Appendicitis and Male Infertility
Written by Ben Bunting: BA(Hons), PGCert.
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What is Appendicitis?
Symptoms of appendicitis are similar to other common medical conditions. Your doctor will perform blood tests to look for signs of infection and urine tests to determine if you have a urinary tract infection. They will also perform an abdominal ultrasound to determine blood flow through different blood vessels.
Appendicitis causes abdominal pain and can also lead to fever and nausea. The pain is usually constant and can be made worse by coughing or moving the affected area. It can also make you lose appetite. If you notice any of these symptoms, you should immediately visit a doctor.
The first symptom of appendicitis is usually a dull ache in the upper abdomen near the belly button. It may grow into a sharp, throbbing pain over a period of several hours. In severe cases, you may also develop vomiting or nausea. If the pain is persistent and lasts for more than two days, it is a sign of appendicitis.
Appendicitis can be a serious medical condition requiring emergency surgery. It occurs when the appendix becomes inflamed due to obstruction or infection. If left untreated, the appendix may rupture and spread infection throughout the abdominal cavity. In severe cases, it can even spread to the bloodstream. Appendicitis affects one in every five Americans each year, but its risk increases with age. It is the leading reason for abdominal surgery in children.
If you experience any of these symptoms, you should visit a doctor immediately. If your appendix becomes swollen, the blood supply to the appendix will be cut off. Without blood flow, the appendix will eventually die. The swelling will make the walls of the appendix leak mucus, stool, and other things. In severe cases, this can cause peritonitis, a serious infection of the belly.
Treatment for Appendicitis
While there is no single treatment for appendicitis, antibiotics are often used. This treatment does not work in all cases, but may be recommended if your appendix has burst or if you're not a candidate for surgery. Additionally, antibiotics may reduce the risk of infection.
In some cases, antibiotics are enough to cure the condition, but in more severe cases, surgical removal of the appendix is necessary. This surgery is called an appendectomy, and requires small incisions in the abdominal wall. The surgeon inserts a scope into the abdomen, and then removes the appendix through these incisions. In more complicated cases, the surgeon may use a laparotomy. This is a more complicated procedure, and requires longer recovery time.
Is appendicitis connected to male infertility?
There has been some research on the link between appendicitis and infertility, but the results have not been conclusive. However, one study by Nordenskjold F and colleagues from the Denmark National Institute for Health and Welfare (NIH) showed that appendectomy increased the rate of tubal infertility in men and women.
➡️READ: Natural treatments for male infertility
On the other hand, a study published in Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand, the Swedish medical journal, found that appendicitis and male infertility are not related. Its findings were consistent with the findings of a meta-analysis by Elraiyah et al.
Does appendicitis affect female fertility?
However, if a woman experiences a long period of infertility, she should be evaluated by an infertility specialist. A ruptured appendix can damage the Fallopian tubes and lead to tubal infertility. In the United States, approximately 2% of women of reproductive age are affected by this condition. This condition is often undiagnosed but may be caused by a ruptured appendix.
Although it is not known why appendicitis and male infertile are connected, this study could help women decide which surgery is right for them. Infections in the tonsils and the appendix can increase inflammation in the body, which can affect the womb and ovaries. As such, researchers are keen to find out what explains the relationship between appendicitis and infertility.
Other possible causes for male infertility
Another common cause of infertility is a vas deferens issue. This genetic defect can affect sperm production. Some men may experience retrograde ejaculation, which causes semen to flow backwards into the bladder. In rare cases, sperm flow may be blocked in the penis. In some cases, the blockage can be corrected with surgery. Other causes of infertility include varicocele or hormone deficiencies. For a definitive diagnosis, a thorough physical exam must be performed by a urologist.
Conclusion
Appendicitis is a painful condition in which the appendix becomes blocked. This blockage can be caused by stool, mucus, parasites, or a bend in the appendix. Once a blockage forms, the contents of the appendix become infected, and infection of the lining of the abdominal cavity can occur. In severe cases, this can be life-threatening. This condition is more common in children than in adults.
Antibiotics are a common treatment for appendicitis. In about 70% of cases, antibiotic therapy can resolve the infection. However, there are many factors that can prevent antibiotics from working. For these reasons, this treatment is generally reserved for patients who are too ill to undergo surgery.
The available research offers conflicting evidence regarding the effects of appendicitis on male fertility, however, appendicitis is a condition that should to be addressed.
