Health

“What Is Appendicitis?” – Dr. Amalina Bakri

Many people certainly do not know much about the appendix and appendicitis. This should be known by the community because it is very dangerous and can affect health.

And did you know that appendicitis is most affected in teenagers and young people?

Through a recent Instagram post, Dr. Amalina Bakri explained about appendicitis. Follow her sharing below:

“What is appendicitis? Appendix is a small pouch joined to the large intestine at a point called the caecum (where the small intestine joins the large intestine). It is about 5-10cm long,” said Dr. Amalina.

“Appendicitis is inflammation and infection of the appendix. Commonly caused by blockage of mucus or feces (poo). When the blockage happens, the appendix swells up, becomes infected which can cause pus formation,” she added.

“If the appendicitis is not treated at this point, it might perforate (bursts). This can be very serious as the content of the bowel will spill into the abdominal cavity and can make you very unwell. It can cause serious infection to the lining of the abdomen (peritonitis) or can cause the formation of abscesses in the abdomen,” she continued.

Dr. Amalina also explains the symptoms of appendicitis. Here are the symptoms:

  • Tummy pain – typically pain starts in the middle of the abdomen and then moves to the lower right-hand side of the abdomen. The pain becomes worse and worse over 24 hours. Moving or coughing makes it worse.
  • Fever and feeling generally unwell
  • Feels sick and reduced appetite or you may vomit
  • Constipation or diarrhea
  • Pass urine more than usual

According to Dr. Amalina again, sometimes the symptoms are unusual, making it difficult to diagnose. Pain may be in the left or middle part of the abdomen especially when the appendix is in an unusual place.

How to identify it?

  • Blood test – raised inflammatory markers can be an indicator of appendicitis
  • Sometimes you may need an ultrasound or CT scan to rule out other causes and confirm the diagnosis (depends on your history and examination)
  • Urine test
  • Pregnancy test (for women of childbearing age) to rule out an ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside of your womb)
  • Sometimes the operating surgeon may want to wait and see for a few hours while you’re being monitored in the hospital – in order to see how the signs/symptoms develop

Through treatment, there are two methods that are:

  • Surgery (normally done via keyhole surgery – laparoscopic)
  • Antibiotics

Source: Dr. Amalina Bakri

Adib Mohd

Recent Posts

Zoom into Brilliance, HUAWEI Pura 80 Series Arrives in Malaysia with Unmatched Camera Power and Striking Design

HUAWEI Malaysia has officially unveiled its next-generation flagship lineup, the HUAWEI Pura 80 Series, setting a… Read More

17 hours ago

PayNet Joins MIT CSAIL’s FinTechAI Initiative as Sole Malaysian Member, Pioneering Ethical AI in Finance

Payments Network Malaysia Sdn Bhd (PayNet) has been named the sole Malaysian founding member of… Read More

18 hours ago

NakNak’s Bold Bulgogi Series: Big Flavours, Korean Vibes & A Side of Curly Fries

Homegrown quick service restaurant brand NakNak is turning up the flavour this season with the… Read More

1 day ago

Eco-Shop Ushers in Merdeka Spirit with Nationwide “Satu Senyuman, Seribu Makna” Campaign

Eco-Shop, Malaysia’s Leading Ultra Affordable Household Retailer, is calling on Malaysians to rediscover the beauty… Read More

2 days ago

Stephen Curry Takes Curry Camp Global, First Stop, Asia!

Stephen Curry is going global. For the first time ever, his iconic Curry Camp is… Read More

2 days ago

Charge Fast, Stay Cool, Live Free CUKTECH Celebrates Merdeka with Pocket-Sized Power Tools

Say hello to hassle-free charging, cool commutes, and gadgets that just work, anytime, anywhere. The… Read More

2 days ago

This website uses cookies.