Is It Stomach Flu or Appendicitis? Pay Attention to These Signs ~ health and fitness,celebrity news,fashion blog,beauty women,whole foods,quotes about love

mercredi 14 juin 2017

Is It Stomach Flu or Appendicitis? Pay Attention to These Signs

My mom winced in pain this Saturday while we were driving to yoga. "You OK, Mom?" I asked her. Even though she kept assuring me she was fine, the pain magnified over the day. And yet, she carried on with her busy Saturday plans, smiling and acting normal, until dinnertime when she couldn't bring herself to eat or drink anything. We had all consumed the same foods that weekend, so we ruled out food poisoning. "Maybe I have a little bug," she reassured the family. Over the next few hours, she developed a fever that spiked, and she grew sicker as time passed. My dad rushed her to the hospital, and a CT scan confirmed what none of us could have guessed: she was suffering from appendicitis.

The next 12 hours were painful and life-threatening for my mom and stressful and emotional for the family. She worsened while the hospital scrambled to gather a surgical staff on a Sunday. By the time she was treated, her appendix had ruptured. Luckily, her surgery and recovery have had zero complications. She's still recovering and is showing positive signs, but it made me think: if our family had known the differences between a stomach virus and appendicitis, maybe we would have taken her to the hospital sooner.

There are a few key telltale signs of appendicitis that differ greatly from stomach flu, and it's worth committing them to memory.

	Stomach Virus	Appendicitis
Cause	Passed by a virus that attacks the intestines; you catch it by coming in contact with someone who is infected or by touching something he or she has touched. This virus can also be passed on through contaminated food or water.	Caused when the appendix, a finger-shaped pouch at the end of your colon, becomes infected and inflamed. Anyone with an appendix can develop appendicitis at any time in his or her lifetime.
Symptoms	Watery diarrhea Nausea and/or vomiting Abdominal cramps Fever Muscle aches Headache Symptoms appear one to two days after exposure to the virus and usually last for one to two days but can last for up to 10 days.	Sudden abdominal pain that usually begins around the navel and shifts to the lower right abdomen Pain is worse when walking or coughing or with jarring movement Loss of appetite Nausea and/or vomiting Fever that worsens Constipation or diarrhea Rectal pain Symptoms can show up quickly and worsen dramatically within hours. Surgery is often required and recovery takes up to two weeks.
Complications	Dehydration (caused by excessive vomiting and diarrhea)	A ruptured appendix (the pus-filled appendix bursts and spreads infection throughout the abdomen. Can be life-threatening and requires immediate surgery) A pocket of pus forms in the abdomen (if appendix bursts, an abscess may form, requiring a surgeon to insert a tube to drain the infection before removing the appendix)
Method of diagnosis	A doctor will ask about your symptoms or take a stool sample. If they see bacteria, they know it's not a bug.	A doctor will ask you questions about the pain before conducting a physical exam, blood test (to check for high white blood cell count, indicating an infection), urine test (for possible UTI or kidney stone), and CT scan to confirm diagnosis.
Treatment	Rest Replace lost fluids Gradually begin to eat bland foods such as toast, rice, and potatoes Avoid dairy products, caffeine, spicy foods, and fatty foods	Antibiotics to prevent infection Painkillers Surgery to remove the appendix (appendectomy). Generally, it will be laparoscopic (with very small incisions), but if it's ruptured or infected, an open appendectomy may be required.
Prevention	Avoid coming in contact with an infected person or anything he or she has touched. Wash your hands thoroughly and often, especially before you eat and after you use machines at the gym. Don't share personal items like cups, utensils, or towels.	While there is no known way to prevent appendicitis, it is said to be less common among people who eat a high-fiber diet.

mercredi 14 juin 2017