What is the appendix?
And why it is more important than you think, like every single part of our body, is there for a reason.
In the past, the appendix, was considered useless and at times it was taken out for no reason, even without being inflamed, the newest research show that the appendix has a bigger role in the human body as usual. Here are some of the explanation of it:
- The appendix is a small, narrow, tube-like pouch attached to the beginning of the large intestine (the cecum).
- In humans, it is usually about 6–10 cm long.
- It contains a lot of lymphoid tissue, which is involved in the immune system.
2. What is the appendix for?
The text explains that the appendix is not simply a useless organ. It may have two important roles:
- Immune function: The lymphoid tissue in the appendix may help support the body’s immune response and protect against harmful organisms.
- “Safe house” for good bacteria: The appendix contains beneficial bacteria in biofilms. Because it is a narrow, protected pouch, these bacteria can survive illnesses such as diarrhoea and later help repopulate the gut with healthy bacteria.
3. What is appendicitis?
- Appendicitis means inflammation of the appendix.
- It commonly happens when the appendix becomes blocked, for example by a hardened piece of stool (fecalith), a foreign body, or a tumour.
- The blockage can increase pressure, reduce blood supply, cause tissue damage, and allow bacteria to multiply.
- If untreated, the appendix can rupture, which can cause peritonitis or sepsis.
4. Symptoms of appendicitis
Typical symptoms include:
- Nausea
- Abdominal discomfort/pain
- Loss of appetite
- Vomiting
- Pain may initially be dull and difficult to locate.
- As inflammation increases, the pain can become sharp and more focused, often in the lower-right side of the abdomen.
Unless you do have appendicitis, do consider the benefit of this little part of your intestine and how great it is.
Reference:
A review of the function and evolution of the cecal appendix
Heather F. Smith, First published: 01 April 2022 https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.24917Digital Object Identifier (DOI)