Appendicitis

Appendicitis is swelling (inflammation) of the appendix. The appendix is a small pouch attached to the beginning of your large intestine.
                  
 Appendicitis is a condition in which your appendix becomes inflamed and fills with pus. Your appendix is a finger-shaped pouch that projects out from your colon on the lower right side of your abdomen. This small structure has no known essential purpose, but that doesn't mean it can't cause problems.

Appendicitis causes pain that typically begins around your navel and then shifts to your lower right abdomen. Appendicitis pain typically increases over a period of 12 to 18 hours and eventually becomes very severe.
                             Appendicitis can affect anyone, but it most often occurs in people between the ages of 10 and 30. The standard appendicitis treatment is surgical removal of the appendix.

Causes:
Appendicitis is one of the most common causes of emergency abdominal surgery in the United States. It usually occurs when the appendix becomes blocked by feces, a foreign object, or rarely, a tumor.
• An obstruction. Food waste or a hard piece of stool (fecal stone) can block the opening of the cavity that runs the length of your appendix.
• An infection. Appendicitis may also follow an infection, such as a gastrointestinal viral infection, or it may result from other types of inflammation.
In both cases, bacteria inside the appendix multiply rapidly, causing the appendix to become inflamed, swollen and filled with pus. If not treated promptly, the appendix can rupture

Symptoms:
The symptoms of appendicitis can vary. It can be hard to diagnose appendicitis in young children, the elderly, and women of childbearing age.
The first symptom is often pain around your belly button. (See: Abdominal pain) The pain may be minor at first, but it becomes more sharp and severe. Your appetite will be reduced, and you may have nausea, vomiting, and a low fever.
As the swelling in the appendix increases, the pain tends to move into your right lower abdomen. It focuses right above the appendix at a place called McBurney's point. This most often occurs 12 to 24 hours after the illness starts.
If your appendix breaks open (ruptures), you may have less pain for a short time and you may feel better. However, once the lining of your abdominal cavity becomes swollen and infected (a condition called peritonitis), the pain gets worse and you become sicker.
Your pain may be worse when you walk or cough. You may prefer to lie still because sudden movement causes pain.

Later symptoms include:
• Chills
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Fever
•
• Nausea
• Shaking
• Vomiting
• Aching pain that begins around your navel and often shifts to your lower right abdomen
• Pain that becomes sharper over several hours
• Tenderness that occurs when you apply pressure to your lower right abdomen
• Sharp pain in your lower right abdomen that occurs when the area is pressed on and then the pressure is quickly released (rebound tenderness)
• Pain that worsens if you cough, walk or make other jarring movements
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Low-grade fever
• Constipation
• Inability to pass gas
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal swelling
The location of your pain may vary, depending on your age and the position of your appendix. Young children or pregnant women, especially, may have appendicitis pain in different places.
Homoeopathic treatment:

Belladonna
In the early stages of this affection where there is severe pain in the ileo-caecal region, where the slightest touch cannot be borne,and patient lies on back,this remedy will be found most useful. It corresponds to the pain, the vomiting , the paralysis of the intestine. It comes in after the chill of the Aconite stage has passed off and the inflammation has localized itself. Much pain contra-indicates Aconite. Ferrum phosphoricum and Kali muriaticum have proved themselves clinically in inflammation about the ileo-caecal region and their indications rest on clinical grounds only. Belladonna is especially useful in catarrhal and recurring cases.
Bryonia
As in all inflammations about serous membranes, Bryonia will here find a place. It has throbbing and sharp stitching pains confined to a limited spot and the patient is constipated. The ileo-caecal region is very sore and sensitive to touch. Any movement is painful and the patient lies perfectly still and on the painful side. The febrile disturbance of the drug will be present. Mercurius being Homoeopathic inflammation of the mucous membranes deserves consideration, especially has it hard swelling, fever, flushed face,red,dry tongue, etc.
Arsenicum
When the condition points to sepsis Arsenicum may be the remedy. There are chills, hectic symptoms, diarrhea and restlessness,and sudden sinking of strength. It relieves vomiting in these conditions more quickly than any other remedy. Dr.Mitchell finds it more often indicated in appendicitis than Mercurius corrosivus, which may also be a useful remedy. Arnica is a remedy suiting septic cases and it should be employed after operations.
Rhus toxicodendron
This remedy, with its great correspondence to septic troubles may be required, and may be indicated by its peculiar symptoms; locally, took it has extensive swelling over the ileo-caecal region and great pain, causing an incessant restlessness. Dr.Cartier, of Paris, recommends Rhus radicans 6. in appendicitis of influenza origin at the onset. Hepar has a deep-seated induration and Dioscorea has proved a valuable, remedy when the pain is constant, the patient never being entirely free from pain. One observer claims Dioscorea to be as important a remedy in appendicitis as is Bryonia in hepatitis. It indications are bowels filled with gas and griping, twisting pains. It may be given in hot water. It is a far more inflammatory remedy than Colocynth, deeper acting, and its paroxysmal pains are an indication. Echinacea, it is claimed, has acted brilliantly in septic appendicitis; the tincture, 1X and 3x are the strengths used. No indications except septic condition; tiredness is characteristic.
Lachesis
This is also a valuable remedy; its great characteristics of sensitiveness all over the abdomen, and stitching from the seat of the inflammation backward and downward to the thighs, will indicate it in this disease. The patient lies on the back with knees drawn up, and other general Lachesis symptoms present. Plumbum has a tense swelling in the ileo-caecal region, painful to touch and on movement; the abdominal walls are retracted, there are eructations of gas and vomiting and both have a faecal odor.

Ignatia
 is the remedy for the nervous symptoms of the disease, and to be used in cases where operation has been performed and no relief has resulted; also in those who become exceeding nervous from any abdominal pain. Undoubtedly many cases of simple colic ares diagnosed as appendicitis and operated upon. Therefore, purely colic remedies as Colocynth and Magnesia phosphorica should be studied. The foregoing remedies will be found the most commonly indicated any may be used in both operable and non-operable cases as well as in conjunction with the meritorious ;oil treatment of the disease advocated by Dr.M.O.Terry, formerly of Utica, N.Y