Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsBelly PainGI SymptomsFeverEmergency CareFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Belly Pain
GI Symptoms
Fever
Emergency Care
Frequently Asked Questions
Earlyappendicitiscan seem like food poisoning or gas, but it typically starts with sudden, often sharpabdominal painnear the belly button. That pain will move to thelower-right side of your belly. Other early signs of appendicitis can include nausea, vomiting, and a low fever.
If you have severe abdominal pain or other symptoms you think are coming from yourappendix, go to the emergency room. Don’t second-guess or wait to see if you start to feel worse.
Charday Penn / Getty Images
An inflamed appendix requires immediate treatment. It’s better to be seen and be wrong about thecause of your symptomsthan to ignore the early signs of appendicitis and risk a potentially life-threateningappendix rupture.
This article covers the early signs andsymptoms of appendicitis, as well as how is diagnosed and treated.
Belly Pain: Most Common Early Sign of Appendicitis
Asharp, sudden painin the abdomen near your navelis the most common early sign of appendicitis. Even though your appendix is lower down in your abdomen, pain starts near the center of your belly because the membrane that covers your intestines (peritoneum) is also inflamed.
The pain usually starts before other appendicitis symptoms, though you may have felt a little sick or “off” before you noticed it.
As the condition worsens, thatpain moves closer to where your appendix is—toward the lower-right side of your abdomen, near your hip bone. This is known as McBurney’s point.
Appendicitis pain will generallypersist and quickly get worse,rather than slowly improve with things like having a bowel movement or taking an over-the-counter (OTC) medication.
While the pain may be confused for other issues early on, it usually takes on some unique traits that can help you differentiate it.
Appendicitis pain is:
Can Appendicitis Pain Come on Slowly?Acute appendicitisattacks usually always come on suddenly.Chronic appendicitis, on the other hand, can cause less intense pain that comes on more slowly and may come and go over days, weeks, months, or even years. Other signs of appendicitis may either not be present or wax and wane with pain.
Can Appendicitis Pain Come on Slowly?
Acute appendicitisattacks usually always come on suddenly.Chronic appendicitis, on the other hand, can cause less intense pain that comes on more slowly and may come and go over days, weeks, months, or even years. Other signs of appendicitis may either not be present or wax and wane with pain.
Other Appendicitis Pain Locations
While most cases of appendicitis involve pain in that lower-right quadrant of the abdomen, there are exceptions to this:
Don’t avoid medical care if you have symptoms that are not in the “right place.”
Does Appendicitis Pain Feel Like Gas?
Gastrointestinal Symptoms
Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms can be among the early signs of appendicitis. These include:
Appendicitis in KidsAppendicitis symptoms in kidsaren’t always the same as in adults. Even when they are, children can have a hard time describing how they are feeling. If you notice your child holding their stomach, walking hunched over, or showing discomfort around their belly, seek medical care right away.
Appendicitis in Kids
Appendicitis symptoms in kidsaren’t always the same as in adults. Even when they are, children can have a hard time describing how they are feeling. If you notice your child holding their stomach, walking hunched over, or showing discomfort around their belly, seek medical care right away.
With early appendicitis, you may have alow fever(99 to 100.3 degrees F) as your body tries to fight inflammation and infection. Ahigher fever(over 100.4 degrees F) can be a sign that your appendix has burst.
Since a ruptured appendix is a medical emergency, don’t wait until your fever gets higher to seek medical care.
Danger of Ignoring Early Appendicitis Signs
You can’t diagnose yourself with appendicitis, but you can compare your symptoms to some of the key features of an inflamed appendix and see if they align.
If they do, or if you even think they might, go to the emergency room. It is extremelyunlikely that appendicitis will get better on its ownwithout treatment.
Research has shown that waiting more than 48 hours to get a diagnosis and start treatment leads to complication rates greater than 60%.
Your provider will move quickly to either confirm that you have appendicitis or rule it out. They will ask about your symptoms and medical history, do a physical exam, and run some tests to reach a diagnosis.
If your appendix has not ruptured yet, the clock is ticking in terms of the window of opportunity for preventing complications.
Appendix Rupture
How long it takes for appendicitis to lead to a burst appendix varies, but it can happen within hours to a day or two.
In general, data suggest that the risk of your appendix bursting if you get treatment within the first 24 to 36 hours is low. The risk goes up about 5% for every hour past 36 hours that you wait.An inflamed appendix can burst or leak and lead to serious infection that can keep moving throughout your body and potentially be fatal. This is why it is usually treated with anappendectomy—surgery to remove the appendix.
How Appendicitis Is Diagnosed
Summary
The most common early sign of appendicitis is abdominal pain that begins at the belly button, then moves to the lower-right side of your belly. You may also have nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, bloating, fever, loss of appetite, and trouble passing gas.
Recognizing the early signs of appendicitis and getting medical care as soon as possible is key. If the appendix bursts, it can lead to life-threatening complications and even death.
Frequently Asked QuestionsTo diagnose appendicitis, a healthcare provider will do a physical exam and run some tests like blood work, urinalysis, and abdominal ultrasound, MRI, or CT scan.Appendicitis pain can last anywhere from 24 to 72 hours before the appendix bursts.When this happens, the pain might briefly get better only to get worse again.
To diagnose appendicitis, a healthcare provider will do a physical exam and run some tests like blood work, urinalysis, and abdominal ultrasound, MRI, or CT scan.
Appendicitis pain can last anywhere from 24 to 72 hours before the appendix bursts.When this happens, the pain might briefly get better only to get worse again.
