Appendicitis Center - Pinellas Park, FL
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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 Pinellas Park
Nearby Pinellas Park Hospitals * Northside Hospital & Tampa Bay Heart Institute  St Petersburg General Hospital  Edward White Hospital  Bay Pines VA Healthcare System  St Anthony's Hospital  Palms of Pasadena Hospital  Bayfront Medical Center  All Children's Hospital  Windmoor Healthcare of Clearwater  Largo Medical Center  Kindred Hospital St Petersburg  HEALTHSOUTH Rehabilitation Hospital of Largo  Sun Coast Hospital  Morton Plant Hospital  Mease Countryside Hospital  Kindred Hospital Tampa  Mease Dunedin Hospital  Town & Country Hospital  Memorial Hospital of Tampa  St Joseph's Children's Hospital of Tampa  St Joseph's Hospital  St Joseph's Women's Hospital  University Community Hospital Carrollwood  Tampa General Hospital  Kindred Hospital Central Tampa  Helen Ellis Memorial Hospital  Shriners Hospital for Children  South Bay Hospital  H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute  James A Haley VA Medical Center  University Community Hospital  Blake Medical Center  Manatee Memorial Hospital  Brandon Regional Hospital  Manatee Palms Youth Services  Community Hospital of New Port Richey  Manatee Glens Hospital  Morton Plant North Bay Hospital 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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