Symptoms of appendicitis and its chronic form
Appendicitis is a fairly common disease. One part of the population knows first hand what appendicitis is, which already led them to the operating table. The second part of the population is waiting and with fear listens to any pain in the right side.
However, both those and the latter do not quite represent either the essence of this disease or its signs. What should every schoolboy know about appendicitis? What symptoms should be able to recognize each person?
Appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix of the cecum, which requires prompt surgical treatment. Unfortunately, in many people, the disease is associated only with severe pain in the right side, whereas the symptoms of this disease are much greater. So, there was a suspicion of the disease, the symptoms of appendicitis can easily be recognized by everyone, if it is armed with the necessary knowledge.
Symptoms and signs
Any symptoms in medicine are conventionally divided into primary and secondary. Primary manifest themselves immediately, and they are the salutary signal to action that can prevent the serious consequences of the disease. When the turn of secondary symptoms comes, it is already too late.
The first signs of appendicitis manifest themselves as follows:
- First of all this sharp pain , which originates in the navel area, but then gradually shifts and concentrates in the right side in the lower abdomen. How to distinguish this pain from the usual pain painful periods, swelling of the bowels or poisoning? It does not stop even when taking an anesthetic and has a cramping character. Over time, the pain becomes stronger. Any movement, laughter, sneezing or coughing will cause unbearable pain to a person.
- Half of the patients have vomiting and nausea .
- is coated with a white coating and becomes wet.
- In some cases, is observed with an increase in body temperature .
Symptoms of a child's appendicitis
Some believe that the symptoms of appendicitis in adults and children are the same. Indeed, appendicitis in children has the same symptoms as in adults, but there are some points, knowledge of which will help in the correct diagnosis of babies.
The peculiarity of children's appendicitis is that if an adult can explain what is happening to him, then we can only guess about his illness from his behavior.
- Of course, the child will complain of pain in the lower abdomen on the right side.
- Children in every way protect the place that they have pain, so often it is impossible to do palpation: the child will not give to touch the inflamed part of the body. If you take a sick child in his arms, he will begin to cry even more.
- The child will try to cope with this pain with the help of various poses: he will lie down on his side and press his legs under him - so the pain for some time ceases.
Signs of appendicitis in pregnant women
A complex case is the symptoms of appendicitis in pregnant women, in this case they are very similar to labor contractions, so qualified diagnosticians can be done only by qualified specialists.
However, to try to recognize in the severe pain experienced by a pregnant woman, namely appendicitis, it is quite possible for those who happened to be with her at that moment. Appendicitis in pregnancy symptoms is slightly different than signs of labor.
The pain may not be so sharp and not as pronounced as that of non-pregnant ones.
- The heart rate increases.
- Body temperature increases significantly and rapidly.
- Single or multiple vomiting can be observed.
- Bloating.
- The pregnant woman will have difficulty breathing and severe shortness of breath.
If you are still not sure what exactly is the cause of this condition of a pregnant woman, do not take any action - try to get the patient to get to the hospital as soon as possible, where she will be provided with qualified assistance.
Acute appendicitis
Appendicitis can be both acute and chronic. Depending on the type of disease, the symptomatology will differ, and it will be better if each person knows these differences. The fact is that different types of disease involve different treatments and different first aid.
Suppose that the symptoms of acute appendicitis in this case will be as follows.
- First, there is a feeling of discomfort somewhere in the stomach. Then the patient begins to feel pain in the navel, which will rapidly gain momentum, grow and gradually shift to the bottom of the right side.
- The patient refuses food.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- At palpation the patient feels the strongest pain at which muscles of a stomach involuntarily strain.
- The temperature rises( fever starts).
- The hospital shows an increased level of leukocytes in the blood.
At the first symptoms of acute appendicitis, it is necessary to call a doctor to the patient, so that he determines the condition of the patient and his further treatment.
Symptomatic appendicitis of chronic
Chronic appendicitis begins to develop shortly after a recent attack of acute appendicitis if it has not been surgically treated. In this case, the following processes will occur in the patient's body.
- Repetition of painful attacks of acute appendicitis, which will then subside, then manifest themselves with renewed vigor. Especially such attacks will be provoked even by insignificant physical exertion.
- Sometimes there are constipation, which the patient has never suffered before.
- Decreased appetite.
- Often the patient becomes inexplicably irritable.
In case of chronic appendicitis, the patient should be constantly observed by the doctor.
Symptoms of this disease can be recognized by everyone. Everyone should remember that a timely diagnosis in this case can save the patient's life. Since the symptoms of inflammation are sufficiently pronounced, you can give the person the first possible help in time and call the doctor in a timely manner. This is a serious enough disease - appendicitis, and its symptoms should be known to everyone from the school bench.