First aid for appendicitis

Appendicitis is a rather insidious disease that may not manifest itself for a long period. The symptoms of this disease are serious and severe, so at their first manifestations, you should consult a doctor. It is important to remember that this is not to be trifled with, as the consequences can be very serious. In the event that medical care is not provided on time, appendicitis can be fatal. In addition, it is important to be able to provide first aid before the arrival of medical workers. The right care can save a person’s life.

Often there are cases when the pain caused by inflammation of the vermiform appendix of the caecum – the appendix subsides and disappears on its own. It is important to understand that if this pathology is present, then it will still manifest itself in the near future. In addition, it can contribute to the development of a chronic form of the disease.

Also, pain may disappear when only the mucous membrane has been affected. The pain goes away with a breakthrough of pus. For this reason, even doctors can not always quickly diagnose the disease.

Anyone who can help in such a situation should understand that this is very serious and in this case it is impossible to succumb to the persuasion of a sick person. After all, pus in the abdominal cavity is dangerous. Such circumstances are a difficult test for human health.

Types of appendicitis

Appendicitis can be divided into 2 types: chronic and acute. Most often, you can encounter it with the acute form of the disease. Acute appendicitis develops rapidly and is manifested by pronounced symptoms, there are growing pains in the navel, nausea and vomiting. A few hours later, the pain makes itself felt in the right lower quarter of the abdomen, in the region of the caecum. At first, the pain is constant and aching, then it intensifies, especially when walking, jumping, coughing and trying to lie down on the left side.

In some cases, diarrhea or constipation may occur. A person’s well-being worsens significantly, dry mouth appears, body temperature rises and fluctuates between 37-38 ° C. It is worth noting that in older people these symptoms may appear less pronounced, despite the rather severe course of the disease. In children under 5 years of age, the symptoms of appendicitis are not as pronounced as in adults. Pain often does not have a clear localization. You can recognize appendicitis in a small child by fever, diarrhea, and the presence of plaque on the tongue. Despite the fact that other, much less dangerous diseases may have such symptoms, the young patient must be shown to the doctor.

Appendicitis is called catarrhal when the inflammatory process extends only to the mucous membrane of the appendix. In some cases, the attack may stop. However, most often inflammation covers the entire area of ​​uXNUMXbuXNUMXbthe appendix and causes a rupture of the wall, as a result of which pus enters the peritoneum. Such appendicitis is called perforated.

Purulent inflammation of the abdominal cavity is called peritonitis. This is a rather serious disease, which entails serious consequences. Therefore, if a patient is diagnosed with acute appendicitis, it is necessary to operate immediately, which will significantly reduce the risk of dangerous complications.

Diagnosis of appendicitis

Diagnosis of appendicitis is carried out by the surgeon. First, an anamnesis is taken and the patient is interviewed, as well as a visual examination with palpation of the abdomen. During the examination, clear symptoms are revealed, indicating the presence of the disease. A rectal examination of the rectum (finger), a study of urine and blood, an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity is also carried out.

If in doubt, the doctor may prescribe a laparoscopic examination. Doctors should pay special attention to pregnant women when diagnosing appendicitis. In their case, the signs of the disease are very similar to the symptoms of pregnancy: nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain. In women, it is also necessary to exclude gynecological pathology – acute adnexitis, ovarian apoplexy, ectopic pregnancy. For this purpose, a consultation with a gynecologist, examination on a chair, ultrasound of the pelvic organs is carried out. In children, appendicitis is differentiated from acute respiratory viral infections, childhood infections, coprostasis, diseases of the urinary system and gastrointestinal tract. Acute appendicitis should be differentiated from right-sided renal colic, acute cholecystitis and pancreatitis, perforated gastric and duodenal ulcers, diverticulitis, food poisoning, intestinal obstruction, right-sided pneumonia, acute myocardial infarction. Therefore, in diagnostically unclear cases, additional methods are used – biochemical blood samples, plain radiography of the lungs and abdominal cavity, ECG, diagnostic laparoscopy.

Symptoms of the disease

Acute appendicitis begins with sharp pains in the lower abdomen on the right, in the navel or throughout the abdomen. A few hours after the onset of the attack, the pain remains only in the lower abdomen. The pain gradually increases and intensifies with any movement and coughing. The disease is also characterized by nausea and vomiting.

Body temperature may rise up to 38,5°C and may sometimes remain within the normal range. Stools and gas most often linger, but there are also cases when appendicitis causes diarrhea.

First Aid

At the stage of prehospital care, if appendicitis is suspected, bed rest, exclusion of liquid and food intake, application of cold to the right iliac region are shown. Next, you should call a doctor or go to the hospital yourself.

It is important to remember that acute appendicitis requires immediate surgical intervention. It is strictly forbidden to take laxatives and painkillers, use a heating pad until the final diagnosis is established.

If a person has not been operated on for acute appendicitis, and the symptoms disappear on their own, it is important to remember that they can recur, but a second attack will be more severe and can lead to serious consequences. This kind of disease is called chronic appendicitis. According to surgeons, appendectomy in chronic appendicitis is indicated if there is a persistent pain syndrome that deprives the patient of normal activity. With relatively mild symptoms, conservative tactics can be applied, including the elimination of constipation, the use of antispasmodic drugs, and physiotherapy.

Sometimes the inflammatory process is concluded only in the mucous membrane. If the entire contents of the process enter the caecum, then the pain disappears. But one should not hope that everything went away by itself, because even a doctor cannot always quickly determine the severity of the inflammatory process. The result may be gangrene of the intestine. Therefore, it is extremely important to remove the appendix in order to protect a person’s life from dangerous complications.

It is important to understand that only a doctor can establish the correct diagnosis. But adequate first aid provided in time for suspected appendicitis will greatly simplify the work of physicians and, possibly, save the patient’s life.

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