Early symptoms and warning signs

Appendicitis happens when the appendix becomes inflamed. Early symptoms can vary between age groups, and they can be confused with symptoms of other conditions.

The symptoms can be uncomfortable, painful, and potentially life-threatening if left untreated, so it is important to be able to recognize them.

Sudden appendicitis is the most common cause of acute abdominal pain requiring surgery in the United States (U.S.), with over 5 percent of the population developing appendicitis at some point.

It most commonly occurs during the teenage years and the 20s, but it can develop at any age.

Fast facts on appendicitis:

• Early symptoms include a pain near the belly button that may shift toward the lower right-hand side of the abdomen.
• If treatment for gas does not solve the problem, prompt medical attention should be sought.
• Many people with suspected appendicitis will go directly to the emergency department.
• Early treatment is usually successful, but untreated appendicitis can lead to fatal complications.

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Share on PinterestAppendicitis can cause pain in the lower, right-hand side of the abdomen.

The appendix is about 4 inches long and is situated on the right, lower side of the abdomen. It is a tube-shaped piece of tissue that is closed at one end. It is attached to the cecum, a pouch-like portion of the colon, or large intestine.

Severe and sudden abdominal pain is usually the first symptom of appendicitis.

The pain often begins near the belly button. As it worsens, it will likely shift to the lower right side of the abdomen.

The feeling may become more intense within the next few hours and be worsened by moving around, taking deep breaths, coughing, or sneezing.

Other classic symptoms of appendicitis are:

• nausea
• vomiting
• loss of appetite
• constipation or diarrhea
• inability to pass gas
• low-grade fever and chills
• a temperature between 99° and 102° Fahrenheit
• stomach swelling
• wanting to have a bowel movement to relieve discomfort

However, these symptoms appear in only 50 percent of cases.

Some patients may experience symptoms such as stomach pain very slightly or not at all. Others may have less common symptoms.

Symptoms in children and infants

Children and infants may not experience pain in one specific area. There may be tenderness throughout the body, or there may be no pain.

Children and infants may have less frequent or no bowel movements. If diarrhea occurs, this may be a symptom of another illness.

While children and infants may not experience precise pain as older patients do, research suggests that abdominal pain is still the most common symptom of appendicitis symptom for this age group.

Symptoms in older adults and during pregnancy

Older adults and pregnant women may also experience different symptoms. The stomach pain may be less severe and less specific. Possible symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and fever.

During pregnancy, the pain may shift upward toward the upper right quadrant after the first trimester. There may also be some back or flank pain.

If there is stomach pain, this may result from another condition.

Other conditions with similar symptoms

Abdominal pain can be a symptom of other conditions that seem like appendicitis.

Examples include:

• stomach lesions
• constipation
• inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
• stool, parasites, or growths that clog the inside of the appendix
• damage or injury to the abdomen

When to see a doctor

Appendicitis can be life-threatening, and it requires immediate medical care. It is likely to worsen the longer it is left untreated. Initial symptoms may feel like gas.

If over-the-counter (OTC) medications do not relieve the gas, or if there is severe and worsening pain, the individual should see a doctor at once. It may be advisable to go straight to the emergency room.

Treating appendicitis as soon as symptoms appear will prevent it from worsening and causing further complications.

A healthcare provider will normally diagnose appendicitis by doing the following:

Reviewing the symptoms

The patient will be asked to provide details about what symptoms they are experiencing, how severely, and for how long.

Reviewing the patient’s medical history

To rule out other potential health issues, the doctor will want to know details about the patient’s medical history.

These include:

• any other medical conditions or surgeries the patient has or has had in the past
• whether the patient takes any medications or supplements
• whether the patient drinks alcohol or takes any recreational drugs

Doing a physical exam

The doctor will do a physical exam to find out more about the patient’s stomach pain. They will apply pressure to or touch certain areas of the abdomen. Pelvic and rectal exams may also be used.

Ordering laboratory tests

Blood and urine tests can help confirm an appendicitis diagnosis or detect signs of other health issues. A doctor may also ask for blood or urine samples to check for pregnancy.

If necessary, the doctor may also order imaging tests, such as an abdominal ultrasound, MRI exam, or CT scan.

These imaging tests can show:

• an enlarged or burst appendix
• inflammation
• a blockage inside the appendix
• an abscess

Treatment normally begins with antibiotics and intravenous fluid. Some mild cases of appendicitis can be treated completely with fluids and antibiotics.

The most common next step is surgery, known as an appendectomy. Removing the appendix decreases the risk of it rupturing. Early treatment is important to reduce the risk of complications, which can lead to death.

Two types of surgery are possible:

Laparoscopic surgery

Surgeons make several small incisions and use special tools to remove the appendix through them.

