Do you know the warning signs of appendicitis?
What is appendicitis, and how will you know if you have it?
Appendicitis is an acute infection and inflammation of the appendix and, if not treated, the appendix can burst. Symptoms can vary with the position of the appendix and age, among other factors.
Dr. Charles Crotteau, family medicine physician at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago, explains the most telling symptoms a person with appendicitis might experience.
“Symptoms include severe pain in your right lower abdomen that worsens with movement along with a sudden onset fever that worsens over the course of 12 to 18 hours,” says Dr. Crotteau. “In addition, nausea and a loss of appetite combined with the first two symptoms make your appendix the most likely problem.”
So as not to be confused with the “flu” or other potential stomach ailments, know that appendicitis does not cause respiratory symptoms. Nausea is commonly the only gastrointestinal symptom and is typically accompanied by severe abdominal pain due to inflammation of the appendix.
“If you are experiencing these symptoms and it’s extremely painful to move around, it’s time to get to the doctor,” says Dr. Crotteau.
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health enews staff is a group of experienced writers from our Advocate Health Care and Aurora Health Care sites, which also includes freelance or intern writers.
Well, except that the pain doesn’t feel like it’s on the right side unless someone touches you there. In general, it just feels like abdominal pain. Also, from my experience and those of others I’ve known, there is no fever until the appendix ruptures.