Appendix is a small tail of tissue attached at the end of the intestine. It is usually thought to be a useless organ and shrunken evidence of a distant grass-eating ancestor that is of no use for us at present. However, the appendix is full of immunity boosting lymphoid tissue that can have a great contribution to the heath. But, the doctors claim that the removal of appendix does not have any effect on the health.

Appendicitis is considered to occur between the ages of 10 and 40. After the age of 40 the organ shrinks and becomes less bothersome. It has been noted that men are more likely to suffer from appendicitis as compared to women. The cause of the infection is believed to be the obstruction in the appendix that can lead to a local inflammation. The inflammation in some cases can be a result of a cause that is unknown. The symptoms start with a pain in the center of the stomach or a loss of appetite. This can be accompanied with mild fever, nausea and loss of appetite. This pain gradually extends to the location of the appendix.

These however are not symptoms that are bound to determine that the person is suffering from appendicitis. The symptoms can easily be mistaken for other conditions. Some of the other medical conditions that can be confused with appendicitis include:

• Diverticulitis, which is the inflammation of the colon. In this condition, pain is caused on the left side of the abdomen but it can also be at the right side, which is quite close to the location of the appendix.

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is the most frequently confused disease. Most of the symptoms of IBS like diarrhea, cramping in the lower abdomen, constipation are similar to the symptoms of appendicitis. IBS is actually caused due to food intolerance.

• The other conditions are the pelvic inflammatory disease that is a disease of the ovaries and the fallopian tubes.

• A duodenal ulcer

• Disease affecting the gall bladder

• An inflammatory liver disease

• Celiac disease another gastro-intestinal disease is confused with appendicitis. It has been surveyed that over 70 percent of people suffering from celiac disease underwent appendectomy before they were diagnosed correctly.

All these help to explain why on an average in one out of eight appendectomies the surgeons find the appendix to be healthy. The rate of the unnecessary surgeries has not changed in the years and despite the invention of new diagnostic and imaging techniques, appendicitis is still confused with other disease conditions.

It is important to realize that appendicitis is not an end-stage condition. It has been understood recently that the condition can resolve by itself similar to any other infection. However, in cases where it does not resolve on its own you can easily undergo a minor surgery that is safe and simple. Now, there are a number of homeopathic medicines and also some traditional Chinese medicines that are being used to cure the infection.

Jason Ladock

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