Benefits of laparoscopic surgery include:

• a lower risk of complications, such as hospital-related infections
• shorter recovery time

Patients should limit their physical exercise for the first 3 to 5 days after surgery.

Laparotomy surgery

Surgeons remove the appendix through a single incision made in the lower right area of the abdomen. This may be necessary for a burst appendix.

It allows the surgeon to clean the inside of the abdomen to prevent infection.

Patients should limit their physical activity for the first 10 to 14 days after a laparotomy surgery.

Delaying treatment can seriously increase the risk of complications.

Inflammation can cause the appendix to rupture, sometimes as soon as 48 to 72 hours after the symptoms begin.

A rupture can cause bacteria, stool, and air to leak into the abdomen, causing infection and further complications, which can be fatal.

Infections that can result from a burst appendix include peritonitis, an inflammation of the lining of the abdomen, or an abscess.

Taking pain medications can potentially mask symptoms and delay treatment.

With prompt treatment, appendicitis is treatable, and recovery is normally fast and complete. With early surgery, the mortality rate is under 1 percent.

Without surgery or antibiotics, for example, in remote areas, the mortality rate can be 50 percent or higher.

If the appendix bursts, this can lead to complications, such as an abscess or peritonitis. Recovery may be lengthy in these cases. Older people make also take longer to recover.

The appendix is often considered a nonfunctioning organ, unnecessary for survival, but some scientists suggest that it may play a role in maintaining a healthy immune system.

Read the article in Spanish.

Early Symptoms, Causes, Pain Location, Surgery, Recovery

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

• What Is Appendicitis?
• Where Is Your Appendix?
• What Causes Appendicitis?
• What Are the Symptoms of Appendicitis?
• How Is Appendicitis Diagnosed?
• What Is the Treatment for Appendicitis?
• What to Expect During an Appendectomy
• Appendicitis Complications
• Appendicitis Prevention
• More

Appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix. It’s a medical emergency that almost always requires surgery as soon as possible to remove the appendix. Luckily, you can live just fine without it.

This 3 1/2-inch-long tube of tissue extends from your large intestine on the lower right side of your body. The appendix has specialized tissue that can make antibodies, but no one is completely sure what its function is.

In the U.S., 1 in 20 people will get appendicitis at some point in their lives. Although it can strike at any age, appendicitis is rare in children younger than 2. It’s most likely to affect people between the ages of 10 and 30.

Appendicitis happens when the appendix gets blocked, often by poop, a foreign body (something inside you that isn’t supposed to be there), or cancer. Blockage may also result from infection, since the appendix can swell in response to any infection in the body.

The classic symptoms of appendicitis include:

• Pain in your lower right belly or pain near your navel that moves lower. This is usually the first sign.
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and vomiting soon after belly pain begins
• Swollen belly
• Fever of 99-102 F
• Can’t pass gas

Other less common symptoms of appendicitis include:

• Dull or sharp pain anywhere in your upper or lower belly, back, or rear end
• Painful or difficult peeing
• Vomiting before your belly pain starts
• Severe cramps
• Constipation or diarrhea with gas

If you have any of these symptoms, see a doctor right away. Timely diagnosis and treatment are important. Don’t eat, drink, or use any pain remedies, antacids, laxatives, or heating pads.

Diagnosing appendicitis can be tricky. Symptoms are often unclear or similar to those of other illnesses, including gallbladder problems, bladder or urinary tract infection, Crohn’s disease, gastritis, kidney stones, intestinal infection, and ovary problems.

These tests can help diagnose appendicitis:

• Examination of your abdomen to look for inflammation
• Urine (pee) test to rule out a urinary tract infection
• Rectal exam
• Blood test to see whether your body is fighting an infection
• CT scans
• Ultrasound

Appendicitis is almost always treated as an emergency. Surgery to remove the appendix, which is called an appendectomy, is the standard treatment for almost all cases of appendicitis.

Generally, if your doctor suspects that you have appendicitis, they will quickly remove it to avoid a rupture. If you have an abscess, you may get two procedures: one to drain the abscess of pus and fluid, and a later one to take out the appendix. But some research shows that treating acute appendicitis with antibiotics may help you avoid surgery.

Before your appendix is taken out, you’ll take antibiotics to fight infection. You’ll usually get general anesthesia, meaning you’ll be asleep for the procedure. The doctor removes your appendix through a 4-inch-long cut or with a device called a laparoscope (a thin telescope-like tool that lets them see inside your belly). This procedure is called laparoscopy. If you have peritonitis, the surgeon will also clean out your belly and drain the pus.

You can get up and move around within 12 hours after surgery. You should be able to go back to your normal routine in 2 to 3 weeks. If you had a laparoscopy, recovery is faster.

