Appendicitis Center - Saint Charles, MO
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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 Saint Charles
Nearby Saint Charles Hospitals * SSM St Joseph Health Center  SSM DePaul Health Center  Barnes-Jewish St Peter's Hospital  St John's Urgent Care Center Saint Peters  Ranken Jordan Pediatric Rehabilitation  Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital  Northwest HealthCare  Center Pointe Hospital  St Luke's Hospital  St Luke's Urgent Care Center in St Charles  St John's Mercy Medical Center  St John's Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital  Dubuis Hospital of St Louis  Missouri Baptist Medical Center  St John's Mercy Urgent Care Center  Shriners Hospital for Children  Hawthorn Children's Psychiatric Hospital  Christian Hospital NE  Progress West HealthCare Center  St Luke's Urgent Care Center at WingHaven  St Luke's Urgent Care Center on Clarkson Road  Des Peres Hospital  SSM Rehab  SSM St Mary's Health Center  Metropolitan St Louis Psychiatric Center  SSM St Joseph Hospital West  Forest Park Community Hospital  Select Specialty Hospital St Louis  Barnes-Jewish Hospital North Campus  Kindred Hospital St Louis  Barnes-Jewish Hospital South Campus  St Louis Children's Hospital  The Rehabilitation Institute of St Louis  St Louis Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center  St Louis VA Medical Center John Cochran Division  Saint Louis University Hospital  SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center  SSM St Clare Health Center  St Clare's Hospital  St Anthony's Health Center  St Luke's Urgent Care Center in Fenton  Alton Memorial Hospital  Gateway Regional Medical Center  St Alexius Hospital Broadway Campus  Kindred Hospital St Anthony's  St Anthony's Medical Center  SSM St Joseph Health Center Wentzville  Kenneth Hall Regional Hospital  St Louis VA Medical Center Jefferson Barracks  Jersey Community Hospital  Touchette Regional Hospital  Lincoln County Medical Center  Anderson Hospital  Memorial Hospital Belleville  St John's Mercy Hospital  St Elizabeth's Hospital Belleville 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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