Your appendix closely resembles a shrivelled up silk worm hanging off the end of your large intestine, and is assumed by many to be an absolutely useless organ – a left over piece from the evolution of man.

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But the appendix is rich in blood vessels, and though most people are more than happy to be rid of this intestinal finger, new research has shown that it actually has a purpose, secreting important chemicals such as melatonin into the intestinal tract. It is also believed that the appendix plays an important role in fighting diseases.

The only problem with this tiny organ is that it can kill you. This tiny intestinal cul de sac can clog up very easily with hardened faecal matter, trapping fluids inside it, and building up pressure. Bacteria move in for the kill, and before you know it, your appendix becomes infected, and you are diagnosed with appendicitis.

You have roughly 12 to 48 hours after the onset of appendicitis before the rupturing of your nick-nack, putting you in the front row of the grid for developing peritonitis, a painful and dangerous inflammation of the abdominal cavity membrane.

Act fast
At first, you will feel a general pain around the lower right-hand side of your navel that will eventually localise and become a sharp pain directly above your appendix. When this happens, it means it’s time to see a doctor – and fast – before all intestinal hell breaks loose. If the pain suddenly stops, it isn’t a good thing, as this can also mean your appendix has burst. You have a few hours to react before your condition becomes critical.

There’s not much you can do about appendicitis, and it is pretty much impossible to avoid. The swallowing of strange, indigestible objects such as coins, stones, nails or even hard pips can end up clogging the appendix, so stick to the food on your plate.

Treatment of appendicitis is a relatively routine process. After a quick surgical procedure, the guilty party is removed and discarded, and you are sent on your merry way within a couple of days.

Did you know?

(Warren Vonk, Health24, February 2006)

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