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Appendicitis Center - Carson City, NV

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Carson City, Nevada

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Appendicitis

What is the appendix?

The appendix is a closed-ended, narrow tube up to several inches in length that attaches to the cecum (the first part of the colon) like a worm. (The anatomical name for the appendix, vermiform appendix, means worm-like appendage.) The inner lining of the appendix produces a small amount of mucus that flows through the open center of the appendix and into the cecum. The wall of the appendix contains lymphatic tissue that is part of the immune system for making antibodies. Like the rest of the colon, the wall of the appendix also contains a layer of muscle, but the layer of muscle is poorly developed.

What is appendicitis and what causes appendicitis?

Appendicitis means inflammation of the appendix. It is thought that appendicitis begins when the opening from the appendix into the cecum becomes blocked. The blockage may be due to a build-up of thick mucus within the appendix or to stool that enters the appendix from the cecum. The mucus or stool hardens, becomes rock-like, and blocks the opening. This rock is called a fecalith (literally, a rock of stool). At other times, the lymphatic tissue in the appendix might swell and block the appendix. After the blockage occurs, bacteria which normally are found within the appendix begin to invade (infect) the wall of the appendix. The body responds to the invasion by mounting an attack on the bacteria, an attack called inflammation. An alternative theory for the cause of appendicitis is an initial rupture of the appendix followed by spread of bacteria outside of the appendix. The cause of such a rupture is unclear, but it may relate to changes that occur in the lymphatic tissue, for example, inflammation, that lines the wall of the appendix.)

If the inflammation and infection spread through the wall of the appendix, the appendix can rupture. After rupture, infection can spread throughout the abdomen; however, it ...

Recommended Reading Related to Appendicitis

Night Sweats »

Introduction to night sweats

Doctors in primary care fields of medicine often hear their patients complain of night sweats as they are common. Night sweats refer to any excess sweating occurring during the night. However, if your bedroom is unusually hot or you are using too many bedclothes, you may begin to sweat during sleep - and this is normal. In order to distinguish night sweats that arise from medical causes from those that occur because one's surroundings are too warm, doctors generally refer to true night sweats as severe hot flashes occurring at night that can drench sleepwear and sheets, which are not related to an overheated environment.

In one study of 2267 patients visiting a primary care physician, 41% reported experiencing night sweats during the previous month, so the perception of excessive sweating at night is fairly common. It is important to note that flushing (a warmth and redness of the face or trunk) may also be hard t...

Emergency Contact for Carson City

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Carson City Hospitals *

Sierra Surgery Hospital
1400 Medical Pkwy
Carson City, NV 89703
(775)883-1700

Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
1600 Medical Pkwy
Carson City, NV 89703
(775)445-8000

Incline Village Community Hospital
880 Alder Ave
Incline Village, NV 89451
(775)833-4100

Renown South Meadows Medical Center
10101 Double R Blvd
Reno, NV 89521
(775)982-7000

Tahoe Pacific Hospitals Meadows
10101 Double R Blvd
Reno, NV 89521
(775)331-1044

Barton Memorial Hospital
2170 South Ave
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
(530)541-3420

Willow Springs Center
690 Edison Way
Reno, NV 89502
(775)858-3303

VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System
1000 Locust St
Reno, NV 89502
(775)786-7200

Renown Rehabilitation Hospital
1495 Mill St
Reno, NV 89502
(775)982-3500

Renown Regional Medical Center
1155 Mill St
Reno, NV 89502
(775)982-4100

St Mary's Regional Medical Center
235 W Sixth St
Reno, NV 89503
(775)770-3000

Tahoe Pacific Hospitals West
235 W Sixth St
Reno, NV 89503
(775)770-7980

Northern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services
480 Galletti Way
Sparks, NV 89431
(775)688-2001

Tahoe Forest Hospital
10121 Pine Ave
Truckee, CA 96161
(530)587-6011

West Hills Hospital
1240 E Ninth St
Reno, NV 89512
(775)323-0478

Northern Nevada Medical Center
2375 E Prater Way
Sparks, NV 89434
(775)331-7000

Carson Valley Medical Center
1107 US Highway 395 S
Gardnerville, NV 89410
(775)782-1500

South Lyon Medical Center
213 Whitacre Ave
Yerington, NV 89447
(775)463-2301

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