Appendicitis Center - Houston, TX
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AppendicitisRead the Appendicitis article » 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 AppendicitisIntroduction to night sweatsDoctors 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... Other Related Appendicitis ArticlesEmergency Contact for Houston
Nearby Houston Hospitals * Dubuis Hospital of Houston  St Joseph Medical Center  Triumph Hospital Houston Central  Riverside General Hospital  HEALTHSOUTH Hospital for Specialized Surgery  Park Plaza Hospital and Medical Center  Plaza Specialty Hospital  University of Texas Harris County Psychiatric Center  Harris Quentin Mease Community Hospital  Memorial Hermann Hospital  Ben Taub General Hospital  Select Specialty Hospital Houston Heights  Kindred Hospital Houston  Select Specialty Hospital Houston Medical Center  Memorial Herman The Institute for Rehabilitation & Research  The Methodist Hospital  Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center  Texas Children's Hospital  St Luke's Episcopal Hospital  University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center  Shriners Hospitals for Children  Texas Orthopedic Hospital  University General Hospital  The Woman's Hospital of Texas  IntraCare Medical Center Hospital  Lyndon B Johnson General Hospital  Memorial Hermann Northwest Hospital  Harris County Hospital District  Texas Specialty Hospital  Doctors Hospital of Tidwell  Doctors Hospital Parkway  Cornerstone Hospital of Houston at Bellaire  Renaissance Hospital Houston  Triumph Hospital North Houston  Twelve Oaks Medical Center River Oaks Campus  West Oaks Hospital  Spring Branch Medical Center  Select Specialty Hospital Houston West  Riveroaks Medical Center Sharpstown Campus  Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital  Memorial Hermann Memorial City Hospital  Kindred Hospital Bay Area  East Houston Regional Medical Center  Triumph Hospital Town & Country  Healthbridge Children's Hospital of Houston  Bayshore Medical Center  Triumph Hospital East Houston  Vista Medical Center Hospital of America  West Houston Medical Center  Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital  HEALTHSOUTH Humble Rehabilitation Hospital  Memorial Hermann Northeast  Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center Hospital  Houston Northwest Medical Center  Methodist Willowbrook Hospital  TOPS Surgical Specialty Hospital  Kindred Hospital Northwest  IntraCare North Hospital  Cypress Creek Hospital  Triumph Hospital Northwest  HEALTHSOUTH Hospital of Houston  North Cypress Medical Center  Triumph Hospital Southwest  CHRISTUS St Catherine Hospital  Methodist Sugar Land Hospital  Triumph Hospital Clear Lake  Clear Lake Regional Medical Center  Clear Lake Rehabilitation Hospital  Cornerstone Hospital of Houston at Clearlake  Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital  Kingwood Medical Center  CHRISTUS St John Hospital  San Jacinto Methodist Hospital Garth Rd  Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital  San Jacinto Methodist Hospital Alexander Campus Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
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