Symptoms of appendicitis are mild to severe that you must recognize

Appendicitis or the medical term appendicitis is a condition that causes inflammation of the appendix. If you often complain of severe stomach pain that inhibits daily activities, this could be a sign and symptom of appendicitis.

General symptoms and features of appendicitis

The cause of appendicitis is a blockage in the intestine that requires immediate medical care. Otherwise, the appendix can rupture and be life-threatening. Come on, get to know more about the characteristics of appendicitis in the following review.

The most typical symptom of appendicitis is pain in the stomach. Even so, it is important to know that the symptoms of appendicitis are not just an upset stomach. There are other signs and features of appendicitis that you need to be aware of.

Well, among the various symptoms of appendicitis, not everyone experiences symptoms as a whole. That means, there are some people who only experience certain features of the appendix (atypical). So, the diagnosis still requires the help of a doctor.

Below are some of the most common symptoms of appendicitis.

1. Lower right abdominal pain (a typical symptom of appendicitis)

As explained above, appendicitis usually begins with symptoms of abdominal pain or cramps that occur suddenly. However, most people experience intense stomach pain more often than stomach cramps.

This one appendix symptom occurs because the appendix experiences swelling and inflammation. This occurs due to irritation of the lining of the stomach wall, so you experience pain in the stomach.

However, it should be noted that the location of the appearance of these appendicitis features is different for each person. It depends on your age and which area of the appendix is having problems.

In most cases, abdominal pain starts in the upper middle abdomen near the navel and usually moves to the lower right abdomen.

However, there are some people who have appendicitis in the back so that pain, tenderness, or cramping occurs in the lower back or pelvis.

Meanwhile, if you are pregnant, pain may appear in the upper abdomen. Because the position of the appendix tends to be higher during pregnancy because it is pushed by the fetus.

In general, abdominal pain due to appendicitis symptoms usually tends to increase when you make movements, take deep breaths, push, cough or sneeze.

2. Nausea, vomiting, and decreased appetite

Almost all people who experience indigestion, usually experience symptoms of nausea and vomiting. It turns out that this symptom also occurs in appendicitis.

The appearance of these features of appendicitis is most likely caused by inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract and nervous system.

This discomfort in the stomach, of course, can drastically reduce appetite. Because it often appears when digestive problems occur, many underestimate this sign of appendicitis.

3. Indigestion

In addition to nausea and vomiting, some people who experience appendicitis also experience indigestion, such as constipation or diarrhea.

In addition, other annoying appendicitis symptoms that also accompany are difficulty passing gas, aka farting and lumbago. This condition certainly makes the stomach more uncomfortable. You may feel a full stomach.

If you are one of the people who have difficulty passing gas, it is likely that the intestinal blockage is partial or complete.

4. Mild fever

Appendicitis can cause signs in the form of fever that ranges from 37 - 38 degrees Celsius. If it gets worse, fever can reach 38 degrees Celsius accompanied by an increase in heart rate.

The occurrence of this fever is a natural reaction of the immune system when fighting an infection in order to reduce the number of bad bacteria that will attack. High fever can cause the body to sweat a lot, and even the body shivers.

5. Frequent urination

The appendix is located under the pelvis, so its position is practically close to the bladder.

Now, when the bladder comes into contact with an inflamed appendix, it will also affect the bladder. As a result, the bladder will experience similar inflammation.

Inflammation of the bladder when appendicitis occurs, making you urinate more frequently. If described more precisely, the urge to urinate more frequently, but less urine is excreted. This is also what makes urinating painful.

Symptoms of appendicitis in children and pregnant women

Generally the features of appendicitis mentioned above occur in adults. In children, the symptoms are often different.

Therefore, parents must understand very well what are the signs of appendicitis in children. The reason is, this one disease can be experienced by everyone of all ages, including your baby.

In children 2 years of age or younger, the most common symptoms of appendicitis include:

fever,
gag,
stomach feels bloated, and
swollen stomach which when you tap it lightly feels pain.

While the symptoms of appendicitis in children over 2 years of age and appendicitis in adolescents tend to experience the following conditions:

nausea,
vomiting, and
abdominal pain on the lower right side of the stomach.

Apart from children, pregnant women also tend to show different appendicitis. Some expectant mothers may perceive it as a symptom morning sickness, namely conditions that occur at the beginning of pregnancy.

Because, there are similarities between the two, either morning sickness and appendicitis can cause symptoms such as stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting, and decreased appetite.

However, it should be emphasized that the pain due to appendicitis during pregnancy appears in the upper abdomen, not the lower right side of the stomach. This happens because during pregnancy, the position of the intestines is pushed higher due to the presence of a fetus in the uterus.

Another symptom is pain when passing stools. Common symptoms of appendicitis such as fever and diarrhea are rare in pregnant women.

Symptoms of appendicitis that must be brought to the doctor immediately

Appendicitis is a condition that requires medical attention. The reason is, according to the National Health Service, appendicitis can cause complications such as peritonitis or abscess.

Peritonitis indicates that the appendix has ruptured, so that the lining of the stomach peritoneum is infected by bacteria. Without treatment, the infected organs can be damaged.

Signs of peritonitis include severe abdominal pain, fever, rapid heartbeat, rapid breathing, and swelling of the stomach.

If the complication is in the form of an abscess, a pus-filled lump will appear in the appendix. This lump indicates that the immune system is trying to fight infection.

According to doctor Ryan J. Brogan, DO on the Kids Health website, within 48 - 72 hours of symptoms appearing, the appendix can rupture and may develop complications.

To avoid this, you should immediately visit a doctor or seek medical help. Especially if your appendicitis symptoms appear suddenly, worsen, and spread throughout your stomach, these are signs of a ruptured appendix.

Symptoms to watch out for

The first symptom is usually a faint pain around the navel. Then the pain travels towards the right side of the body, usually towards the hips.

Other symptoms that appear during the next 24 hours may include nausea, vomiting, fever, and restlessness. There are also some patients who experience swelling of the stomach, back pain, or constipation.

To overcome this disease, doctors usually will perform an operation in the form of surgery to remove the appendix.

In mild conditions, you will be referred for laparoscopic appendicectomy. The operation is performed by inserting a tube into the stomach to view and remove the appendix.

Meanwhile, if the appendix has ruptured or the infection has spread, an open appendectomy will be performed. Apart from removing the appendix, this surgery also involves cleaning the abdominal cavity.

Later during treatment, the patient will be given fluids and antibiotics for appendicitis through an intravenous vein. Some patients may be prescribed pain medication.

The recovery process from appendectomy will take several days, after which the patient is allowed to go home.