Appendicitis
Overview
Appendicitis is swelling and infection in your appendix (part of your bowel). It usually causes pain in the lower right side of your abdomen (tummy). It needs urgent treatment in hospital.
Symptoms
Symptoms of appendicitis usually start with pain in the middle of your abdomen (tummy), around your belly button. After a few hours the pain usually moves to the lower right side of your abdomen, and gets worse. The pain may feel worse when you move, cough or press on the area. It may feel slightly better when you pull your knees up to your chest. Some people with appendicitis do not have the usual pain symptoms. For example, you might have pain that's less severe, develops more slowly, or in a different place. This can be more likely if you're pregnant and in young children and older people. Other symptoms of appendicitis can include: feeling or being sick, or loss of appetitea high temperatureconstipation or diarrhoeapeeing more than usualsudden confusion (in older people) If appendicitis is not treated quickly, your appendix can burst. If this happens your pain may suddenly get better for a short time. You'll then usually have severe pain that spreads to the whole of your abdomen. It may be very painful to move.
Causes
The appendix is a small pouch that's joined to your bowel in the lower right side of your abdomen (tummy). Appendicitis happens when your appendix becomes infected and swollen. This is often caused by something getting stuck in your appendix, such as a small piece of undigested food or hard poo. Appendicitis is common. It can happen at any age, but it's most common in children over 10 years old and young adults. It's rare in babies under 12 months old.
Treatment
Appendicitis is usually treated with surgery to remove your appendix (an appendectomy). You do not need your appendix, so it's not harmful to remove it. If you need surgery, it will be done as soon as possible, but you may need to wait a few hours. The operation usually takes about an hour. The main steps of an appendectomy are: You'll be given ageneral anaesthetic, so you'll be asleep and will not feel any pain.The surgeon makes some small cuts in your abdomen (tummy), and uses a thin tube with a camera to see your appendix (keyhole surgery). Sometimes they'll need to make a larger cut in the lower right side of your abdomen (open surgery).The surgeon removes your appendix by cutting where it's joined to your bowel. If your appendix has burst, the area will be cleaned.Your abdomen is closed with stitches, clips or glue. Sometimes it's possible to treat appendicitis with antibiotics rather than surgery. This may be recommended if the infection has not spread and surgery is high risk for you. Sometimes appendicitis causes a lump where part of your abdomen and bowel stick to your appendix, called an appendix mass. If this happens you'll usually need antibiotics first, and then surgery a few weeks later if you still have symptoms. Going into hospitalHaving an operation (surgery)
Prevention
No guaranteed prevention as causes aren't fully understood. Low-fiber diet may be linked to increased risk of blockage.
When to see a doctor
Contact GP or NHS 111 immediately for gradually worsening abdominal pain. Call 999 for sudden pain that continues to worsen and spreads across abdomen - may indicate ruptured appendix (medical emergency).