Appendix Pain Symptoms

Measures to Determine Appendix Pain Symptoms

Generally the first appendix pain symptoms from most patients is abdominal pain, This symptom occurs with loss of appetite when seen from cases and nausea and even vomiting which is mainly caused by intestinal obstruction. In most cases the pain cannot be localized to a specific location, it appears to defuse around a person's abdominal area, this normally happens when the inflammation is related to the small intestine or the appendix in other words, generally located around the abdomen is shown most patients when asked to show the location of the pain or discomfort appendix.

If your appendix becomes inflamed and fills with pus, then the condition is referred to appendicitis. Your appendix is a finger-shaped pouch that projects out from your colon on the lower right side of your abdomen. Although this small structure has no known essential purpose, but that does not mean it can not cause problems. Usually pain caused by appendicitis begins around your navel and then shifts to your lower right abdomen. Before appendicitis pain became so severe usually it increases over a period of 12 to 18 hours.

How to Recognizing Appendix Pain Symptoms

1.Pay attention to abdominal pain. Pain associated with appendicitis generally starts around the navel (or belly button) and moves to the lower-right abdomen, just above your hip bone.

- Press on your abdomen. If it's too painful for you to even touch, especially in the lower right portion, consider calling a doctor.

- Note any firmness. When you press on your stomach, is your finger able to sink into the organ a bit? Or does your abdomen feel unusually firm and hard? If you notice the latter, you might be bloated, which is another appendix pain symptom - Try to stand up straight and walk. If you can't do this without severe pain, you might have appendicitis. Additionally, you might find that you can ease the pain by lying on your side and curling into the fetal position.

- Watch for a "path" of pain. The sharp pain might move from your navel to the area directly over your appendix (called McBurney's Point) 12 to 24 hours after you start experiencing symptoms. If you've noticed a distinct progression like this, see a doctor.

2.Look for other symptoms of appendicitis. Not everyone experiences all of these symptoms. But if you find yourself checking off several of them, it might be time to go to the hospital.

- Fever — If your temperature is at or over 103°F (40°C), go to a hospital immediately. If it's at 102°F (38°C) but you're experiencing several other symptoms, go to the hospital as soon as possible.

- Chills

- Constipation — If your constipation is paired with frequent vomiting, this strongly indicates appendicitis.

- Nausea

- Diarrhea

- Vomiting

- Shaking

- Tenesmus (the feeling that a bowel movement will relieve discomfort)

- Back pain

3. Know what to avoid while you watch and wait. If you're still not sure you have appendicitis, try "watchful waiting" for a few hours while you keep an eye on your appendix pain symptoms. (Unless you have a high fever — in that case, you should be on your way to a hospital right now.) While you're waiting, here's what to avoid:

- Don't take laxatives or pain medication. Laxatives might irritate your intestines further, and pain meds can make it harder for you to monitor any spikes in abdominal pain.

- Don't take antacids. They can worsen pain associated with appendicitis.

- Don't eat foods that might irritate your stomach. Stick to the same diet you'd eat while recovering from the flu, or the BRAT diet: Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast.

Method to Determine Symptoms of Appendix Pain

- The first method to determine and diagnose appendix pain symptoms is through a physical examination, most patients will often have an elevated temperature or fever and will show signs of particular pain around the lower part of the abdomen, especially when the doctor pushes inwards over this area.

- There are other methods to diagnose the inflammation of the appendix such as a white blood cell count, an urinalysis, abdominal x-rays, barium enema, laparoscopy, ultrasound and many other methods, but for the most part appendix pain symptoms are normally related to an, lost of appetite and vomiting.

- Go to an emergency room. If you feel reasonably certain you have appendicitis, don't just pick up the phone and make a doctor's appointment for later in the week. Go to a hospital, as soon as possible. Appendicitis is potentially life-threatening if the appendix bursts without treatment. 

- Pack some overnight items, such as fresh pajamas and your toothbrush. If you have appendicitis, you'll be getting surgery and staying overnight.

- Don't panic if you have to wait. Once you're in the hospital, you're a lot safer than you are at home even if your appendix bursts in the waiting room, they'll be able to get you into surgery quickly. Try to be patient and take your mind off the pain.

- Be prepared for triage. When you go to an emergency room, explain your appendix pain symptoms to the triage nurse and tell him or her that you suspect appendicitis. You'll then be ranked on a list of patients who need care according to the immediacy of their injuries.

Read my other guide on Breast Cyst Pain

References :

How to Recognize the Symptoms of appendicitis, http://www.wikihow.com/Recognize-the-Symptoms-of-Appendicitis ( July 25, 2013 )

Groin Pain

Benefits of Knowing about Groin Pain

If you experience discomfort such as pain in the groin area, may be you are suffering from groin pain. Pain in the groin area where the inner, upper thigh and lower abdomen meet. The groin is also called the inguinal area and includes your upper inner thigh as well as the front area where your legs attach to your torso. 

The pulling or strain of adductor muscle can cause surface of groin pain. Gracilis, pecticeus, adductor brevis, adductor longus and adductor magnus are the groin muscles. These are fan like muscles and are located in upper thigh. These muscles pull legs together when they contract. They are also responsible for the stabilization of hip joint. These muscles attach from pelvis to thigh bone. Groin discomfort appears in men and women of all ages. However, women encounter this problem most commonly during pregnancy.

