The appendix is ​​an outgrowth. Appendix. Consists of shells

It is a worm-shaped process in the large intestine and is approximately 10 cm long. The appendix can be located in the lower part of the small pelvis: either, or between the plexuses, or immediately behind the rectum.

There are still heated discussions between doctors from all over the world about the dangers and benefits of this. Some doctors believe that the appendix is ​​superfluous and recommend removing it. Others, on the contrary, are sure that by nature nothing is superfluous and are categorically against interference. What is the role of this mysterious human organ?

Atavism

Some doctors are sure that this process was needed by a person only in ancient times, when our ancestors were engaged in gathering and ate mainly plant foods. Then the appendix was much larger and, accordingly, performed certain functions for the processing of cellulose. After a person began to eat meat, the need for this process disappeared, since proteins and carbohydrates do not need such processing.

It is believed that the appendix serves as an incubator for E. coli in the human stomach.

Protective process

Oncologists and radiologists associate the purpose of this process with the ability of the human body to respond to x-rays and radio emission.

Metaphysics and bioenergetics attribute the appendix to human organs that allow you to recognize the aura, to the so-called chakras.

In any case, this appendage, although it has lost its original role in the human body, still performs certain functions in the intestine, so it should not be underestimated and ignored.

Why do doctors believe that the Appendix is ​​an extra organ of the human body and is not needed by a person. Did God create us with something superfluous and unnecessary? Why do we need it and how to make it not cut out now and find out.

There is a rule that in nature there is nothing superfluous, everything is needed for something. Every year, out of 1000 people, 4-5 suffer from acute appendicitis, which rightfully ranks first among abdominal diseases requiring surgical treatment.

The founder of immunology, I. Mechnikov, believed that the process does not perform any useful function, it is superfluous.

It turns out that scientists have found a way to avoid getting on the operating table, you just need to eat products from God's pharmacy - vegetables and fruits full of vitamins =) Everything is just ladies and gentlemen. It turns out that the appendix becomes inflamed due to improper eating, to a greater extent it threatens those who prefer meat food (it causes stagnation in the intestines and contributes to rotting and fermentation), this is the frequent use of meat, fatty foods and fried foods. Also, the reason is the lack of fruits and vegetables in the diet.

appendix, aka appendix- an appendage of the caecum, extending from its posterolateral wall. In shape, it resembles a cylinder, 6 to 12 cm long, 6-8 mm in diameter.

But today the appendix has begun to command more and more respect for itself. In the submucosal layer of its walls, scientists found a large number of lymphatic follicles that protect the intestines from infection and cancer. For the abundance of lymphoid tissue, the appendix is ​​even sometimes called the "intestinal tonsil."

This is a comparison that does not lame: if the tonsils in the pharynx are a barrier to infection, tearing into the respiratory tract, then the appendix “slows down” the microbes that try to multiply in the contents of the intestine. New data forced doctors to change their attitude towards the removal of the appendix.

Americans, in turn, began to remove the appendix in infancy and as a result received a number of adverse events. First, the ability to digest mother's milk was impaired. Secondly, such children lagged behind both in physical and mental development, which is associated with a violation of the processes of digestion and the growth and development associated with it. Thirdly, these poor fellows were more likely to suffer from infectious diseases. And fourthly, after intestinal infections, they more often developed dysbacteriosis.

The Americans quickly realized this and stopped doing such a radical prevention of appendicitis, having gained bitter experience. Similar experiments were carried out in Germany in the 30s of the last century, and the results are similar.

Today we know that the appendix is ​​an organ that performs a number of important functions. As mentioned above, there is a lot of lymphatic tissue in the appendix, and, as you know, the lymphatic system plays an important role in immune defense. And it is the appendix that is a barrier in inflammatory diseases of the digestive tract. But this also implies his vulnerability - he takes the first blow. In some ways, this resembles the function of the palatine tonsil. By the way, some doctors wittily call the appendix "intestinal tonsil."

Research

Recently, the Americans, compensating for their bad experience, proved one more function of the appendix. Researchers at the Duke University School of Medicine have found that the appendix is ​​a kind of repository for bacteria. So what's the deal here?

Probably not a secret for anyone that normally in the human intestine there is a huge number of bacteria that are involved in digestion and protect the body from "foreign" pathogens. Between a person and, as they say in wide circles, "beneficial bacteria", a mutually beneficial existence is established - symbiosis. We give bacteria a home and food, and they help digest it and protect it from "enemies". But in the case of weak immunity, they themselves can become “enemies”.

This is where the barrier function of the appendix comes in handy. In intestinal infections accompanied by diarrhea, the contents of the intestine, along with our symbiont bacteria, leave our body in a not very pleasant way. But some bacteria remain in the appendix and can give rise to a new population. If there is no appendix, then after the infection, dysbacteriosis develops, which was so common in children with a process removed in infancy.

