Everything you need to know about appendicitis

Appendicitis is a condition where the appendix becomes swollen, inflamed, and filled with pus. The appendix is a small finger-shaped pouch on the right side of the abdomen, connected to the colon.

The exact role of the appendix is not clear. It may be an area that hosts friendly bacteria, which help digestion and fight infection.

It may also be related to the immune system and influence the body's ability to fight off infection.

Appendicitis probably happens because either a stomach infection moves to the appendix or a hard piece of stool becomes trapped in the appendix, causing infection

Appendicitis can occur at any age, most commonly ranging from older children to adults in their 30s. It most commonly occurs in the second decade of life. More than 250,000 appendectomies (removal of the appendix) are performed in the United States each year.

Fast facts on appendicitis

Scientists are still debating the function of the appendix.

Symptoms of appendicitis include a progressively worsening pain, nausea, and vomiting.

Often, surgery is the best course of action.

More than a quarter of a million Americans have an appendectomy each year.

Signs and symptoms

The first sign of appendicitis is often pain across the abdominal area.

As the infection progresses, the location of the pain becomes more defined in the lower right-hand side of the abdomen, an area known as McBurney's point.

The following symptoms are common:

progressively worsening pain

painful coughing or sneezing

nausea

vomiting

diarrhea

inability to pass gas (break wind)

fever

constipation

loss of appetite

Anybody who experiences a progressively worsening pain in the abdomen should seek medical attention. Other conditions may have similar symptoms, such as a urinary tract infection. Even so, they all require urgent medical attention.

Diagnosis

Around half of all patients with appendicitis do not have typical symptoms, and this can make it hard to diagnose. For example, the pain is not always located in the right lower quadrant of the abdomen.

Additionally, other conditions may have similar symptoms, such as:

gastroenteritis

urinary tract infection

ectopic pregnancy

Crohn's disease

kidney stones

Not everybody's appendix is in the same place. Sometimes it is located behind the colon, behind the liver, or in the pelvis.

A doctor will examine the patient and ask some questions related to their symptoms. They may apply pressure to the area to see if it worsens the pain.

If the doctor detects typical signs and symptoms, they will diagnose appendicitis. If not, further tests will be ordered.

Tests may include:

blood tests, to check for infection

an MRI, CT, or ultrasound scan, to see if the appendix is inflamed

urine tests, to identify a kidney or bladder infection

Researchers at the Proteomics Center at Children's Hospital in Boston, MA, have demonstrated that a protein detectable in urine could be useful as a biomarker for appendicitis.

Sometimes, a doctor will decide to surgically remove the appendix because it is too risky to wait for tests to confirm the diagnosis.

Source: Medical News Today