It is usually performed by three small incisions in a Laparoscopic procedure.īecause the tests used to diagnose appendicitis are not perfect, sometimes the operation will show that your appendix is normal. Surgery – Removal of the appendix by surgery is the best treatment. A rectal exam may find tenderness on the right side of your rectum.

If you have peritonitis, touching the belly area may cause a spasm of the muscles. If you have appendicitis, your pain will increase when the doctor gently presses on your lower right belly area. You may prefer to lie still because sudden movement causes pain. Your pain may be worse when you walk or cough. However, once the lining of your abdominal cavity becomes swollen and infected (a condition called peritonitis), the pain gets worse and you become sicker. If your appendix breaks open (ruptures), you may have less pain for a short time and you may feel better. This most often occurs 12 to 24 hours after the illness starts. It focuses right above the appendix at a place called McBurney’s point. As the swelling in the appendix increases, the pain tends to move into your right lower abdomen. You may experience reduced appetite, and you may have nausea, vomiting, and a low fever. The pain may be minor at first, but it becomes more sharp and severe. The first symptom one feels is often pain around the belly button. It can be hard to diagnose appendicitis in young children, the elderly, and women of childbearing age. It usually occurs when the appendix becomes blocked by feces, a foreign object, or rarely, a tumor. The appendix is a small pouch attached to the beginning of your large intestine.Īppendicitis is one of the most common causes of emergency abdominal surgery in the United States. Appendicitis – Appendix Removal SurgeryĪppendicitis is swelling (inflammation) of the appendix.

How do you know if your appendix burst