Acute inflammation of the appendix, a small tube branching off the large intestine. Symptoms include loss of appetite, stomach ache around the naval, shifting sharp pain in the lower right of the belly, nausea, fever, and sometimes constipation or diarrhoea. This condition requires immediate medical attention and hospital admission.

Treatment.

Orthodox

* in the early stages after admission to hospital a fluid only diet is recommend. It rests the inflamed bowel, and if surgery does follow, you will avoid having to wait before receiving a general anesthetic. Once advanced inflammation is present, surgical removal of the appendix (appendectomy) is the only recommended treatment. If this is delayed the appendix may burst, leaking infected contents into the stomach which leads to life threatening infection of the lining of the abdomen.

Homoepathy

* after surgery the wound should be kept clean by bathing with a solution of Hypericum and Calendula ( 4 drops of each to a cup of warm water)

* to relieve bruising and pain and to prevent infection of the wound: Arnica 6c, twice daily for up to 10 days.

* to relieve nausea or vomiting after the anesthetic: Phosphorus 6c, 3 times a day for 3 days.

Bach Flower Remedy

* take Rescue Remedy to diminish the fear of an operation and to aid recovery.