The study of the appendix continues, and perhaps soon we will become aware of its other functions. But already now we can say that without a reason you should not remove the appendix, it will still come in handy.

"The appendix is ​​a reliable repository for bacteria"- says Bill Parker, one of the co-authors of the study. The appendix is ​​a appendix that usually does not contain intestinal contents. Thanks to this, the body can be a kind of "farm" where beneficial microorganisms multiply.

Why does the body need a small appendage in the intestines, which scientists once recognized as useless? Why keep something that is so easy to inflame and bring a person to the operating room? Maybe it's easier to remove the appendix right away? For clarification, we turned to the therapist Alexandra Viktorovna Kosova, who prepared this article for the ABC of Health.

Why does a person need an appendix?

Appendix (synonym - appendix) is an appendage of the cecum, extending from its posterolateral wall.

Rice. 1. Large intestine with appendix.

The appendix has a cylindrical shape, on average 8-10 cm long, although it is shortened to 3 cm, sometimes it increases to 20 cm. Very rarely there is no appendix. The diameter of the inlet of the appendix is ​​1-2 mm.

The position of the appendage may be different (see Fig. 2), but the place of origin from the caecum remains constant.

Fig.2. The position of the appendix relative to the caecum.

The vermiform appendix is ​​only found in mammals, however, not all. For example, sheep, horses, rabbits have it. But cows, dogs and cats do not have it. And there is no appendage - there is no appendicitis (inflammation of the appendix). In horses, the appendix is ​​​​very large (see Fig. 3), it is an important link in the digestive system: coarse parts of plants (bark, hard stems) undergo thorough digestion in it.

Rice. 3. Vermiform appendix in a horse.

Remove the appendix for ... the prevention of appendicitis

A small appendix in humans, although it is part of the gastrointestinal tract, does not participate in the process of digestion. And the risk of developing appendicitis remains. has always been and remains one of the most common surgical diseases of the abdominal cavity. That is why scientists of the last century came to the conclusion: it is necessary to remove the appendix for prophylactic purposes.

In general, the conclusions of scientists of the 19th-20th centuries were so quick and, if I may say so, superficial that those organs for which they did not find application in the human body were declared rudimentary and subject to removal. "Rudimentum" from the Latin language means an underdeveloped, residual organ, which in the process of evolution has lost its original function, but in its infancy passes from ancestors to descendants. This direction of scientific thought was largely promoted by the evolutionary theory of Charles Darwin (1809 - 1882), according to which variability, as the cause of differences between ancestors and descendants, is due to the influence of the external environment and the characteristics of the organisms themselves. In other words, the vermiform appendix no longer performs its digestive function, because man has climbed a step higher on the ladder of evolution than his predecessors - animals (according to Charles Darwin's theory, man originated from an animal), and the human digestive system began to differ from that of animals. Therefore, the appendix began to be considered a dangerous vestige capable of causing a formidable disease - appendicitis.

In many countries, various methods have been introduced into practice appendicitis prevention. For example, in Germany in the 30s of the last century, it was decided to remove appendixes for babies as a preventive measure. But this was soon abandoned, because it was noticed that these children had reduced immunity, increased the number of diseases and, as a result, increased mortality.

A similar sad experience was in the United States. Americans began to remove appendixes from babies. After the operation, such children were unable to digest mother's milk, lagged behind in mental and physical development. It was concluded that such disorders are associated with impaired digestion - a determining factor in normal growth and development. Therefore, the Americans abandoned this method of preventing appendicitis.

Scientists of the 19th-20th centuries attributed to rudiments many organs whose functions they could not determine: tonsils (tonsils - the wrong name, from a medical point of view), thymus (thymus gland), spleen, etc. At the beginning of the 20th century, scientists counted about 180 rudimentary "useless" organs and anatomical structures in the human body. Nobel Prize winner Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov (1845 - 1916) believed that the human digestive system is poorly adapted to the modern diet. He expressed this idea at the beginning of the 20th century, when the idea of ​​poisoning the body with the waste products of putrefactive bacteria living in the large intestine was widespread. That is why it is not surprising that in I.I. Mechnikov wrote: “Now there is nothing bold in asserting that not only the caecum with its appendage, but even all human large intestines are superfluous in our body and that their removal would lead to very desirable results.”

The British surgeon of the early 20th century, Baronet Sir William Arbuthnot Lane, in contrast to I.I. Mechnikov was not limited only to discussions about the negative role of the large intestine in the human body. He removed the entire colon (and with it putrefactive bacteria). The surgeon performed about 1,000 of these operations, "leaving an uncountable number of victims," ​​as the researchers write. And only in the 30s. In the 20th century, the activities of W. Lane began to be criticized.

What now?

