LIFESTYLE OR MEDICATION?

Lifestyle or Medication? Syrita McClendon HCA/240

LIFESTYLE OR MEDICATION?

Lifestyle or Medication?

Appendicitis is the number one cause of emergency surgery in the United States. Your appendix is a thin, pouch-like organ that is attached to your large intestine. Appendicitis is the inflammation and/ or infection of the appendix. The inside of the appendix is called the appendiceal lumen. The appendiceal lumen creates mucus which empties out into the large intestine. The appendiceal lumen can become blocked or clogged with foreign objects, mucus, feces, or even a tumor. Scientists have tried to figure out what the appendix is for, or what function it provides to the human body but there is no major function the appendix has. It is known that removing the appendix does not appear to have any major effect on someones body or health.

I was diagnosed with appendicitis and had it surgically removed 2 years ago. I did not have any knowledge, or any obvious symptoms that had had the condition. One night, I woke up with a slight, but very noticeable pain in my right side. I tried to walk it off and not wake my husband from his sleep. A few hours passed and I could not fall back asleep because of the pain. Within the next few hours, the pain had gotten so bad, I was bent over in a fetus-like position wrenching in pain. Since it was so painful, I could not even get up to alert my husband. Finally he had woken up from hearing my cries. I was rushed to the hospital and was given morphine, which did not help the pain. After I had the emergency surgery, I was told that my appendix was so swollen, it would have burst in a matter of hours. Also, since it was so enlarged, doctors had to make 3 incisions to remove it, instead of just one.

Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent appendicitis. However, there are a few lifestyle changes that can be made that can help prevent the condition from occurring and there are some nonsurgical treatments available if someone is not well enough to undergo surgery, or it the diagnosis of appendicitis is not very certain. People who have a high fiber diet, such as consuming high amount of fruits, vegetables and wholegrain, can help lower your chances of developing appendicitis. Fiber makes stool softer, therefore making it harder to clog up the appendiceal lumen. This can be considered a lifestyle

LIFESTYLE OR MEDICATION?

change because many people find it difficult to eat a high fiber diet. To make the change easier, there are recipes you can follow to include high fiber foods in your diet without eating them directly, such as making smoothies including fruits and vegetables. Some nonsurgical treatment of appendicitis includes taking a prescription antibiotic to fight the infection and consuming only a liquid or soft food diet.

LIFESTYLE OR MEDICATION?

References National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2008). Appendicitis. Retrieved from http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/appendicitis/index.aspx

U.S. National Library of Medicine. (2013). Appendicitis. Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/appendicitis.html