What food can cause appendicitis is the question most people ask when they come in contact with a person who is suffering from this disease.
Early diagnosis is very important, and this is true when it has to do with a tricky disease as appendicitis. Appendicitis is one of the most common causes of abdominal pain, just like it is also one of the most common surgical emergencies.
What Exactly Is Appendix?
Appendix is a little finger-shaped tubular structure that is found on the right side of the abdomen. Appendix is part of our gastrointestinal tract, but it’s a vestigial organ. Blockage, or obstruction, in the appendix, can lead to appendicitis.
Research is still going on, to know the function of the appendix, but yes, your body can function without it.
What Exactly Is Appendicitis?
Appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix. The inflammation is mostly caused by a blockage that is created due to a bacterial infection. Appendicitis found in school children is about 0.34%, and in adults about, 0.25% of the population suffers from appendicitis. It does not give any warning sign, but it occurs when the appendix gets blocked or infected.
Appendicitis is a really tricky disease because its symptoms are pretty much common and vague, like a mild fever and pain around the navel. This pain is usually neglected or confused with a stomachache, gastritis, gallbladder issues or urinary tract infection and masked up with antibiotics. Unfortunately, if left untreated, appendicitis can be life-threatening.
Who Can Get Appendicitis?
Anyone can develop this illness but it is most common among people whose age ranges from 10 to 30 years of age. It is most common in males than females and can run in some families too.
Appendicitis is diagnosed on the basis of the medical history of the patient and physical examination by the healthcare expert. Blood and urine tests, along with x-rays, etc can help in diagnosing appendicitis.
Symptoms Of Appendicitis
- Fever
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Painful urination
- Swollen belly
- Inability to pass gas
- Pain in the region around the navel
- Loss of appetite
- Constipation or diarrhoea
Causes Of Appendicitis
There are multiple causes of appendicitis but lots of them are unknown. However, here are some of the known and common causes of appendicitis.
- Enlarged lymphoid follicles
- Tumours
- Abdominal trauma
When there is a blockage in the appendicular tube, it causes bacteria to breed which may lead to the formation of pus, adding to excessive pressure inside the appendix. This causes severe pain in the lower right side of the stomach.
Treatment Of Appendicitis
Appendicitis treatment involves an inevitable appendectomy surgery. It is necessary to remove the appendix after appendicitis to avoid any further complications. A burst of the appendix can be a life-threatening condition.
In the case of a ruptured appendix, an immediate surgery is required. However, if the burst has not occurred, all the accumulated pus is sucked out through a tube, after which the surgery takes place. Appendectomy can be performed in two different ways; open surgery and laparoscopy. Laparoscopy is a less invasive technique and, it has a shorter recovery period. However, if appendicitis has ruptured the appendix, open surgery is the only option. In extremely rare cases, if appendicitis is diagnosed at a very primitive stage, it can be treated without surgery with only the use of antibiotics and a liquid diet.
Prevention Of Appendicitis
It may not be possible to prevent appendicitis; but it may be less common in people who eat foods high in fibre, like fresh fruits and vegetables.
Some healthy choices and habits can prove helpful.
Food That Prevents Appendicitis
Food that are rich in fibre are recommended as appendicitis seems less likely if you have a fibre-rich diet. It is advised to include the things below in your diet:
- Oats or wheat gram over breakfast cereals
- Whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour
- Brown rice instead of white rice
- Fresh fruits for dessert
What Food Can Cause Appendicitis: Food To Avoid
- Processed, fried, and junk foods that are highly fatty and can irritate the digestive system.
- Alcohol harms the liver and thus affects digestion.
- Red meat contains a lot of fat and is difficult to digest.
- Sugary food items like cakes, pastries, etc.
Appendicitis can be cured at the Its early stage, and it is important to get the right medical care quickly. To avoid any further complications, it is important to understand the potential health risks appendicitis will pose on your body so as to get a preventive medical health check-up done by experts proves to be beneficial to get the right aid at the right time. A timely check-up can be the right investment to save you from medical, financial, physical, and psychological strain.
If you notice any condition that causes inflammation or infection of the bowels, it is important to see your doctor. Seeking early medical attention is vital. Also, modifying your eating habits and lifestyle can be a key to a healthy life. Apart from bacteria or infection, there are some foods that can really affect your appendix.
Foods That Cause Appendicitis
- Seeds
Some cases revealed that seeds of vegetables and fruits can result in appendicitis. The seeds of different foods may cause blockage in the appendix, such as cumin, nut, oat, fig, quaver fruit, grape, barley, oranges, cocoa, date, and melon.
Some studies also say that seeds have natural toxins. There are many fruits and vegetables that contain seeds. When taking fruits like orange, some people’s system digest it, while some cannot digest it. It is best you don’t swallow seeds.
- Fatty Food
There are no warning signs that can help you know that you should quit eating fatty foods. Fatty foods are not easy to digest. But experts advice avoiding excess intake of fatty foods. It causes various health problems or can result in indigestion. There is no strong evidence that shows that fatty foods are a direct cause of this condition.
if you have had appendicitis surgery due to other complications, you need to be very careful to improve the healing process. Fatty foods give a tough time to your stomach. Eating fatty foods may result in other symptoms, like vomiting, nausea, etc.
