Appendicitis Center - Lewisville, 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 Lewisville
Nearby Lewisville Hospitals * Medical Center of Lewisville  Trinity Medical Center  Regency Hospital of North Dallas  Presbyterian Hospital of Plano  Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine  Denton Regional Medical Center  Irving Coppell Surgical Hospital  Baylor Medical Center at Frisco  Las Colinas Medical Center  LifeCare Hospitals of Plano  RHD Memorial Medical Center  Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano  Baylor Medical Center at Trophy Club  Plano Specialty Hospital  Centennial Medical Center  Baylor Medical Center at Irving  HEALTHSOUTH Plano Rehabilitation Hospital  Medical Center of Plano  Presbyterian Hospital of Denton  Green Oaks Hospital  Medical City Children's Hospital  Medical City Hospital  Methodist Richardson Regional Medical Center  Harris Methodist HEB Hospital  Harris Methodist Springwood  Texas Specialty Hospital at Dallas  Children's Medical Center of Dallas  Kindred Hospital Dallas  Kindred Hospital Walnut Hill  Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas  LifeCare Specialty Hospital of Dallas  UT Southwestern Medical Center University Hospital St Paul  Southwest Surgical Hospital  UT Southwestern Medical Center  Parkland Health & Hospital System  UT Southwestern Medical Center University Hospital Zale Lipshy  North Hills Hospital  Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children  Mary Shiels Hospital  Presbyterian Hospital of Allen  Baylor Medical Center at Garland  Baylor Specialty Hospital Garland  Baylor Specialty Hospital  Baylor University Medical Center  Kindred Hospital Arlington  Millwood Hospital  Texas Health Memorial Hospital at Arlington  Baylor Jack & Jane Hamilton Heart & Vascular Hospital  Arlington Rehabilitation Hospital  Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation  Methodist Dallas Medical Center  Doctors Hospital at White Rock Lake  Kindred Hospital White Rock  Medical Center of McKinney  Medical Center of McKinney Wysong Campus  Timberlawn Mental Health System  Renaissance Hospital Dallas  HEALTHSOUTH Rehabilitation Hospital of Arlington  Medical Center of Arlington  USMD Hospital at Arlington  Dallas VA Medical Center  Methodist Charlton Medical Center  Methodist Rehabilitation Hospital  Select Specialty Hospital South Dallas  HEALTHSOUTH Rehabilitation Hospital  Harris Continued Care Hospital  Harris Methodist Fort Worth  JPS Health Network  Cook Children's Medical Center  Lake Pointe Medical Center  Dallas Regional Medical Center  Kindred Hospital Fort Worth  Plaza Medical Center of Fort Worth  Baylor Surgical Hospital at Fort Worth  Baylor All Saints Medical Center at Fort Worth 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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