Currently, scientists believe that it is time to abolish the list of "useless" organs, because. Years of research show that previously called vestigial organs perform an important function, and sometimes more than one. According to biologists, the appendix has been preserved and evolved for at least 80 million years. Nature would not leave an unnecessary organ. Perhaps it is worth replacing the list of "unnecessary" organs with a list of organs whose functions are not yet known to us?

The appendix is ​​an important organ of the immune system.

A more detailed study of the appendix revealed an abundance of lymphoid tissue- tissue that provides the protective ability of the immune system. Lymphoid tissue makes up 1% of the human body weight. Lymphocytes and plasma cells are formed in the lymphoid tissue - chief cells that protect the human body from infection and fight it if it does get inside. Lymphoid tissue is distributed in the body in the form of lymphoid organs: lymph nodes, spleen, thymus gland (thymus), tonsils, Peyer's patches in the digestive tract. A particularly large number of Peyer's patches are found in the appendix. It is not for nothing that the appendix is ​​called the "intestinal tonsil" (the tonsils, like the appendix, are rich in lymphoid tissue - see Fig.).

Fig.4. Lymphoid tissue in the digestive tract:

1 - serous membrane (covers the intestines from the outside);

2 - muscular membrane (middle layer of the intestine);

3 - mucous membrane (inner layer of the intestine);

4 - mesentery of the small intestine (anatomical structure in which vessels and nerves approach the intestine);

5 - single lymphoid nodules;

6 - group lymphoid nodule (Peyer's patch),

7 - circular folds of the mucous membrane.

Rice. 5. Transverse section of the appendix (histological preparation). Hematoxylin-eosin stain.

1 - numerous depressions (crypts) in the mucous membrane of the appendix;

2 - lymphatic follicles (Peyer's patches);

3 - interfollicular lymphoid tissue.

Rice. 6. Microscopic structure of the palatine tonsil:

1 - tonsil crypts;

2 - integumentary epithelium;

3 - lymphoid nodules of the tonsil.

In other words, the appendix has a very powerful lymphatic apparatus. Cells produced by the lymphoid tissue of the appendix are involved in defense reactions against genetically foreign substances, which is especially important given that the digestive tract is a channel through which foreign substances constantly enter. Peyer's patches (accumulation of lymphoid tissue) in the intestines and, in particular, in the appendix "stand" like guards on the border.

So, it is absolutely proven that the appendix is ​​a very important organ of the immune system.

The appendix is ​​a repository of beneficial bacteria.

In 2007, Duke University Medical Center (Durham, North Carolina, USA) published an article stating that the appendix is ​​a storehouse of beneficial bacteria ("Appendix isn't useless at all: it's a safe house for good bacteria") .

Microorganisms involved in digestion live in the human intestine. Most of them are useful (E. coli, bifidobacteria, lactobacilli), and some are conditionally pathogenic, which cause diseases only with reduced immunity (nervous stress, physical overload, alcohol intake, etc.). Normally, a balance is maintained between conditionally pathogenic and beneficial microorganisms.

With intestinal diseases (for example, dysentery, salmonellosis, and many others), accompanied by diarrhea (loose stools), as well as with the activation of conditionally pathogenic microflora, the number of "beneficial" microorganisms decreases sharply. But in the appendix, as in the storehouse of "beneficial" bacteria, they remain and contribute to a new colonization of the intestine after recovery and the cessation of diarrhea. In people without an appendix, after suffering an intestinal infection, dysbacteriosis is more likely to develop (compared to people who have an appendix preserved). However, this does not mean that such people are doomed. Currently, there is a group of prebiotics and probiotics that help a person restore normal intestinal microflora.

The entrance to the appendix, as mentioned above, is only 1-2 mm in diameter, which protects the appendix from the penetration of intestinal contents into it, allowing the appendix to remain the so-called "incubator", "farm", where beneficial microorganisms multiply. That is, the normal microflora of the large intestine is stored in the appendix.

Conclusion

Summing up, we can distinguish 2 main functions of the appendix:

1) it is an important organ of the immune system;

2) it is a place of reproduction and storage of beneficial intestinal bacteria.

The appendix continues to be studied to this day, so it is quite possible that in the near future we will learn more of its functions. But even now we can say that it is not necessary to remove the appendix without a good reason. And this cause is inflammation of the appendix - acute appendicitis. In this case, it is necessary to remove the appendix, because the risk of complications and their severity are very high. It used to be, when epidemics were frequent, and the drug market was relatively small, the role of the appendix was extremely significant. Now the disturbed microflora can be restored with the help of drugs. Yes, and acute appendicitis often affects people 10-30 years old, and they have a stronger immune system than American and German babies.