After an appendectomy, call your doctor if you have:

• Uncontrolled vomiting
• Increased belly pain
• Dizziness/feelings of faintness
• Blood in your vomit or pee
• Increased pain and redness where your doctor cut into your belly
• Fever
• Pus in the wound

Left untreated, an inflamed appendix will burst, spilling bacteria and debris into the abdominal cavity, the central part of your body that holds your liver, stomach, and intestines. This can lead to peritonitis, a serious inflammation of the abdominal cavity’s lining (the peritoneum). It can be deadly unless it is treated quickly with strong antibiotics and surgery to remove the pus.

Sometimes, an abscess forms outside an inflamed appendix. Scar tissue then “walls off” the appendix from the rest of your organs. This keeps the infection from spreading. But an abscessed appendix can tear and lead to peritonitis.

There’s no way to prevent appendicitis. But it may be less common in people who eat foods high in fiber, such as fresh fruits and vegetables.

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Patient S. , 45 years old.

Complaints on admission:

pulling pains in the lower abdomen;

nausea;

bloating.

Medical history.

I was sick during the day, when there was pain in the lumbar region, discomfort in the epigastric region, pain in the left hypochondrium.

The ambulance team diagnosed intercostal neuralgia, introduced “Tramadol”, “Baralgin” and “Platifillin” – the pain syndrome was stopped.

On the day of admission, there was pain in the lower abdomen, bloating, fever up to 37.5°C. Notes similar bouts of pain before.

Anamnesis of life.

Chronic calculous cholecystitis.

Chronic iron deficiency anemia against the background of polymenorrhea for several years.

Objectively.

The condition is satisfactory. Skin and mucous membranes of normal color. Pulse 96 beats per minute, rhythmic, good filling. Respiratory rate 18 per minute. Body temperature 37.4°C. Breathing is vesicular, no wheezing. Tongue dry, covered with white coating. The abdomen is swollen, soft, moderately painful above the womb, in the mesogastric region. There are no peritoneal symptoms. Peristalsis is uniform, there are no pathological intestinal noises. Appendicular symptoms are negative. There is no dysuria. The symptom of tapping is negative on both sides. The chair is decorated, regular.

Instrumental and laboratory research.

Chest X-ray – no pathology.

Ultrasound of the abdominal organs – Echo-signs of diffuse changes in the liver (like fatty hepatosis) and pancreas, chronic calculous cholecystitis.

Ultrasound of the pelvic organs – Echo-signs of endometriosis of the uterine body, endocervix cysts, ovarian cysts (endometrioid?), The minimum amount of free fluid in the pelvic cavity.

Complete blood count – hemoglobin 105 g / l, leukocytes – 7.38 × 10 ⁹ g / l, stab – 4%, ESR – 16 mm / h.

Urinalysis – unchanged erythrocytes – 9 in p / sp.

Dynamic observation.

A state without dynamics – pain in the abdomen, more in the left hypochondrium, an increase in body temperature up to 38 ° C. Tongue dry, covered with white coating. The abdomen is swollen, moderately painful above the bosom. There was tension in the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall in the right iliac region. There are no peritoneal symptoms.

Increasing blood leukocytosis from 7×10 ⁹
up to 9×10 ⁹ , stab – from 4 to 8%.

Gynecological consultation.

Apoplexy of a cyst of the left ovary is suspected.

Additional diagnostics.

A CT scan of the abdominal organs was performed – CT signs of calculous cholecystitis.

Moderate signs of lipoid infiltration of the liver.

Indirect signs of pancreatitis.

Differential diagnostic series.

Acute appendicitis.

Apoplexy of a cyst of the left ovary.

Acute cholecystopancreatitis.

Acute appendicitis?

Apoplexy of a cyst of the left ovary.

Acute cholecystopancreatitis.

Indications for surgery – diagnostic laparoscopy.

Impossibility of establishment of the diagnosis by other methods.

The need for emergency intervention in confirming the diagnosis of acute appendicitis.

Progression of symptoms on the background of infusion, detoxification and antibiotic therapy.

The appearance of signs of tension in the right iliac region.

Diagnostic laparoscopy.

Under the ETN, after processing the surgical field, a 10 mm laparoscope was inserted through the umbilical ring. Insufflation CO ₂ . During the revision: in the small pelvis and between the loops of the small intestine, traces of lysed blood were drained. In the right iliac fossa, a loose infiltrate is determined, consisting of the dome of the caecum and the appendix, the latter is destructively changed and fixed to the parietal peritoneum. The infiltrate is divided, the appendix is ​​highlighted to the base. The mesentery was cut off using bipolar coagulation. At the base of the appendix, 3 Raeder’s loops were tightened. The appendix is ​​cut off, immersed in a container, removed. Sanitation of the abdominal cavity. Hemostasis control – dry. A drainage tube was installed in the small pelvis and brought out through an incision above the womb.