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- What is appendicitis?
- Symptoms of appendicitis
- Causes of appendicitis
- Prevention of appendicitis
- Risk factors for appendicitis
- Complications of appendicitis
- When to see a doctor about appendicitis
- Diagnosis of appendicitis
- Conventional treatment of appendicitis
- Alternative/complementary treatment of appendicitis
- Living with appendicitis
- Caring for someone with appendicitis
While it is not known definitively what exactly causes appendicitis, a few theories have been proposed:
Infection
One possible cause of appendicitis is a recent infection in some part of the digestive system (stomach or small intestine) and the virus or bacteria from this infection then travels to the appendix and infects it too, so that it becomes inflamed and infected. Another possibility is an infection from another part of the body that travels to the appendix and infects it too.
Obstruction
Another possible cause of appendicitis is the theory that some faeces could get stuck in the appendix and this can cause it to get inflamed, irritated and infected when the bacteria that are inside the faeces multiply within the small confines of the appendix. In addition to faeces, other theories for obstruction include parasites and certain growths that can also occur within the appendix and cause the same inflammation and infection.
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Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Another theory proposed is that inflammatory bowel disease (such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis) can cause inflammation of the bowels and possibility of obstruction and abscess of any part of the bowel (including the appendix). This is linked to a low fibre diet.
Injury to the bowel
If the bowel (colon) experiences an injury or trauma in some way, at the point where the appendix sits, this could cause the appendix to become inflamed and irritated.
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