Therefore, if symptoms of acute appendicitis occur, you should immediately consult a doctor!

therapist A.V. Kosovo

The human body is a perfect self-regulating system that, under normal conditions, that is, without the presence of a disease, works like a Swiss watch. However, in some cases, the functioning of the body is disrupted, and therefore life-threatening conditions may occur. For example, the appendix, or appendix of the caecum, which makes a significant contribution to the immune defense, can become inflamed, in connection with which the so-called appendicitis occurs. This pathology will be discussed in this article. You will learn what appendicitis is and what preventive measures will help to avoid it.

Functions of the appendix

To understand why the appendix becomes inflamed (appendicitis is a consequence of its inflammation), you need to learn about its structure and functions.

For a long time, the appendix was considered an atavism. Doctors believed that the organ would lose its digestive function and was needed only when human ancestors ate mainly plant foods, which the appendix helped to digest. The real functions of the appendix were discovered almost by accident. To prevent appendicitis in infants, they began to massively remove the process of the caecum. It was believed that this simple operation is very easily tolerated at an early age. However, the development of the unfortunate babies was very slow, they did not digest food well and often suffered from infectious diseases.

Anatomy and Physiology

Thus, the appendix plays a huge role in immunity: the lymphatic tissue of this organ protects against inflammatory processes. In addition, the appendix acts as a reservoir for intestinal microflora. If all the bacteria that inhabit the intestine die, then it will be populated by the "inhabitants" of the caecum of the caecum.

The appendix is ​​located on the back wall of the intestine. It has a cylindrical shape. The size of the process varies between 6-12 centimeters. What is appendicitis? This is an inflammation of this very appendix. Why is this happening? Can appendicitis be prevented? This will be discussed further.

Causes of the disease

So what causes the appendix to become inflamed? Appendicitis can be caused by various reasons:

• Bacteria that are brought into the process from the focus of inflammation by the bloodstream.
• Blockage of the mouth of the appendix with feces.
• The presence in the body of helminths (ascaris or pinworms).
• Violation of the diet. It is noted that the more a person consumes fatty meat, the higher the likelihood of developing the disease.
• anatomical features. In some people, the process has a number of bends, the presence of which leads to congestion.
• Blockage of the arteries that feed the process.

At risk are people who have bad habits, abuse tobacco and alcohol. The hereditary nature of the disease has also been proven. Of course, appendicitis itself is not inherited, but a predisposition to it.

Prevention

Appendicitis is a pathology from which it is impossible to completely protect yourself. However, there are simple recommendations that can minimize the likelihood of developing this disease:

• Do not start inflammatory processes in the body.
• Do not use antibiotics without a doctor's prescription. Antibiotics are detrimental to normal microflora.
• Lead an active lifestyle. Physical activity is important for the normal blood supply to the abdominal organs.
• Get regular medical checkups.

Proper nutrition is the best disease prevention

It is impossible to completely protect yourself from appendicitis. However, if you carefully monitor your diet, you can minimize the likelihood of developing this disease:

• Avoid constipation. Constipation causes the death of microorganisms that colonize the intestines. And as a result, pathogenic bacteria begin to multiply, which can cause inflammation of the appendix. To prevent constipation, drink a glass of warm water half an hour before meals: this will prepare the gastrointestinal tract for eating.
• Eat as many fiber-rich foods as possible. Fiber improves digestion and reliably protects the organs of the digestive system from inflammatory processes. A lot of fiber is found in whole grain bread, as well as in fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Always eat protein along with fiber-rich foods: this will facilitate the digestion of food and prevent putrefactive processes in the intestines.
• Drink plenty of freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices.
• Do not eat too many seeds and berries with stones. Sometimes pieces of undigested food get into the appendix. They injure the walls of the appendix, as a result of which inflammation develops.
• Do not reuse frying oil. This is very unhealthy: you can "earn" not only appendicitis, but also colitis.

Gymnastics

The main measures for the prevention of appendicitis also include daily morning exercises for the abdomen. It is very simple to do it: before getting out of bed, take a deep breath. As you exhale, draw in your stomach, trying to strain your abdominal muscles as much as possible. Count to five, relax your stomach and inhale. You need to repeat this exercise 10 times. Thus, you will improve intestinal motility and prepare the digestive system to receive the first portion of food of the day.

Also, intestinal peristalsis is improved by cycling and swimming, as well as walking and running. Women should pay attention to belly dancing: regular oriental dance classes help get rid of digestive problems.

Self-massage to improve peristalsis

How else can you prevent inflammation? Appendicitis can be avoided by gently massaging the abdomen after meals. This will improve the blood supply to the appendix. Massage is done as follows: lie on your back, relax your abs, bend your legs slightly. Place your right palm in the center of your abdomen and begin to make circular motions with your fingertips in a clockwise direction. Start with a small amplitude, gradually increasing it. You need to stroke the stomach for 3-4 minutes.