Groin Pain Symptoms

Symptoms that may occur along with groin pain include:

- Difficulty performing your usual sports activities or exercises, such as running, skating or swimming
- A mass, bulge or lump in the groin area and/or scrotum
- Flu-like symptoms (fatigue, fever, sore throat, headache, cough, aches and pains)
- Loss of appetite
- Lower back pain
- Pain or itching in the genital area
- Painful urination
- Pelvic or lower abdominal pain
- Rectal or vaginal discharge
- Swollen lymph nodes in the groin or elsewhere
- Trouble walking
- Weakness of the hip muscles
- Bleeding symptoms, such as bloody urine, bloody stools, or unusual rectal discharge
- Change in consciousness or alertness, confusion
- Difficulty breathing, wheezing, or shortness of breath
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Genital ulcers or blisters
- High fever (higher than 101 degrees Fahrenheit)
- Increased or decreased urine output
- Severe lower abdominal pain
- Nausea or vomiting
- Redness or warmth in the groin area
- Sudden swelling of the scrotum
- Yellow, pus-like discharge from the penis or vagina

Causes of Pain in Groin 

- Epididymitis or inflammation in epididymis, a tube that connects testicle with vas deferens, occurs due to bacterial infection from urethra or bladder. The most common causes for Epididymitis are chlamydia and gonorrhea. It also occurs due to mycobacterium tuberculosis, E. coli, etc. Epididymitis is one of the major pain causes.

- Enlarged Lymph Glands. Lymph nodes, which appear all over the body, are highly important in your immune system. They recognize and fight infections, germs and other foreign substances. Common areas where lymph nodes appear are groin, armpit, neck, under the chin or jaw, behind ears, backside of head, etc. They become swollen due to inflammatory condition, infection, cancer, or abscess. Injections, such as gingivitis, colds, flu, ear infection, skin infections, tuberculosis, tonsillitis, sexually transmitted diseases, mouth sores, mononucleosis, etc, are the common causes of swollen lymph nodes and it finally leads to groin pain, cancer or tumor.

- Hernia. This is another major cause of groin pain. Chronic cough and constipation, enlarged prostate, undescended testicles, overexertion, smoking, poor nutrition, etc are the major causes of hernia.

- Kidney stone is the solid mass of tiny crystals. Groin pain, testicle pain, abnormal urine color, vomiting, nausea, fever, chills, blood in urine, etc are the symptoms of kidney stone.

- Groin Lump. Lump in the groin is a localized swelling and it occurs due to allergic reaction, drug reaction, cancer, harmless cyst, injury in groin area, infections in legs, lipomas, sexually transmitted diseases, swollen lymph glands in groin area, etc.

- Orchitis is the inflammation of one or both testicles. Bacteria and virus infections are the causes of this health problem and it triggers groin pain in men.

Groin Injury. This is another major cause of groin pain and it occurs due to a direct blow on groin region. Athletes are more prone to groin injury. Hyper extension of groin muscles may cause sprain in groin and it ultimately leads to severe pain. Straining or tearing of near hip joints also cause groin pain.

- Pregnancy. Lots of hormonal changes occur during pregnancy. It increases slackness of pelvic joints. So groin pain during pregnancy is very common. Women may also experience pain in lower back, hip joints, upper thighs and genital area.

- Referred Pain. Injury or pain in the other parts of the body may radiate towards groin and they can cause pain in women. This is called radiating pain or referred pain.

Groin Pain Treatment

Immediate Care For a Pain in Groin

1.Rest. The severity of your groin injury determines how long you need to refrain from strenuous     physical activity.

2.Ice the muscle as soon as possible. Ice packs can minimize swelling, stop blood from pooling under the skin (which causes bruising) and help control the pain associated with a groin injury. You should ice the groin area in 20-minute intervals every 2 to 3 hours for optimum results.

3.Compress the injured groin muscle to further reduce swelling. 

4.The use of a special brace designed for the groin area is especially helpful, because it is made to fit the groin area snugly, but not too tight to cut off circulation to the region.

5.Elevate the groin to encourage adequate blood flow.

6.Use hot compresses. Do it in 10-to-15 minute intervals to encourage healing in the groin area.

7.Take ibuprofen to alleviate swelling and to reduce pain

Long Term Care for a Groin Pain

1.Warm up and stretch before any strenuous physical activity. Stretching loosens the adductor muscle and prepares it for activity, while a sufficient warm-up period before exercise gets the blood flowing to the muscle and preps it to work properly under stress.

 - Perform a simple stretch that targets the groin area before and after you work out or participate in sports. Sit on the floor with your back gently against the wall. Place the bottoms of your feet together and pull your feet in toward your groin. Gently and slowly move your knees toward the floor. Hold this stretch for 20 seconds and repeat once.

- If you have a history of groin injuries, apply warm compresses to your groin area before you stretch to further loosen up the muscle.

2. Eat a diet high in carbohydrates before you begin physical activity. A diet rich in carbohydrates gives the adductor muscle the fuel it needs to work properly  to prevent from groin pain.

Reference :

How to Treat a Groin Injury, http://www.wikihow.com/Treat-a-Groin-Injury, ( July 22,2013 )

Groin pain, http://www.localhealth.com/article/groin-pain ( July 20, 2013 )