What should I do if my appendix hurts?

The appendix is ​​a kind of intestine between the ileum and cecum in the lower right side of the human abdomen. The health of the appendix is ​​very important to the body. The appendix is ​​prone to inflammation, which can easily lead to abdominal pain. Pain in the appendix area may be a manifestation of appendicitis. It can be treated with medication or surgical resection. Pay attention to a light diet.

What should I do if I have pain in the appendix area?

A little pain in the appendix may be appendicitis. Simple appendicitis can be cured with non-surgical treatment in most patients. Acute appendicitis requires emergency surgery to remove the diseased appendix. Give anti-inflammatory and anti-infective treatment

Organizational Function

The appendix is ​​rich in lymphoid tissue, which participates in the body's immune function and should be classified as a peripheral immune organ. It is responsible for the body's two major functions: cellular immunity and humoral immunity. The latest research results confirm that the appendix also has secretory cells that can secrete a variety of substances and various digestive enzymes, as well as hormones that promote intestinal peristalsis and growth-related hormones.

After the fetus is born, lymphatic tissue begins to accumulate in the appendix in small amounts, reaching its peak at the age of 20-30, then rapidly declining, and completely disappearing after the age of 60. Early in human development, the appendix acts as a lymphoid organ that helps the maturation of B lymphocytes. B lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell and produce a type of antibody called immunoglobulin (I-gA). The researchers also found that the appendix is ​​involved in producing a molecule that directly helps lymphocytes move to other parts of the body.

It is generally believed that the appendix has developed lymphoid tissue in children and young people, which can transfer immune-active lymphocytes. Therefore, the appendix can be called one of the immune organs. In adults, this immune function has been replaced by lymph nodes and spleen throughout the body. In addition, the appendix mucosa has secretory function and the appendix wall also has peristaltic function. By making white blood cells react to various antigens or foreign bodies present in the gastrointestinal tract, the appendix may inhibit the humoral antibody response that destroys blood and lymph production, thereby promoting local immune function. The appendix is ​​like the thin, small structures called Peyer's patches elsewhere in the gastrointestinal tract—it absorbs antigens from intestinal contents and reacts to those contents. This local immune system plays a vital role in the biological and control of food, drugs, microorganisms and viral antigens. The relationship between these local immune systems and intestinal inflammation, as well as autoimmune responses affiliated with the systemic immune system, is still under investigation.

Thus, the function of the appendix appears to be to expose white blood cells to the large number of antigens, or foreign substances, in the gastrointestinal tract. Thus, the appendix helps suppress potentially damaging humoral antibody responses while providing local immunity. The appendix absorbs and responds to antigens in the intestine. This local immune system plays an important role in physiological immune responses and control of food, drug, bacterial or viral antigens. Scientists are investigating the relationship between these local immune responses and inflammatory bowel disease and autoimmune responses.

If the intestinal bacterial balance is unbalanced, it may lead to ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, and food poisoning may also occur easily, so do not remove the appendix lightly. In view of these physiological functions of the appendix, scientists call on people to treat the appendix well and not to remove it easily.