If you have not eaten at home and do not have the opportunity to lie down, just stroke your stomach after eating, moving your hand clockwise.

Prevention of appendicitis: folk remedies

If you want to avoid appendicitis, use the following recipes:

• Take 15 grams of white steppe root, fill the raw material with 150 ml of alcohol and infuse for a week in a dark place. As soon as you feel the first symptoms of digestive disorders, take a couple of drops of infusion every two hours. The product can be diluted with a small amount of warm water.
• Take 100 grams of common cuff herb and 40 grams of strawberry and blackberry leaves. 4 tablespoons of crushed leaves pour 750 ml of boiling water. The broth should simmer for 5 minutes over low heat. You need to drink the remedy one teaspoon every one and a half hours.

Avoid stress

Prevention of appendicitis will be effective if stress is avoided. Of course, inflammation of the appendix is ​​not considered a psychosomatic illness. However, frequent stress can lead to poor digestion, and this, in turn, increases the risk of inflammation of the appendix. In addition, many people “eat” negative emotions, while choosing products that are far from the most healthy, for example, chocolate or fast food. It is advisable to learn how to cope with stress without the help of junk food, but in more constructive ways.

Psychologists who study the relationship between consciousness and health recommend giving yourself time to rest and not worrying about trifles to prevent appendicitis. It is very important to regularly take time for yourself and your favorite activities.

These are the main preventive measures. Appendicitis is an insidious disease that can begin at any moment. Only people who have already removed the appendix are insured against it. With the appearance of pain in the abdomen, one should not panic: thanks to the development of modern medicine, the operation to remove appendicitis is considered one of the most sparing for the patient's body.

Appendix - why is this oblong appendage of the caecum needed? It often becomes inflamed and threatens the health of children and people of reproductive age. Therefore, scientists for a long time considered it a vestige inherited from ancient times, when a large amount of fiber was consumed and additional bacteria were required to process roughage.

Only in the 30s of the twentieth century, scientists found out why this worm-like organ was needed. The appendix exists in the body to perform certain functions related to the production of E. coli and the functioning of defense mechanisms. After the role of the caecum in the human body was determined, doctors stopped removing it to all young children at the slightest suspicion of its inflammation or for preventive purposes.

Modern medicine claims that people with an appendix removed in childhood suffer from various diseases associated with low local immunity in the colon.

Oncologists believe that people with a removed process are more likely to develop malignant tumors in the digestive organs.

Description and functions of the body

The appendix is ​​an oblong appendage of the caecum that descends into the pelvic cavity. Its walls are covered with four shells, no different from the mucous tissues present in the large intestine.

The process inside is covered with a lymphatic network containing nodules in which B-lymphocyte cells are formed. This type of lymphocyte is very important for immune processes. They, together with T-cells, recognize pathogenic agents and destroy them, releasing various substances into the blood.

The caecum supplies B-lymphocytes to suppress the growth of pathogenic microflora that occurs in the lower sections of the intestine. The cells of the immune system enter into defensive reactions, and this allows the body to maintain the normal functioning of the digestive system. Activated cells are transformed into plasmocides that synthesize antibodies, with the help of which the body's response to the secondary ingress of pathogenic agents is formed. An excess of B-lymphocytes with a lack of pathogenic microflora in the intestine causes food allergic reactions, which is a problem of modern society, which consumes a large number of preservatives.

The appendage of the caecum performs functions associated with the formation of intestinal microflora. In its normal state, it is the place where the cultivation of beneficial Escherichia coli, which is necessary for digestion processes, takes place. During the period of intestinal infections, when beneficial microflora dies from toxins and poisons of pathogenic agents, the body has a reserve of beneficial microflora, which quickly restores the disturbed balance in the gastrointestinal tract.

A person after diseases associated with indigestion is recommended to consume more plant foods. This promotes colonization of beneficial bacteria in the intestines. Why do we need an appendix, found out in the laboratory. This body:

• produces rhythmic contractions for the movement of feces through the large intestine;
• secretes lymphocytes;
• produces antibodies;
• produces sialic acid, which has a bactericidal property.

The mucous tissues of the appendage of the caecum contain the hormone melatonin, which regulates many physiological processes in the body. With its deficiency, insomnia begins in a person and a sharp aging of the body occurs.

Scientists have not fully figured out whether active substances enter the appendix from other glands or mucous tissues produce them on their own. There is an assumption that this is a temporary storage necessary for the rapid delivery of biologically active substances to their destination.

The importance of this part of the intestine for immunity

Useful functions of the appendix are an indisputable fact. The accumulation of immune tissue in the lower intestine allows lymphocytes formed in the bone marrow to accumulate inside the cells of the appendix. This is necessary for the body to regulate vital processes in the colon.

