Make this your year to – BE HEALTHY, THINK HEALTHY, STAY HEALTHY, EAT HEALTHY, FEEL HEALTHY, TAKE CHARGE of living a better life!
My goal is to help, and empower you to be your own best doctor.
In my earlier blog I mentioned that doctors take out the Appendix when doing various surgeries even though the Appendix is healthy. I have always believed the appendix to be of good use in our bodies. IS IT?
The Appendix is referred to in medical dictionary’s as “an appendage veriform or “veriform appendix” in the abdominal region of the body, just below the right upper quadrant of the bone structure and below the large intestine. It is a long, narrow, wormshaped tube connected to the cecum. It varies in length to more than 8 inches with an average of about 3 inches. Its distal end is closed. It is lined with mucosa similar to that of the large intestine.” It is a subordinate appendage or attachment to a body part of more importance. Inflammation of the appendix is referred to as appendicitis.
Question: What is the function of the Appendix? I referred to the WebMD.
The function of the appendix is unknown. One theory refers to the appendix as a storehouse for good bacteria, ‘rebooting’ the digestive system after diarrheal illnesses. The other theory is that the appendix is just a useless remnant from our evolutionary past. I prefer the first theory. With this theory it is understandable that the appendix assists the digestive and eliminative process as food goes through the intestinal tract. Good bacteria are a plus in the digestive process.
CONDITIONS of the Appendix include:
- Appendicitis – inflammation, infection of the appendix that can cause it to rupture. This causes severe pain in the right lower part of the belly (large intestine), along with nausea and vomiting.
- Tumors – carcinoid tumors which secrete chemicals that cause the periodic flushing, wheezing and diarrhea. epithelial tumors – growths in the appendix that can be benign or cancerous – but are rare.TESTS that are given for the Appendix include:
- Medical Examination
- CT Scan
- Ultra Sound
- CBC – (complete Blood Count)
- Other imaging tests e.g. MRI, PET
TREATMENT – if there is a problem includes: APPENDECTOMY – Surgery to remove the appendix (appendage); and ANTIBIOTICS – when the diagnosis is in question. It was also noted that antibiotics alone cannot effectively treat appendicitis.
I hope this information helps to squash all the ‘old wives tales’ you hear about the Appendix and Appendicitis. However, I still don’t know why they remove the Appendix along with other surgical procedures when the Appendix is healthy. I want to keep thinking of it as a “storehouse” for good bacteria”, since, in my way of thinking, GOOD BACTERIA is crucial to maintaining GOOD HEALTH.
Again – WELCOME TO 2018 – BE HEALTHY, THINK HEALTHY, STAY HEALTHY, EAT HEALTHY, FEEL HEALTHY, and TAKE CHARGE of living a better life!
FYI-HEALTH TALK 