What is the difference between appendicitis and appendicitis? | Appendicitis

What is the difference between appendicitis and appendicitis?

In case of irritation of the appendix, the appendix or appendix can be irritated by various causes. Since the appendix contains many cells of the immune system, infections can quickly develop due to pathogens. If the appendix is irritated, pain can occur mostly in the right lower abdomen, similar to appendicitis.

An appendicitis follows after an irritation if there are still causes for inflammation. In the case of an irritation of the appendix, the lower abdomen is usually very painful due to pressure. In the case of appendicitis, on the other hand, typical examinations can be performed, for example the “contralateral release pain“.

In this examination, the examiner presses his fingers into the left lower abdomen and when he lets go, the right lower abdomen of the patient with appendicitis is very painful. In the case of appendicitis, the pain may be more pronounced compared to appendicitis. In addition to pain, nausea, vomiting or fever may occur. It is recommended to consult a doctor and have the cause of the complaints clarified. In the case of appendicitis, there is a risk of a rupture where the inflammatory material enters the abdomen and can cause an infection of the entire abdominal cavity.

What is chronic appendicitis?

If one speaks of appendicitis, the acute appendicitis is usually meant. This must be distinguished from chronic appendicitis. In the case of chronic appendicitis, small acute appendicitis recurs time and again, but it heals by itself.

Symptoms are repeated slight pain in the right lower abdomen, disturbed digestion and indisposition. Due to the repeated slight inflammations, however, adhesions and adhesions can occur in the area around the appendix. If these adhesions are very pronounced, parts of the intestine may become trapped.

This leads to a mechanical closure of the intestinal passage and the digestion and transport in the intestine comes to a standstill. In the case of chronic appendicitis, there is no risk of a rupture, as the inflammation heals again and again beforehand. Accordingly, no operation is necessary.

However, if an intestinal obstruction occurs due to the adhesions, it may have to be treated surgically. In appendicitis, besides the other symptoms, pain is the main focus of attention, which is a significant burden of suffering for the patient. Pain is the first and most important sign of this disease.

For the physician they are extremely important, as the type and occurrence of the pain is of great importance for the further procedure and the diagnosis. Appendicitis has some typical pain phenomena which are also used in diagnostics. The pain usually begins around the navel or near the stomach.

From there they descend into the right lower abdomen within 12 to 24 hours. This phenomenon known as “wandering pain” is characteristic of appendicitis. The pain can be very severe at the beginning, but usually starts moderately and increases sharply in the first few hours.

They can also subside and then reappear in the lower abdomen. Further typical pains of appendicitis are described below. The first to be mentioned is the pain of letting go.

(see above). This maneuver belongs to every examination in case of suspected appendicitis. In addition, stroking out the colon against the natural direction of food in the direction of the appendix causes severe pain, since the intestinal contents are pushed back and the appendix hurts due to stretching.

Pain when walking is also often described. This is due to the tension of the muscle that lifts the leg, which is located near the appendicitis and activates the irritated nerve fibres when tensed. Because of the different anatomical position types in the abdomen that the appendix can have, pain is also observed in places other than the right lower abdomen.

Although pain is a decisive symptom of appendicitis, it also occurs in a variety of other incidents. However, if the typical pain occurs and gets worse, a doctor should be consulted, as time is an important factor in the prognosis of appendicitis. Do you have any further questions about the pain of appendicitis?

In most cases, the pain of appendicitis moves from the middle upper abdomen to the right lower abdomen just above the navel. However, depending on the location of the appendix, the pain can also be localised in other regions of the abdomen. The appendix can slip behind the appendix and be found there in an ascending position, in which case the pain is more likely to be felt in the right flank or back than in the right lower abdomen. In rare cases the appendix may be located lower than normal, then the pain is more likely to be in the pelvis and pelvic organs may be irritated. If the appendix is higher than normal, the pain is more likely to be in the right upper abdomen.