Although it can occur at any age, appendicitis is rare under age 2 and most common between ages 10 and It can be difficult to diagnose appendicitis in young children, the elderly, and women of childbearing age. The most common symptom of appendicitis is a dull pain near or around the belly button. The pain may be mild at first and become sharper as it moves to the lower right abdomen.
Loss of appetite and nausea or vomiting occur soon after the pain begins. There may be fever, abdominal swelling and bloating. It may be difficult to pass gas. As the swelling in the appendix increases, the pain tends to move into your right lower abdomen. This pain may occur 12 to 24 hours after the illness starts.
Although it may no longer serve a vital role in human health, the appendix remains in modern man. Today, however, it often seems to do more harm than good.
When appendicitis inflammation of the appendix occurs, it poses a serious medical emergency. Should the infected appendix rupture, it can spread bacteria into the abdominal cavity and cause a serious, even life-threatening, infection.
The possible signs of appendicitis include:. If you begin to experience these symptoms, do not delay treatment. Seek immediate medical attention. Appendicitis is always an emergency medical situation that will require surgical removal of the appendix. This can be performed in one of two ways:. Journal of Indian Association of Pediatric Surgeons. January—March Lamps LW. Infectious Causes of Appendicitis.
Infectious Disease Clinics of North America. December April 20, Pseudomonas Infections. Merck Manual. Adenoviruses: Symptoms. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. April 26, Shigella — Shigellosis. October 12, Measles Cases and Outbreaks. Appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix.
The appendix is a thin pouch attached to the large intestine on the right side of the abdomen. It is usually about the size of a finger. If you have appendicitis, the appendix can become swollen and infected.
This can cause it to burst. If this happens, the infection is likely to spread throughout the abdomen, causing serious problems such as peritonitis infection inside the abdomen or an abscess around the appendix. If you think that you or someone in your care may have appendicitis, it is important that you see a doctor as soon as possible.
If you or someone in your care is in significant pain that is made worse by moving or touching the stomach, go straight to your local emergency department. Pain is the most common symptom of appendicitis. It often starts near the navel, or belly button, and might come and go for a while. It then usually moves low down to the right in the abdomen tummy and becomes more severe and more constant.
It usually hurts to walk or cough. Young children can find it hard to say where the pain is, and all you may know is that they are sick. If it is appendicitis, usually the pain will only be in the right side of the stomach. Unlike gastro, vomiting or diarrhoea are usually mild with appendicitis. Appendicitis can be caused by an infection or a blockage in the appendix. Why this happens is not known, but it may be caused by food or faeces poo getting lodged in the appendix. The appendix becomes blocked, then inflamed, then infected.
Appendicitis can occur at any age, but is most common in children and young adults.
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