Scientists around the world call the vermiform appendix an important organ of the immune system, because this is the place where beneficial microflora breeds. It actively forms Escherichia coli, which is needed to isolate the following important substances from the food coma that enters the intestine:

• fatty acids;
• carbohydrates;
• amino acids;
• nucleic acids;
• vitamin K;
• B group vitamins.

This useful element is necessary for a person to regulate water-salt metabolism. During the processing of food, E. coli releases murein, a complex peptide compound that stimulates the immune system.

People need an appendix despite the fact that it is not involved in the process of digestion. This "factory" continuously supplies newly formed bacteria to the intestines whenever an intestinal infection destroys them. The process of growing new colonies goes on continuously as long as a person eats properly. It is required to include cabbage and greens in the daily diet so that the production of lymphoid cells in the body is not suppressed. Addiction to protein foods of animal or vegetable origin worsens the condition of the appendix and leads to its inflammation.

With properly organized nutrition, the lymphoid cells of the appendix are the most viable. They restore the body after a course of chemotherapy and constantly maintain protective functions during the treatment of cancer. Oncologists believe that the presence of a preserved appendix in the body allows us to expect a positive reaction after radiation or x-rays.

Possible consequences of removal

The appendix is ​​often compared with the lymphoid tissue of the tonsils, which serve to protect organs locally from viral infection and the reproduction of opportunistic microflora. It should not be removed unless there is a medical indication for surgery.

In the first half of the 20th century, doctors in some countries practiced removing the appendix in infants to prevent an acute inflammatory process. Subsequently, it was found that people who grew up without this organ had a lack of growth, underweight and often suffered from digestive problems. They had intestinal infections more often, and the recovery of the intestinal microflora after illness was much slower.

A modern person is much easier to endure the consequences of the fact that the process of the caecum has been removed from him. It can compensate for the lack of beneficial bacteria, for which it is periodically treated with probiotics. But this possibility does not mean that you can remove the process without good reason. The body needs an appendix for the normal functioning of the colon. It helps move stool forward by stimulating motility. Chronic appendicitis or absence of an appendage is often the cause of fecal stones in children and the elderly.

In the absence of the appendix, the defense mechanisms are weakened, and when attacked by pathogenic agents, this affects the state of the large lymph nodes located in the groin. They greatly increase in size, become painful, and an inflammatory process can begin in them.

Infection, when the defense mechanisms are weakened, affects the genitourinary system and other organs located in the pelvic cavity. This causes various diseases of the reproductive system in women and men.

A person needs to be careful about the work of the gastrointestinal tract in order to prevent inflammation of the process. To do this, it is recommended to lead a healthy lifestyle, introduce good quality food into the menu, and not clog the digestive system with coarse fiber. Careless attitude to the digestive tract leads to blockage of the passage into the process, and this causes dysfunction of the oblong appendage of the caecum, which becomes the beginning of an acute inflammatory process.

For a long time, Soviet medicine considered the appendix to be a kind of rudiment, an obsolete organ inherited from herbivorous monkeys. Such conclusions were made on the basis that predatory animals do not have an appendix at all, while herbivores, for example, cows, have it extremely developed. This attitude towards a small appendage of the cecum persisted for more than 100 years. There have been cases when the appendix was excised at birth, in order to avoid further unpleasant consequences. But the human body is a single, interconnected system in which there is nothing superfluous. Removal or failure of one organ is compensated by an increased load on other organs and on the whole organism as a whole. And although the appendix seems to be part of the digestive system, it does not take part in this process. This small ten-centimeter process has a different function.

What is the appendix and what is its role in the body

Accurate localization of pain in appendicitis

The appendix is ​​part of the lymphatic system, and is directly involved in the functioning of the immune system, that is, the system that resists various diseases. Observations revealed that those children whose appendix was cut out in early childhood were significantly behind their peers in mental and physical development. And most importantly, people with a remote appendix get sick much more often than those who have this organ functioning safely. American researchers from Duke University also came to the conclusion that the appendix is ​​a kind of farm for the reproduction of beneficial microorganisms for the gastrointestinal tract.

The process is inserted into the cecum, through a small lumen, microorganisms enter the gastrointestinal tract, but the intestinal contents cannot penetrate from the gastrointestinal tract into the appendix, due to which the cavity of the lymphatic organ remains free. The appendix produces amylase and lipase, enzymes involved in digestion, in the breakdown of fats, and the hormone serotonin, which is called the hormone of happiness. Serotonin, along with other functions, is involved in the work of sphincters and intestinal motility.

Etiology of appendicitis

The first, mechanical theory, with all the variety of factors, is more than others confirmed by research and data from postoperative analyzes. But, despite the fact that other theories are poorly supported, they once again prove that the appendix is ​​important in the body.

