Appendicitis: what it is, symptoms and treatment

Appendicitis is the inflammation of a part of the intestine known as the appendix, which is located in the lower right part of the abdomen. Thus, the most typical sign of an appendicitis is the appearance of a sharp and severe pain that can also be accompanied by a lack of appetite, nausea, vomiting and fever.

Normally, inflammation of the appendix occurs due to the accumulation of feces and bacteria inside the appendix and therefore can appear at any time in life. However, the specific causes are not yet fully understood.

To treat this problem, the appendix must be removed as soon as possible through surgery indicated by the doctor, to avoid more serious complications such as rupture of the appendix, which can lead to a generalized infection. Thus, if appendicitis is suspected, it is very important to go to the hospital immediately to have tests and confirm the diagnosis.

How to identify appendicitis

If you think you may have appendicitis, select your symptoms from the list of the most common signs and find out what your chances are:

1. Abdominal pain or discomfort Yes No
2. Severe pain in the lower right side of the belly Yes No
3. Nausea or vomiting Yes No
4. Loss of appetite Yes No
5. Persistent low fever (between 37.5º and 38º) Yes No
6. General malaise Yes No
7. Constipation or diarrhea Yes No
8. Swollen belly or excess gas Yes No

These symptoms are more common in children and adolescents, but acute appendicitis can occur at any age.

In addition, when the pain is very weak but lasts for more than a month, it is considered chronic appendicitis and is more common from the age of 40, happening slowly. This pain may even lessen with the use of painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, but it always reappears in the same place. To know more details about the symptoms read: How to know if it is appendicitis.

How to confirm the diagnosis

Often the diagnosis of appendicitis can be made clinically, that is, only through palpation of the site and evaluation of symptoms by a general practitioner or gastroenterologist.

Tests to identify appendicitis

Often the doctor may need to order some tests to confirm the diagnosis, especially when the symptoms are not classic:

Blood test: allows you to assess the number of white cells, which help to confirm the presence of inflammation in the body; Urine test: helps to confirm that the symptoms are not being caused by a urinary infection; Abdominal ultrasound or computed tomography: allows to observe the enlargement and inflammation of the appendix.

A good way to try to find out at home if it could be an appendicitis situation is to lie on your back and then press with one hand on the lower right side of your belly. Then, pressure must be relieved quickly. If the pain is more severe, there is a good chance of appendicitis, but if the pain does not change, it may be a sign of another problem. However, it is always important to go to the hospital to identify what is happening and to start the appropriate treatment.

Main causes of appendicitis

In most situations of appendicitis, it is not possible to identify the specific cause of inflammation of the appendix, however, obstruction of that location of the intestine seems to be the most frequent cause. When this happens, feces and bacteria can accumulate inside, which end up causing an infection and inflammation.

It is believed that obstruction of the appendix may arise due to several relatively common situations such as a strong blow to the site or worms, but also due to more serious problems such as intestinal tumors, for example.

Read more details about the causes and diagnosis of appendicitis.

How the treatment is done

The most used way to treat appendicitis is to have surgery to remove the entire appendix. This surgery is known as an appendectomy, where the appendix is removed through a small cut in the abdomen. Therefore, the person usually needs to be hospitalized after the treatment for 1 to 2 days, in order to assess that the intestine is working correctly and that there are no complications from surgery such as bleeding or infection.

Even in cases where the diagnosis is not necessary, surgery can be recommended, mainly because the risk of having an appendicitis and ending up breaking is higher. See in more detail how the surgery is done and how the recovery is.

If the appendix is not removed, it may rupture, known as suppurative appendicitis, increasing the possibility of releasing bacteria in the abdomen and leading to the occurrence of peritonitis and the formation of abscesses in the abdomen.

Possible complications

When appendicitis is not treated properly, the appendix can end up rupturing and causing two main complications:

Peritonitis: is the infection of the lining of the abdomen by bacteria, which can cause damage to the internal organs. Some symptoms that may indicate peritonitis include general malaise, increased fever, swelling in the belly and a feeling of shortness of breath; Abdominal abscess: happens when the appendix ruptures and pus accumulates around it, causing the appearance of a pouch filled with pus.

Both situations are serious and can be life-threatening. For this reason, treatment should be done as soon as possible. Treatment often includes surgery and the use of antibiotics directly into the vein to fight infection by bacteria.

In addition, if an abscess exists, the doctor may need to insert a needle through the belly to remove excess pus before operating.

Is having appendicitis during pregnancy dangerous?

It is dangerous to have appendicitis in pregnancy because the appendix can rupture, spreading bacteria inside the abdomen that can cause serious infections for both mother and baby.

Appendicitis in pregnancy has the same symptoms and surgery is also the only treatment option, not harmful to the baby's development.

Thus, it is very important that the pregnant woman, when experiencing intense and continuous pain on the right side of the abdomen, immediately go to the hospital to make the diagnosis and perform the surgery. Know the risks of appendicitis in pregnancy.