Learn the common condition affecting people, Appendicitis.

Definition of Appendicitis:

Appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix. The appendix is a small pouch attached to the beginning of your large intestine.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Appendicitis is one of the most common causes of emergency abdominal surgery in the United States. It usually occurs when the appendix becomes blocked by feces, a foreign object, or rarely, a tumor.

Symptoms:

The symptoms of appendicitis vary. It can be hard to diagnose appendicitis in young children, the elderly, and women of childbearing age.

Typically, the first symptom is pain around your belly button. (See: Abdominal pain) The pain may be vague at first, but becomes increasingly sharp and severe. You may have reduced appetite, nausea, vomiting, and a low-grade fever.

As the inflammation in the appendix increases, the pain tends to move into your right lower abdomen and focuses directly above the appendix at a place called McBurney's point.

If your appendix ruptures, the pain may lessen briefly and you may feel better. However, once the lining of your abdominal cavity becomes inflamed and infected (a condition called peritonitis), the pain gets worse and you become sicker.

Your abdominal pain may be worse when walking or coughing. You may prefer to lie still because sudden movement causes pain.

Later symptoms include:

• Chills
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea
• Shaking
• Vomiting

Treatment:

If you have an uncomplicated case, a surgeon will usually remove your appendix soon after your doctor thinks you might have the condition. For information on this type of surgery see: appendectomy.

Because the tests used to diagnose appendicitis are not perfect, sometimes the operation will reveal that your appendix is normal. In that case, the surgeon will remove your appendix and explore the rest of your abdomen for other causes of your pain.

If a CT scan shows that you have an abscess from a ruptured appendix, you may be treated for infection and have your appendix removed after the infection and inflammation have gone away.