What is the difference between appendicitis and gastroenteritis?

Tips: Gastroenteritis is usually caused by microbial infections, but also by chemical poisons or drugs. Appendicitis is an inflammatory change caused by a variety of factors. It is a common surgical disease and is most common among young people. More men than women. Clinically, acute appendicitis is more common, and it can occur in all ages and pregnant women. Chronic appendicitis is rare.

What is the difference between appendicitis and gastroenteritis?

The location of the intestine is different, and the disease information represented by the inflammation is different. Appendicitis and gastroenteritis are common intestinal diseases, but what is the difference between appendicitis and gastroenteritis?

The cause of the disease: Gastroenteritis is usually caused by microbial infections, but also by chemical poisons or drugs. Appendicitis is an inflammatory change caused by a variety of factors. It is a common surgical disease and is most common among young people. More men than women. Clinically, acute appendicitis is more common, and it can occur in all ages and pregnant women. Chronic appendicitis is rare.

Symptoms: Typical clinical manifestations of gastroenteritis are diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. For healthy adults, gastroenteritis usually only causes discomfort and inconvenience in life, and does not cause serious consequences, but can lead to life-threatening dehydration and electrolytes in patients who are seriously ill, weak, young or old. disorder. Abdominal pain Typical acute appendicitis has a pain in the upper abdomen or umbilical cord. After a few hours, abdominal pain is transferred and fixed in the right lower abdomen. When the inflammation spreads to the serosal layer and the peritoneum, the pain is fixed in the right lower abdomen, and the pain in the upper middle or upper umbilicus is alleviated or disappeared. Therefore, no typical metastatic right lower quadrant pain history can not exclude acute appendicitis.

Simple appendicitis often presents with paroxysmal or persistent pain and dull pain, and persistent severe pain often suggests suppurative or gangrenous appendicitis. Sudden onset of pain affects the lower abdomen or the lower abdomen, often a sign of perforation of the appendix gangrene.

The difference in diagnosis:

Diagnosis of gastroenteritis:

• History of exposure to pathogens is an important diagnostic feature: potentially contaminated food, unclean, untreated or contaminated drinking water, patients exposed to the same symptoms, and travel in epidemic areas are diagnosed The primary suspicion feature. 
• Further diagnosis is to determine the count of white blood cells and eosinophils by blood, vomit, and feces. 
• Other conditions may be excluded.

Diagnosis of appendicitis: In patients with acute appendicitis, the left lower abdomen is pressed with the right hand, and the proximal colon is squeezed with the left hand. The gas in the colon can be transmitted to the cecum and appendix, causing positive pain in the right lower quadrant. Take the left lateral position, so that the right thigh is extended, causing positive pain in the right lower quadrant. It is indicated that the appendix is ​​located in front of the psoas muscle, posterior cecum or retroperitoneum. The patient was placed in the supine position, the right hip and right thigh were flexed, and then passively rotated inward, causing positive pain in the lower right abdomen. It is suggested that the appendix is ​​close to the inner muscle of the obturator.

For patients with repeated (intermittent) episodes of appendicitis with a history of acute appendicitis and subsequent signs and symptoms, the diagnosis is not difficult; for chronic (obstructive) appendicitis without a history of acute appendicitis, barium enema examination is more helpful.

I believe that through the above specific analysis, people can recognize the difference between appendicitis and gastroenteritis, so when you find yourself in a similar situation, it is recommended to go to a regular hospital for treatment.