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8 Further Indications
8.3.5 Appendicitis
Description
■ Acute appendicitis:
– pain in the right lower abdomen, often accompanied by loss of appetite, nausea, and
vomiting
– rapid onset, often within a few hours
■ Chronic recurrent irritation of the appendix: episodic pain in the right lower abdomen,
maybe constipation, weight loss
Point Prescription
French points
■ Local point:
Caecum
(
›
6.4.1)
■ Analgesic points:
Analgesia 1 and 2
(
›
6.7.5)
■ Defense against infection:
Thymus
(
›
6.6.1),
Interferon
(
›
6.7.3),
Infection Axis
(
›
6.12.4)
Chinese points
■ Local points:
Appendix IV (90)
(
›
6.4.1),
Appendix I (68)
,
Appendix II (69)
,
Appen-
dix III (70)
(
›
6.4.2)
■ Analgesic points:
Sun (35)
,
Thalamus (26a)
,
Occiput (29)
(
›
6.7.4)
If acute appendicitis does not respond to treatment within (a few) hours the patient has
to be admitted to hospital (risk of perforation!). If in doubt, surgery rather than auricular
acupuncture is the preferred option.
In female patients it is sometimes possible to distinguish between oophorosalpingitis and
appendicitis by RAC-palpation. However, appendicitis is often accompanied by an inflam-
mation of the ovary and ovarian duct and vice versa. In such cases both auricular points
will be active.
Treatment Intervals
■
Acute appendicitis:
surgery is the treatment of choice; attempt to treat (for a few
hours): acupuncture every 1–2 hours until the pain has reduced significantly; if there is
no response to the treatment, admission to hospital is necessary
■
Chronic recurrent irritation of the appendix:
– initially once daily until there is a significant reduction of the pain
– then once weekly until symptoms have disappeared
Treatment Course and Prognosis
■
Acute appendicitis:
symptoms may improve within hours
■
Chronic recurrent irritation of the appendix:
generally up to 3 months until symp-
toms have disappeared
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