Topic Overview
What is appendicitis?
Appendicitis is one of the
causes of serious belly pain. It happens when the
, a part of the large intestine, becomes
infected and inflamed. Experts do not know what the appendix does in the body,
but most of the time it does not cause problems.
About 8 out of
100 people will get appendicitis sometime during their lives. It is most common
in people ages 10 to 30, but it can happen at any age.
What causes appendicitis?
It is not clear why
people get appendicitis. Infection in the appendix causes appendicitis. But
doctors and scientists are not sure what causes the infection. In many cases, a
small object (such as a hard piece of stool) blocks the opening to the
appendix. Then bacteria can grow in the appendix and cause an infection.
What are the symptoms?
The main symptom of
appendicitis is belly pain. Many people feel the first pain near the belly
button. Then it moves to the lower right side of the belly. But the pain can be
in different parts of your belly or even on your side or back. The pain may get
worse if you move, walk, or cough. You may also have a fever or feel sick to
your stomach.
Sometimes the only symptom is a general feeling of
not being well and a pain that is hard to describe. The pain in your belly may
be different than any pain you have had before. It may be severe. Or it may not
seem like a very strong pain, but you may have the feeling that something is
wrong. Trust your instincts.
Because the diagnosis is not always
easy to make, it is very important to see a doctor as soon as possible if you
have symptoms.
In some cases, appendicitis does not cause any
symptoms except for belly pain. If you have
that does not go away after 4
hours, call your doctor. If you have
, call your doctor right away.
How is appendicitis diagnosed?
Your doctor will
ask you questions about what symptoms you have, when they started, and what was
happening before the pain began. Your doctor will press on your belly to see
where the pain is. He or she will take your temperature to see if you have a
fever, which is a sign of infection. You also may have blood tests to look for
signs of infection.