendicitis with folk remedies. As a rule, drugs are used that improve bowel function and strengthen the immune system. This:

  1. In 100 ml of milk, boil 1 tsp for a couple of minutes. cumin seeds and drink an hour after that. It is necessary to take the remedy daily 1 time during the week.
  2. Blackberry leaf tea.
  3. A spoonful of tarragon grass is brewed in a cup of boiling water and taken after a few hours, 50 ml three times a day for 4 days.
  4. In half a liter of boiling water, 20 g of strawberry leaves and the same amount of cuff grass are brewed. The product is kept in a water bath for 2 minutes and drunk during the day.

Attention! You can use any folk remedies only with the permission of a gastroenterologist as an additional measure.

Appendicitis It can occur at any age and in people of any gender. However, statistics show that most often it becomes inflamed in people aged 5-40 years.
Among patients aged 20-40 years, there are twice as many women as men, while among patients under the age of 20, men predominate.
Women are generally affected slightly more often than men. After the age of 40, the probability of developing the disease decreases significantly, but does not become zero.
Therefore, appendicitis can also occur in older people. Appendicitis is also rarely diagnosed in children under 5 years of age.

For your information!

It has been proven that people with an appendix removed have problems getting enough beneficial microorganisms in their intestines. However, the appendix is ​​not one of the vital organs, without which the body cannot exist.

Functions of the appendix not exactly elucidated. Previously, the appendix was considered as a simple evolutionary vestige, like in animals with a herbivore diet, and is now functionally useless. Now there is good reason to believe that it plays an important role in endocrine and immune processes, as well as in the formation of intestinal microflora.

Classification of appendicitis

The main stages of development of appendicitis:

  • catarrhal
  • Phlegmonous
  • Gangrenous
  • Perforated

One of the possible causes and factors provoking development of acute appendicitis, is a violation of the evacuation function of the appendix, which results in the reproduction of the appendix's own microorganisms and the occurrence of inflammation. Cause of acute appendicitis in childhood may become worms.

The main symptoms of acute appendicitis

  • nausea, vomiting
  • rise in body temperature to 37.5-38°C
  • stool retention (sometimes), diarrhea (rare)
  • frequent urination (if the process is located in the pelvic cavity)

For your information!

If the pain spreads throughout the abdomen, then this may indicate the development of peritonitis, which requires immediate surgical intervention.

Pain that gradually gets worse, most often occurs suddenly in the iliac region on the right (this is the lower abdomen) or under the spoon, sometimes in the epigastrium (upper abdomen) or in the navel (paraumbilically). Usually, after 2-3 hours, the pain is concentrated in the right lower abdomen, becoming permanent. Movement and tension intensify the pain, rest reduces it.

Nausea happens quite often, as well as vomiting, more often single, eaten food. With the development of peritonitis, vomiting can resume and repeat many times.
If acute appendicitis is suspected, it is urgent to call an ambulance, since the sooner the operation is performed, the less the risk of developing severe complications.

How to check if it's appendicitis or not...

Appendicitis is difficult to recognize, this should be done by the surgeon. Its main symptom is pain. The pain is most often localized in the right lower abdomen. Due to the peculiarities of innervation, sometimes it is impossible to determine what exactly hurts: there is no point at which pain is concentrated.

That's why appendicitis usually starts with pain in general in the abdomen or around the belly button. Then the pain may move to the right, but this is not necessary. The pain is constant and gradually gets worse.

You can’t put pressure on your stomach on your own and try to feel what hurt there. Due to the strong impact, the appendix can, roughly speaking, break through. This will lead to complications.

Only safe tests can be performed:

  • Cough. When coughing, the pain on the right side will increase, this is a symptom of a cough shock.
  • Lie in the fetal position (curl up) on your right side. In this case, the pain should subside.
  • Turn on your left side and stretch your legs. With appendicitis, the pain will become stronger and should be localized in the lower abdomen on the right.
  • Lying on your left side, lightly press your palm on the sore spot, then abruptly release. With appendicitis, the pain will get worse the moment you let go.

Complications of appendicitis

With late seeking medical help and attempts at self-treatment, complications such as infiltration, abscess, peritonitis, etc. can develop quite quickly (from several hours to 2-3 days).

Infiltrate- involvement in the inflammatory process of neighboring organs of the abdominal cavity (omentum, caecum, loop of the small intestine) with the formation of a seal, which either resolves under the influence of conservative treatment, or fester, turning into an abscess.

Abscess- purulent inflammation, causing local inflammation of the peritoneum adjacent to the appendix.

- purulent inflammation that has spread throughout the peritoneum in the absence of measures aimed at treating the abscess.

After these complications, adhesions of the intestine with other organs often occur.

Diagnosis and treatment of appendicitis

Attention IMPORTANT!

1. Before the arrival of the ambulance and until the diagnosis is established, the use of laxatives and heating pads on the stomach is unacceptable.
2. In the absence of available qualified medical care or with a long wait, it is necessary to lay the patient down, put cold on his stomach and not eat (“cold, hunger and rest”); only a small amount of water is allowed.

The following examinations are carried out in the hospital to confirm the diagnosis:

  • blood and urine test
  • x-ray of the abdomen and chest

One of the early indicators of acute appendicitis is an increase in the number of leukocytes with normal ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate), a shift of the leukocyte formula to the left.

It should be noted that there are many diseases that manifest similar symptoms to appendicitis (acute gastroenteritis, adnexitis, pancreatitis and cholecystitis, right-sided renal colic, right-sided, ectopic pregnancy, etc.), in most of which surgery is not indicated.
Therefore, in difficult cases diagnostic laparoscopy, which not only prevents unnecessary surgical intervention, reliably excluding appendicitis, but also (with confirmation of the diagnosis) allows you to perform the operation in a less traumatic endoscopic way.

The operation is not done with a calm course of the appendicular infiltrate, if there is a tendency to its resorption. In such situations, observing bed rest, cold is applied to the right iliac region, a light diet and antibacterial drugs. However, after resorption of the infiltrate, 3-4 months after recovery, it is recommended to remove the appendix, due to the fact that the risk of its re-inflammation in such people is much higher.

Acute to chronic appendicitis(manifested by unsharp constant or colicky pains mainly in the right iliac region) occurs extremely rarely, usually if the patient has not been operated on for any reason, and all acute signs of the disease have subsided.

FAQ:

Which side of appendicitis?- Answer: The appendix is ​​located (on the right) in the right iliac region!


Attention! the information on the site is not a medical diagnosis, or a guide to action and is for informational purposes only.