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]]>While appendicitis symptoms cause pain in your lower right abdomen, they can also begin around the navel and spread from there. As the inflammation worsens, the pain become more severe and can strike when you cough, walk, or make sudden movements.
The seven most common appendicitis symptoms include:
The appendix is attached to the first part of your large intestine and just to the lower right side of your abdomen. The appendix has no known function, and for many people it causes no problem throughout life.
Appendicitis symptoms occur when there is a blockage in the lining of the appendix, which then causes an infection. As the bacteria multiples, the appendix becomes inflamed, swollen, and filled with pus. It not treated, if can lead to two serious problems:
Although anyone can develop appendicitis, most often it occurs in people between the ages of 10 and 30. You should seek medical care if have any appendicitis symptoms. Your doctor may be able to diagnose appendicitis from a physical exam by applying gentle pressure to the painful area. Women may be given a pelvic exam to check for possible gynecological problems.
Other tests that may be performed include:
An appendectomy to remove the inflamed appendix is the usual treatment. There are two types of the surgery: open and laparoscopic.
For an open appendectomy, the surgeon makes a single abdominal incision of about 2 to 4 inches to remove the appendix. During a laparoscopic appendectomy, the surgeon inserts special surgical tools and a video camera into your abdomen to remove the appendix.
In general, laparoscopic appendectomy allows you to recover faster and heal with less pain and scarring. It may be better for people who are elderly or obese. No matter which option is performed, expect to spend one or two days in the hospital afterwards.
Originally published in June 2016 and updated.
The post Appendicitis Symptoms: Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Them appeared first on University Health News.
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