Appendicitis Treatment Diet

Diet for Appendicitis

The patient should be put to bed immediately at the first signs of severe pain, vomiting and fever. Rest is of utmost importance in the treatment of this disease. The patient should resort to fasting, which is the only real cure for appendicitis. Absolutely no food should be given. Nothing except water should enter the system.

When the acute symptoms subside by about the third day the patient should be given a full enema containing about three pints of warm water and this should be repeated daily until all inflammation and pain have subsid¬ed. The patient can be given fruit juices from the third day onwards. This simple treatment sensibly applied will overcome an appendicitis attack.

After spending three days on fruit juices the patient may adopt 'an all-fruit diet for a further four or five days. During this period he should have three meals a day of fresh juicy fruits. Thereafter he should adopt a well balanced diet based on three basic food groups namely seeds nuts and grains vegetables and fruits.

Chronic Appendicitis:

In case of chronic appendicitis a short fast should be followed by a full milk diet for two to three weeks. In this regimen a glass of milk should be taken every two hours from 8 a.m. To 8 p.m. On the first day a glass every. Hour and a half the next day and a glass every hour the third day. Then the quantity of milk should be gradually in¬creased so as to take n glass every half an hour if such a quantity can be tolerated comfortably. After the full milk diet the patient should gradually embark upon a well balanced diet with emphasis on fresh fruits and green leafy vegetables.

Certain vegetable juices especially carrot juice in combination with the juices of beets and cucumbers have been found valuable in the treatment of appen¬dicitis. Regular use of tea made from fenugreek seeds has also proved helpful. In preventing the appendix from becoming a dumping ground for excess mucous and in¬testinal waste.

The patient of appendicitis should adopt all measures to eradicate constipation if it is habitual. Much relief can be obtained by the application of hot fomentation and ab¬dominal packs every morning and night. Abdominal massage is also beneficial. Once the waste matter in the caecum has moved into the colon and thence eliminated the irritation and inflammation in the appendix will subside and surgical removal of the appendix will not be necessary. The surgical operation should be resorted to only in rare cases, when the appendix has become septic.

Treatment chart for chronic appendicitis:

A - DIET

I. An all-fruit diet for 2 or 3 days, with three meals a day of fresh juicy fruits at five-hourly intervals.

II. Fruit and milk diet for further 3 days. In this regimen, milk may be added to each fruit meal.

III. Therefore, adopt a well-balanced diet on the following lines:

1. Upon arising: A glass of lukewarm water with half a freshly squeezed lime and a teaspoon of honey.

2. Breakfast: Fruits and milk, followed by nuts, if desired.

3. Lunch: Steamed vegetables, 2 or 3 whole-wheat wheat tortilla and a glass of buttermilk.

4. Mid-afternoon: A glass of fresh fruit or vegetable juice or sugarcane juice.

5. Dinner: A bowl of fresh green vegetable salad, with limejuice dressing, sprouted seeds and fresh homemade cottage cheese or a glass of buttermilk.

6. Bedtime: A glass of fresh milk or an apple.

Avoid:

Meat, fried foods, condiments, spices, white sugar, white flour and products made from white flour, sugar, tea, coffee, refined cereals and tinned and canned foods.

B - OTHER MEASURES

1. Abdominal packs for 2 or 3 times for duration of one hour each.

2. Massage to abdomen.

3. Adequate rest.

4. Hot fomentation to painful area several times daily.

What is appendicitis?

The appendix is a small pouch, shaped like a finger, which projects from the colon, on to the right side of the abdomen. Although the exact purpose or function of the appendix is still not clear, it can cause problems within the human body. Appendicitis can be described as a condition, in which a person’s appendix gets filled with pus, which further leads to an inflammation. When a person suffers from appendicitis, the pain generally begins around the navel, which then moves over, to the lower right abdomen. Appendicitis pain can be excruciating and it could gradually worsen after a period of 12 to 18 hours. While this condition can affect just about anybody, it is more common in people who are aged from 10 to 30.

The problem of appendicitis can affect a person at just about any time without any warning or signs. Several people who rush to emergency rooms complaining of severe pain in the abdomen are informed that the condition is appendicitis which needs to be treated immediately.

