Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
What Causes Appendicitis?
Question: My daughter just had appendicitis. She is on a craze for drinking coffee and she has got hold of cheap coffee which she wants to drink daily. I had a tooth out 3 weeks ago and the tooth socket is just healing leaving a recess into which small crumb residues gather periodically. Cheap coffee is full of coffee grounds residue and it is my theory that over the last few months these grounds have collected at the entrance of the appendix and obviously some have entered. I have seen somewhere that the appendix is actually not a vestigial organ but secretes small amounts of oil to aid the passage of colonic material through it. My contention is that the route cause of the appendicitis is drinking cheap coffee at the age of 16 (highest incidence of appendicitis is age 15 to 23). And that the degraded colon will give a higher risk for colon cancer later in life. (population risk for appendicitis is approximately 2 or 3% whereas 67% of colon cancer sufferers have had their appendix out in earlier life) Having two younger sons I am anxious that they could suffer similarly later through copying her behaviour. I am not a doctor but a qualified teacher of biology for many years and I do a lot of medical research now. How far can you support my theories please?
Brief Answer:
Very sensible right up and presentation!
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thank you so much for this query.
I must admit having enjoyed and learned some facts reading through your query. Keep up and shows that you have done some real research and have a sound understanding of the human body, its functioning and disease process.
The truth is that no one has ever been able to tell what the real cause of appendicitis is. All hypotheses have failed to consistently fall in line with the cause(s) of appendicitis. We know how it presents when it does occurs but not what causes it exactly.
Blockage is a possible cause. Residues from coffee can cause this but also remember that the food we eat is full of several tiny residues as well. If this were the case, just every single one of us would develop appendicitis. The problem is when the opening gets blocked, secretions cannot flow freely and may cause an inflammation. However, there are also several persons who suffer from this condition and yet have no obstruction on examination and not all with obstruction develop appendicitis!
67% of persons with colon cancer have had their appendices removed. This is true. However, it represents an observed association and we cannot for sure say whether the same cause of appendicitis is responsible for the cancer. It may simply be that symptoms of appendicitis overlap with those of cancer of the colon and the diagnosis and treatment for appendicitis may have been a distractor over several years before settling on the diagnosis of colon cancer.
Would your children develop appendicitis/cancer of the colon in future by consuming cheap coffee? I am not sure and lack evidence to support this. What is certain is that healthy feeding habit consisting in less spicy food, high vegetables and fiber contents, less lipids and no smoking would help reduce the risk of having cancer of the colon in future. Also, systematic screening beginning at the age of 50years should be adhered to for prompt diagnosis and treatment just in case we get there.
There is just no single yes or no response I can provide to you. Up to this date, the medical community has no strong evidence to accept or refute these hypotheses. However, with continued research, we may be settled on this sooner than later but, we are not just there now.
I hope this helps. I wish you well. Thank you so much for using our services and do feel free to ask for more information and clarifications if need be.
Very sensible right up and presentation!
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thank you so much for this query.
I must admit having enjoyed and learned some facts reading through your query. Keep up and shows that you have done some real research and have a sound understanding of the human body, its functioning and disease process.
The truth is that no one has ever been able to tell what the real cause of appendicitis is. All hypotheses have failed to consistently fall in line with the cause(s) of appendicitis. We know how it presents when it does occurs but not what causes it exactly.
Blockage is a possible cause. Residues from coffee can cause this but also remember that the food we eat is full of several tiny residues as well. If this were the case, just every single one of us would develop appendicitis. The problem is when the opening gets blocked, secretions cannot flow freely and may cause an inflammation. However, there are also several persons who suffer from this condition and yet have no obstruction on examination and not all with obstruction develop appendicitis!
67% of persons with colon cancer have had their appendices removed. This is true. However, it represents an observed association and we cannot for sure say whether the same cause of appendicitis is responsible for the cancer. It may simply be that symptoms of appendicitis overlap with those of cancer of the colon and the diagnosis and treatment for appendicitis may have been a distractor over several years before settling on the diagnosis of colon cancer.
Would your children develop appendicitis/cancer of the colon in future by consuming cheap coffee? I am not sure and lack evidence to support this. What is certain is that healthy feeding habit consisting in less spicy food, high vegetables and fiber contents, less lipids and no smoking would help reduce the risk of having cancer of the colon in future. Also, systematic screening beginning at the age of 50years should be adhered to for prompt diagnosis and treatment just in case we get there.
There is just no single yes or no response I can provide to you. Up to this date, the medical community has no strong evidence to accept or refute these hypotheses. However, with continued research, we may be settled on this sooner than later but, we are not just there now.
I hope this helps. I wish you well. Thank you so much for using our services and do feel free to ask for more information and clarifications if need be.
Note: For further follow up on digestive issues share your reports here and Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