- Spicy Food
Spicy foods do not directly cause appendicitis, but yes, its piece can block the
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How to Relieve Pain In the Appendix Naturally
Appendix pain can really disturb your quality of life. It can affect your appetite. It does not let you think about anything to eat due to severe cramps. Some foods that can help ease the pain at naturally are:
- Lemons
Consuming lemons can help your overall health. You may experience indigestion due to appendicitis, but some home remedies can help to increase your appetite. Lemons are rich in vitamin C and contains soluble fiber. Studies reveal that it prevents cancer, digestive issues, kidney, heart disease, etc.
Mix lemon in a glass of water to relieve the pain. It is also anti-inflammatory. It can as well help to reduce swelling and inflammation. You can add honey to the lemon water, it will boost your immune system.
- Buttermilk
Buttermilk is known to help with the symptoms of appendicitis. Including buttermilk in your daily diet can help you. It is best if you prepare buttermilk at home and drink a little regularly.
- Mung bean
Haven’t heard about mung beans? Well, it is also known as green grams. Doctors believe that it is one of the best remedies for appendicitis. People with appendix issues can consume one tablespoon of mung bean three times daily. It helps to ease the symptoms of the appendix, like severe pain.
- Brown Rice
Brown rice can help you improve your overall health and digestion. Switch from white rice to brown rice to see your health improve.
- Garlic
There are some many health benefits of garlic. It contains more antioxidants and anticancer properties. Garlic helps regulates your blood sugar and does a lot for your overall health.
When it comes to appendix pain, garlic also plays an important role in reducing pain with its anti-inflammatory properties. You can consume it in different ways, like adding it to your cooking etc. Consuming 2 or 3 cloves of garlic can help to alleviate the pain.
- Vegetable juice:
Drink the juice from vegetables like carrots, beetroots and cucumber to lower the pain. Vegetable juices are a healthy source of essential nutrients and can be very good for your whole body. You can also combine vegetables like radish, coriander and spinach to help ease the pain faster and better.
- Ginger
Ginger has got lots of health benefits, including easing the pain. You can drink ginger tea two to three times a day. Appendix pain also causes indigestion issues and brings on different symptoms, such as loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, etc. A study has shown many effective results to treat nausea and vomiting in several people.
- High Fibre Diet
Fresh fruits, boiled sprouts, oats etc., can be prepared with the least oil and spices. Khichdi, Dalia and upama are some healthy and easy-to-digest food options you should try.
Lifestyle Choices For Recovery From Appendicitis
It has never been a good experience at all for people who have had appendix surgery. Well, your body needs to heal but you can also play your role by eating a healthy diet and choosing healthy lifestyle choices.
Get Plenty Of Sleep: Sleep is crucial for your healing process. Make sure that you get quality sleep for fast recovery.
Eat Healthily: Do not eat any processed or fatty foods after your surgery. It will take months to get completely healed. You can ask your doctor when you can eat processed foods. After the surgery, you only need to sip on the water until the anesthesia effect reduces. Prefer to eat a normal and bland diet to not give your stomach a tough time. You can eat broiled chicken, toast, yogurt, and plain rice.
Drink Lots Of Fluids: You can try different juices to boost your healing process.
If you feel severe pain in the lower right side of the abdomen, get help from one of the top gastroenterologists.
What Are The Foods To Eat :
Fenugreek seeds: Fenugreek can help to lower pain by reducing the formation of mucus and pus within the appendix. Two tablespoons of fenugreek seeds should be boiled in one litre of water for about 30 minutes. Let it cool and drink it twice a day for faster results.
Ginger: Ginger is known for its medicinal properties. Its anti-inflammatory and detoxifying nature can have significant health benefits. Mix ginger with turmeric and honey and have it twice every day. This may also help with swelling, nausea and other appendicitis symptoms.
How Appendicitis Is Diagnosed?
Diagnosing appendicitis can at times be tricky. Symptoms are often unclear or similar to those of other illnesses, like gallbladder problems, bladder or urinary tract infection, Crohn’s disease, gastritis, kidney stones, intestinal infection, and ovary problems.
These tests can help diagnose appendicitis:
- Examination of your abdomen to look for inflammation.
- Urine (pee) test to rule out a urinary tract infection
- Rectal exam.
- Blood test to see whether your body is fighting an infection.
- CT scans.
- Ultrasound.
What to Expect During an Appendectomy
Before your appendix is operated on or taken out, you’ll take antibiotics to fight infection. You will be given general anesthesia, meaning you will be asleep throughout the procedure. The doctor will remove your appendix through a 4-inch-long cut or with a device called a laparoscope (a thin telescope-like tool that lets them see inside your belly). This procedure is called laparoscopy. If you have peritonitis, the surgeon will also clean out your belly and drain the pus.
You can move around within 12 hours after surgery. You should be able to go back to your normal routine in 2 to 3 weeks. If you had a laparoscopy, recovery will be fast.
After an appendectomy, see your doctor if you have:
- Uncontrolled vomiting
- Increased belly pain
- Dizziness/feelings of faintness
- Blood in your vomit or pee
- Increased pain and redness where the operation happened
- Pus in the wound
Appendicitis Complications
If left untreated, an appendix that is inflamed will burst, spilling bacteria and debris into the abdominal cavity, the central part of your body that holds your liver, stomach, and intestines. This act can lead to peritonitis, a severe inflammation of the abdominal cavity’s lining (the peritoneum). It can be deadly unless it is treated quickly with strong antibiotics and surgery to remove the pus.
At times, abscess forms outside an inflamed appendix. Scar tissue then “walls off” the appendix from the rest of your organs. This keeps the infection from spreading. But an abscessed appendix can tear and lead to peritonitis.
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Conclusion
In this article on “What Food Can Cause Appendicitis” I hope it has been informative and helpful.