Inflammation of the appendix and its symptoms

Appendix: schematic representation

Inflammation of the appendix can be recognized by the following signs:

• The pain first appears in the upper abdomen (at the level of the stomach), or near the navel. Sometimes it spreads throughout the abdominal cavity. And after a few hours the pain moves down to the right.
• For some time, the pain is of a moderately constant nature, but at some point it may stop, due to the necrosis of the nerve fibers. Pain may increase during walking, coughing, sudden movements.
• In acute appendicitis, appetite disappears, nausea appears, vomiting, which is reflex in nature, the body temperature rises to 37-38 ° C. If you measure the temperature in the right and left armpits, then it will be higher on the right.

Diagnostics

Appendicitis, or inflammation of the appendix, occurs, as a rule, at an active age - 20-40 years. Less common in children. Women get sick much more often than men, and, probably, therefore, in the Middle Ages, physicians took inflammation of the appendix for uterine abscesses. The frequency of diseases is 4-5 people per 1000 per year. A doctor can determine appendicitis by palpation (palpation) of the right lower abdomen. There is soreness here, the muscles are unnecessarily tense. There is a feeling of fullness and pain in the stomach, radiating to the right iliac, or left hypochondrium, if pressed at the McBurney point (in the middle between the navel and the ilium on the right). Laboratory diagnosis of appendicitis is carried out only after surgery, it allows you to understand the morphological nature of the disease. There are 3 main forms:

1. catarrhal
2. Phlegmonous
3. Gangrenous

Postoperative diagnosis is necessary to prevent subsequent postoperative complications. To date, the only, and perhaps the most effective method of treating acute appendicitis is appendectomy, that is, a surgical operation to remove the inflamed organ.

Acute appendicitis is a disease that is no joke

Scar after appendixectomy

It is important to know that at the first sign of the disease, you should immediately go to the hospital. Inflammation of the appendix develops quickly. Therefore, the phrase “delay is like death” is just about appendicitis. Self-medication in this case is unacceptable. Traditional medicine also does not know the methods of treatment for inflammatory processes of the process. Sometimes two days are enough for a patient who has not received timely assistance to die. The reason for such a rapid development of the disease is that the pus produced in the inflamed organ does not find a way out and bursts the walls, causing tissue perforation. People say that the appendix burst.

Pus flows into the abdominal cavity, causing infection of the abdominal tissues and blood. True, traditional medicine has said its word about the prevention of the disease, and traditional medicine agrees with it that in the diet of each of us there must be fiber, which gently cleanses the intestines from fecal stones. Therefore, we should eat more plant foods in the form of greens, vegetables and fruits.

What is an appendix and what is its role in the body, you can also learn from the video:

Most of us are familiar with the common problems associated with dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract. It's about constipation and diarrhea. You have probably experienced food poisoning a couple of times in your life. But an inflamed appendix makes itself felt much less frequently. According to statistics, doctors remove the appendix from only five percent of the population. And if you still got into this small company, you need to be aware of the signs of an impending illness.

This problem is serious

Experts warn of the seriousness of the problem. If the appendix is ​​inflamed, it means that an infection has already penetrated into it. Without the intervention of surgeons, life-threatening consequences are possible. The inflamed process can burst, as a result of which peritonitis develops throughout the abdominal cavity. In the best case, the patient will undergo several operations, in the worst case, the doctors will be powerless. According to Jennifer Kadle, MD, a board-certified family physician and associate professor at the Rowan School of Osteopathic Medicine, not every case of appendicitis results in organ rupture. However, the longer the inflamed appendix is ​​not operated on, the higher the likelihood of a disastrous outcome.

Here are five warning signs that indicate that the appendix is ​​about to make itself felt. If your health allows you to move independently, contact your doctor. If the situation is critical, do not hesitate and call an ambulance.

Your stomach hurts more than before

Appendicitis usually causes severe pain that extends from the belly button to the lower right side of the abdomen. This pain does not mean that the appendix is ​​about to burst. To determine the exact diagnosis, you will need to undergo a CT scan. Dan Gingold, an ER physician at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, says that some patients with appendicitis have a different type of discomfort.

Pay attention to the characteristic pain on the right side of the abdomen when walking or during coughing. You can drive a car on a rough road without slowing down, and this will also make itself felt on the right side. This is due to the fact that the entire abdominal wall can be inflamed. In this case, the appendicitis may be on the verge of rupture, or the worst has already happened. We advise you to contact your doctor immediately.

You experience vomiting and loss of appetite

Not all cases of appendicitis have the same symptoms. If you experience nausea and loss of appetite, you may suspect food poisoning. Do not let these manifestations mislead you if you experience severe pain when you leave the house. An inflamed appendix sometimes affects other parts of the gastrointestinal tract and even affects the nervous system. That's why you see nausea and vomiting.