Appendicitis treatment

Appendix is too severe to be ignored & hence immediate appendicitis treatment is absolutely essential. The most commonly adopted treatment of appendicitis includes the removal of the appendix, through a surgical procedure. However, addition appendicitis treatment using antibiotics may be required too, based on the severity of the situation. Moreover, the treatment of appendicitis does not end with the surgery. Most patients are required to stay in the hospital for around 2 days or so, after the appendectomy has been completed, so that the doctors can monitor the patient’s recovery and avoid any complications from cropping up later. There are several lifestyle changes and alterations that a person may need to make, after going through the surgery, avoiding strenuous activity, getting a lot of rest and following a specific appendicitis diet. In fact, after the surgery most doctors ask the patients to be fed intravenously for one or two days. Thereafter, one the healing process begins and the patient’s appetite returns to a certain extent, then foods can be reintroduced to the body, starting with broth and juice.  Thereafter, the patient will gradually be put on to an appendix diet.

What is an appendix diet?

The exact causes of appendicitis are still not clear, but many health experts believe that a diet and eating habits may exacerbate condition. If a person is headed towards appendicitis, then there is not much that can be done to prevent it. However, there are certain “appendicitis foods to avoid” that can help reduce the severity of the problem to some extent. However, a diet for appendicitis should initially contain clear and light liquids, after which bland and light foods can be introduced. Foods that should be strictly avoided are: 

•     Alcohol
•    Coffee, tea and aerated drinks
•    Animal based foods
•    Canned foods and juices
•    Fried foods
•    Fatty meats and cooked eggs
•    Bakery items, which contain refined cereal and white flour
•    Foods that lead to gas, like beans and broccoli
•    Spices and pepper
•    Condiments
•    Sweets and items that have sugar
•    Oil, butter and other sources of fat

There are certain varieties of fruits that also may need to be avoided after getting the appendix removed. Hence, it is best to consult a doctor for a proper diet after appendix removal. 

What is chronic appendicitis?

Appendicitis can be of two types, acute appendicitis and chronic appendicitis. Acute appendicitis, which is the severe form, appears suddenly; it is a lot more common, in people. Chronic appendicitis on the other hand, is a condition that is rare. It can be described as a milder form of acute appendicitis. Chronic appendicitis pain is much less, as compared to regular appendicitis. The fact that chronic appendicitis is a lot milder can be a disadvantage, because it makes the condition a lot more difficult to diagnose. Even though the symptoms of this condition are less severe, chronic appendicitis in children and adults can be life threatening. This is because some people can suffer from chronic appendicitis last for years before it is detected; by then the damage caused to the intestines may be significant.

Chronic appendicitis treatment

In order to treat this condition, it is important to first diagnose it correctly, which is a bit of a challenge. Even after a physical exam or studying the symptoms, many doctors may require a chronic appendicitis ct scan to be sure of what exactly the problem is. Once the condition is diagnosed the doctor may not recommend a surgery initially, especially in case of chronic appendicitis in children. The doctor may prescribe chronic appendicitis medicine, which includes antibiotic medications in the initial stages to alleviate the symptoms. However, since this condition is an ongoing one, constant chronic appendicitis treatment will be required. In some severe cases chronic appendicitis medicine may not bring about the desired results and therefore hospitalization may be required.

Since this condition is fairly rare, it is not very easy to find a lot of information or many chronic appendicitis stories through online resources. Therefore it is best to consult a doctor, for any questions or doubts about this affliction.

How to improve bowel movement after appendicitis?

One of the problems of appendicitis is that it can affect a person’s bowel movement adversely. While a few people may get diarrhea as a result of appendicitis, it is a lot more common for people to suffer from constipation. Unfortunately, because of recent surgery, it is not even advisable to apply any pressure on the abdominal area, to facilitate the passage of the bowels. It is best to consult a doctor for options on how to improve bowel movement, using simple home remedies that will not interfere with the treatment or the medication that is being administered. The consumption of a lot of water is generally great for softening the stools and making it easier to pass them. Drinking about 10 to 12 glasses of water each day can also help a patient to recover faster, from appendicitis or the surgery.