Appendicitis why

Within hours, the pain travels to the lower right-hand side, where the appendix usually lies, and becomes constant and severe. You may lose your appetite, feel sick and have constipation or diarrhoea. If you have abdominal pain that's gradually getting worse, contact a GP or your local out-of-hours service immediately. If these options are not available, call NHS for advice. Call to ask for an ambulance if you have pain that suddenly gets worse and spreads across your abdomen, or if your pain temporarily improves before getting worse again.

If your pain eases for a while but then gets worse, your appendix may have burst, which can lead to life-threatening complications. Read more about diagnosing appendicitis and complications of appendicitis.

If you have appendicitis, it's likely your appendix will need to be removed as soon as possible. Removal of the appendix, known as an appendicectomy or appendectomy, is 1 of the most common operations in the UK and its success rate is excellent. It's most commonly carried out as keyhole surgery laparoscopy. Several small cuts are made in the abdomen, allowing special surgical instruments to be inserted.

Open surgery, where a larger, single cut is made in the abdomen, is usually used if the appendix has burst or access is more difficult. The appendix then becomes sore and swollen. The blood supply to the appendix stops as the swelling and soreness get worse.

Without enough blood flow, the appendix starts to die. The appendix can burst or develop holes or tears in its walls, which allow stool, mucus, and infection to leak through and get inside the belly. The result can be peritonitis, a serious infection. Do not take pain medicines. They may hide other symptoms your healthcare provider needs to know about. Appendicitis symptoms may look like other health problems.

Always see your healthcare provider to be sure. Your healthcare provider will ask about your past health and do a physical exam. He or she may also have you take the following tests:.

If your appendix has not burst then your recovery from an appendectomy will only take a few days. If your appendix has burst, your recovery time will be longer and you will need antibiotic medicine. You can live a normal life without your appendix. Changes in diet or exercise are usually not needed. Health Home Conditions and Diseases. What causes appendicitis? Who is at risk for appendicitis?

Appendicitis affects 1 in 1, people living in the U. Most cases of appendicitis happen to people between the ages of 10 and 30 years. Having a family history of appendicitis may raise your risk, especially if you are a man. For a child, having cystic fibrosis also seems to raise the risk of getting appendicitis.

What are the symptoms of appendicitis? The following are common symptoms of appendicitis. Your own symptoms may vary. Pain in the abdomen is the most common symptom. This pain: May start in the area around your belly button and move to the lower right-hand side of your belly. It may also start in the lower right-hand side of your belly.

Often gets worse as time goes on. May feel worse when you are moving, taking deep breaths, being touched, and coughing or sneezing. See, Play and Learn No links available. Research Clinical Trials Journal Articles. Resources Find an Expert. Other symptoms may include Swelling in the abdomen Loss of appetite Nausea and vomiting Constipation or diarrhea Inability to pass gas Low fever Not everyone with appendicitis has all these symptoms.

Start Here. Diagnosis and Tests. Treatments and Therapies. Clinical Trials. Article: Laparoscopic appendectomy in complicated appendicitis with compromised appendix base: a retrospective