You go to the toilet more often

In some people, the appendix is ​​located in the lower abdomen. Therefore, inflammation can make itself felt through the bladder. Thus, you may experience more frequent urge to urinate. When the bladder comes into contact with an inflamed process, it also becomes inflamed and irritated. As a result, along with frequent urges, you feel pain during the urination itself. Do not confuse your condition with cystitis or kidney disease if your condition is accompanied by other symptoms of appendicitis.

Fever and chills

Fever and chills are strong indications that inflammation is taking place somewhere in your body. With an inflamed appendix, the body begins to react by releasing chemical defense signals. These substances cause anxiety, localized pain, and fever and chills. If you have stomach pains along with a high temperature (above 39 degrees), consult a doctor immediately.

You are out of your mind

Your condition can be called critical if you experience confusion and disorientation in space. This symptom indicates that the infection is starting to take over new territories. In the event that the appendix has already ruptured, and purulent discharge has entered the bloodstream, the patient develops sepsis. Experts warn that this condition can be fatal. Confusion of consciousness is by no means due to a violation of brain processes. This condition is caused by the development of infection and overexpenditure of bodily resources. Even oxygen is thrown by the body to fight inflammation, but the brain is left without some of the resources.

Not getting proper nutrition, the main organ lets you know about it through confusion and disorientation. That is why it is important to seek qualified medical help as soon as possible. Every time you observe strange behavior from the nervous system, do not put off calling the ambulance. Note that oxygen starvation of the brain can be caused not only by inflammation of appendicitis. The sooner you can get help, the better.

Friends, today I want to answer one question sent to me by mail. The person was interested in why the appendix is ​​needed and why it is not removed before it becomes inflamed. Considering that at one time there was a version that it was a rudiment, that is, an offshoot of the caecum that was unnecessary for the body.

I decided to put this issue in a separate publication, continuing the topic of the gastrointestinal tract. So, what is the appendix for, is it a useless or still important human organ?

What is appendicitis

Appendicitis, or inflammation of the appendix, the vermiform appendix of the caecum, is a rather serious problem and threatens to rupture if delayed with surgery. The rupture will entail peritonitis - infection of the abdominal cavity, with the subsequent death of the patient, therefore, they are not joking with appendicitis.

For reference, I will say that until the beginning of the last century, operations to remove an inflamed appendix were not performed, therefore, if a person had appendicitis, this meant inevitable death from peritonitis. So people lived all the years, if they are destined to die from a rupture of the appendix, then no one will help. But now an appendectomy is the removal of an inflamed appendix, a fairly routine operation.

But then it became even more interesting, after the physiology and anatomy of the digestive system were studied in the most complete way, proposals began to arise in the medical environment about the advisability of the preventive removal of the appendix, so to speak, for prevention, so that it would not become inflamed in the future.

Functions of the appendix

At some point, they began to believe that this organ no longer performs any functions, that it remained only as a rudiment. Fortunately, it did not come to wholesale removal, but in some countries there were attempts. Fortunately, they changed their minds in time, as later the researchers found out that this small process of the caecum is extremely important for strong immunity.

According to the observations of doctors, the protective forces in patients who underwent the procedure for removing the appendix were much weaker, and the cases of detecting dysbacteriosis were much higher. It was also found by doctors that the microflora in people with a remote appendix recovers much more slowly after antibiotic therapy than in patients with an existing appendix.

I am now talking about such subtleties precisely because many of you ask me questions about the intestines. According to his work, according to dysbacteriosis, and this is one of the significant reasons for the disorder of the system.

Also note that the appendix is ​​involved in maintaining smooth muscle tone, improves peristalsis, and therefore affects the consistency of the stool, reducing the risk of constipation and sluggish bowel.

Another important mission of the appendix is ​​to be a depot for the symbiotic microflora of our intestines. It is from this farm that the necessary bacteria are resettled in the event of a significant death of the population as a result of taking antibiotics, for example. Or prolonged dysbacteriosis with diarrhea.

In the appendix, our body carefully grows bifidobacteria that multiply on fiber that enters the caecum and settles in it. Optimal - vegetable fibers, which is why it is recommended to introduce some part of raw vegetables in salads into your diet. You don’t need much, a bowl at dinner is enough, otherwise, instead of benefit, we will get bloating and strong motility in the intestines.

Also, do not forget that in the appendix there is a large accumulation of lymphoid tissue, which ensures the outflow of the so-called dirty lymph, or sewage of our body. After all, all cells are alive and the products of their vital activity are washed into the intestines with lymph.

Why does the appendix get inflamed

Summing up the above, I will note that it is not necessary to remove the appendix for prevention, and no one will simply remove it for you. The operation is indicated only in case of inflammation - appendicitis. But about how to recognize it in time, as well as what kind of assistance should be provided to the patient upon the arrival of an ambulance, I will tell you in the near future.