Local Rice With Stone Does Not Cause Appendicitis

From a very tender age, I have heard several warning to desist from eating local rice. The reason is because the local rice contains stones. It is practically impossible to remove all the stones during washing. The fear is how the stone can cause appendicitis.

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I grew up with that believe that appendicitis is caused by eating rice with stone. I avoided the local rice due to this fact. However, the explanation seems not compatible with research.

Appendix

Appendix

The appendix is a 31/2 inch-long narrow tubular finger-shaped tissue that extends from the large intestine on the lower right side of the body. Scientists have pondered over the years about it's function in the human body. However, recent theory that seems logical is that it is a reservoir of beneficial microorganisms in the body. It release them when the ones in the body have been depleted like after antibiotic use.

Appendicitis

Is the inflammation of the appendix. The cause is yet unknown. But there are several theories postulated so far. This is different from what Nigerians believe.

Appendicitis occurs when the appendix lumen get blocked. The blockage can come from;

1. Calcified fecal deposit (fecalith)
2. Enlarged lymphoid follicles (lymphoid hyperplasia)
3.  Intestinal worms
4. Tumors of large intestine
5. Traumatic injury
6. Foreign body

There have been explanation how all of them can cause appendicitis. However, the issue of foreign matter have just gotten a recent attention. According to one research, some small hard foreign matters can block the lumen. Very few cases have been reported. This research (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3047773) list stone, fruit and seed as some minor causes of appendicitis. This means that the fear about rice containing stone causing appendicitis is not completely true and false.
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How the blockage eventually lead to appendicitis is simple. The matters above lead to blockage of the lumen. The bacteria inside will start to multiply without anywhere to go to. It form pus and swells. It will eventually burst open releasing dangerous bacteria and debris.

Treatment

Permanent solution is surgery to remove the appendix. Other methods are using a needle to drain an abscess, use antibiotics, pain relievers, iv fluid and liquid diet.

Prevention

People are suspecting genetic but no evidence yet. Some online blogs still add it. Nowhere was it concluded that rice with stone causes appendicitis. The only preventive measure is to eat fruits and vegetables.

So when next they are telling eating local rice that contain stone causes appendicitis, tell them it has not been proven. The rice with stone may cause other damage to the body but not appendicitis.

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