Appendicitis: treatments and useful tips

Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, constipation or diarrhea, fever and abdominal pain that worsens with movement or even just coughing: the doubt that these are the symptoms of appendicitis is legitimate.

How to behave? Contacting your doctor is essential to get the correct diagnosis. Equally important is to do it as quickly as possible. In fact, both in adults and children, surgery is the most frequent solution and times are tight: generally within 12 -24 hours the appendix is removed.

What to do while waiting for the doctor

Since emergency surgery is a very likely situation, it is best to avoid eating and drinking precisely to prepare for the operation.

Even more important is not to try to reduce pain by taking painkillers or antispasmodics; In fact, the result could be a masking of symptoms that would make it more difficult to diagnose appendicitis.

Is it always necessary to operate?

A correct diagnosis is essential to choose whether to intervene surgically. The doctor may decide to keep mild, subacute or chronic forms under control with antibiotics and prescribing an appropriate diet, avoiding or at least limiting the consumption of certain foods. Let’s see what they are.

However, this does not eliminate the risk of having to resort to emergency surgery later in time.

The simple treatment with antibiotics and ice pack, among other things, could even predispose to relapses, sometimes even more serious.

In fact, bacterial invasion that can be kept under control by antibiotics is only a secondary event to obstruction of the appendix by feces or food residues, which is the primary cause of inflammation and which is not cured by drug treatment.

Surgery is mandatory in cases of acute appendicitis with perforation and peritonitis, where antibiotic therapy may only be needed to reduce the infection before the operation.

How is the intervention?

Removal of the appendix (appendectomy) is carried out under general anesthesia by making an incision in the lower abdomen, on the right.

Today laparoscopic surgery is increasingly frequent, which requires only small incisions (usually near the navel) through which both the instruments to remove the appendix and the laparoscope, which allows to visualize the internal organs, are inserted into the abdominal cavity.

This technique allows a more certain diagnosis, reduces complications, the post-operative period and the time to return to normal daily activities, and in obese subjects it is simpler.

In case of rupture of the appendix it may be necessary to insert a small tube into the abdominal cavity to eliminate pus and other liquids; This drainage system is removed, typically, after a few days, when the risk of infection has been eliminated.

When to resume normal activities

Once the appendix is removed, you need to give yourself some time to get back in shape, especially in case of peritonitis, when you may need a hospital stay of 7-12 days.

In the simplest cases, however, it is only required not to drink or eat in the 24-72 hours following surgery. During this period, hydration will be carried out intravenously and, if necessary, antibiotic protective therapy may be prescribed.

After this period it will be possible to gradually start drinking again first and, then, eating. If surgery, fasting and prolonged stay in bed cause constipation, it may be useful to enrich the diet with cereals and vegetables.

To prevent the wound from becoming infected, it is good to treat it regularly and avoid wetting it before it has healed well. Your doctor will decide whether you should continue antibiotic therapy.

Everyday activities must resume gradually and prudently; It is better, for example, not to play sports until four or five weeks have passed since surgery.