How to Tell IBS From Appendicitis
13 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Definition and facts for appendicitis.Snyder MJ, Guthrie M, Cagle S.Acute appendicitis: efficient diagnosis and management.Am Fam Physician. 2018;98(1):25-33.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and causes of appendicitis.Kothadia JP, Katz S, Ginzburg L.Chronic appendicitis: uncommon cause of chronic abdominal pain.Therap Adv Gastroenterol. 2015;8(3):160-162. doi:10.1177/1756283X15576438Blachford A, Blachford A.A pregnant woman with upper right quadrant pain.Journal of Urgent Care Medicine.Published June 2020.Nahhas A, Abderahman A, Kharaba A.A snake in the grass: retroperitoneal abscess due to perforated appendicitis-management, approach and recommendations.J Surg Case Rep. 2019;2019(5):rjz163. Published 2019 May 28. doi:10.1093/jscr/rjz163Hu Q, Shi J, Sun Y.Left-sided appendicitis due to anatomical variation: A case report.Frontiers in Surgery. 2022;9. doi:10.3389/fsurg.2022.896116Johns Hopkins.Appendicitis.Nemours Children’s Health.Appendicitis.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Diagnosis of appendicitis.Alyhari Q, Ahmed F Sr, Nasreldin M, et al.Prehospital delay and its associated factors in Sudanese patients presenting with acute appendicitis at a teaching hospital.Cureus. 2022;14(3):e23036. Published 2022 Mar 10. doi:10.7759/cureus.23036van Rossem CC, Schreinemacher MHF, van Geloven AAW, Bemelman WA.Antibiotic duration after laparoscopic appendectomy for acute complicated appendicitis.JAMA Surgery. 2016;151(4):323. doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2015.4236MedlinePlus.Appendicitis tests.
13 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Definition and facts for appendicitis.Snyder MJ, Guthrie M, Cagle S.Acute appendicitis: efficient diagnosis and management.Am Fam Physician. 2018;98(1):25-33.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and causes of appendicitis.Kothadia JP, Katz S, Ginzburg L.Chronic appendicitis: uncommon cause of chronic abdominal pain.Therap Adv Gastroenterol. 2015;8(3):160-162. doi:10.1177/1756283X15576438Blachford A, Blachford A.A pregnant woman with upper right quadrant pain.Journal of Urgent Care Medicine.Published June 2020.Nahhas A, Abderahman A, Kharaba A.A snake in the grass: retroperitoneal abscess due to perforated appendicitis-management, approach and recommendations.J Surg Case Rep. 2019;2019(5):rjz163. Published 2019 May 28. doi:10.1093/jscr/rjz163Hu Q, Shi J, Sun Y.Left-sided appendicitis due to anatomical variation: A case report.Frontiers in Surgery. 2022;9. doi:10.3389/fsurg.2022.896116Johns Hopkins.Appendicitis.Nemours Children’s Health.Appendicitis.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Diagnosis of appendicitis.Alyhari Q, Ahmed F Sr, Nasreldin M, et al.Prehospital delay and its associated factors in Sudanese patients presenting with acute appendicitis at a teaching hospital.Cureus. 2022;14(3):e23036. Published 2022 Mar 10. doi:10.7759/cureus.23036van Rossem CC, Schreinemacher MHF, van Geloven AAW, Bemelman WA.Antibiotic duration after laparoscopic appendectomy for acute complicated appendicitis.JAMA Surgery. 2016;151(4):323. doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2015.4236MedlinePlus.Appendicitis tests.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Definition and facts for appendicitis.Snyder MJ, Guthrie M, Cagle S.Acute appendicitis: efficient diagnosis and management.Am Fam Physician. 2018;98(1):25-33.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and causes of appendicitis.Kothadia JP, Katz S, Ginzburg L.Chronic appendicitis: uncommon cause of chronic abdominal pain.Therap Adv Gastroenterol. 2015;8(3):160-162. doi:10.1177/1756283X15576438Blachford A, Blachford A.A pregnant woman with upper right quadrant pain.Journal of Urgent Care Medicine.Published June 2020.Nahhas A, Abderahman A, Kharaba A.A snake in the grass: retroperitoneal abscess due to perforated appendicitis-management, approach and recommendations.J Surg Case Rep. 2019;2019(5):rjz163. Published 2019 May 28. doi:10.1093/jscr/rjz163Hu Q, Shi J, Sun Y.Left-sided appendicitis due to anatomical variation: A case report.Frontiers in Surgery. 2022;9. doi:10.3389/fsurg.2022.896116Johns Hopkins.Appendicitis.Nemours Children’s Health.Appendicitis.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Diagnosis of appendicitis.Alyhari Q, Ahmed F Sr, Nasreldin M, et al.Prehospital delay and its associated factors in Sudanese patients presenting with acute appendicitis at a teaching hospital.Cureus. 2022;14(3):e23036. Published 2022 Mar 10. doi:10.7759/cureus.23036van Rossem CC, Schreinemacher MHF, van Geloven AAW, Bemelman WA.Antibiotic duration after laparoscopic appendectomy for acute complicated appendicitis.JAMA Surgery. 2016;151(4):323. doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2015.4236MedlinePlus.Appendicitis tests.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Definition and facts for appendicitis.
Snyder MJ, Guthrie M, Cagle S.Acute appendicitis: efficient diagnosis and management.Am Fam Physician. 2018;98(1):25-33.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and causes of appendicitis.
Kothadia JP, Katz S, Ginzburg L.Chronic appendicitis: uncommon cause of chronic abdominal pain.Therap Adv Gastroenterol. 2015;8(3):160-162. doi:10.1177/1756283X15576438
Blachford A, Blachford A.A pregnant woman with upper right quadrant pain.Journal of Urgent Care Medicine.Published June 2020.
Nahhas A, Abderahman A, Kharaba A.A snake in the grass: retroperitoneal abscess due to perforated appendicitis-management, approach and recommendations.J Surg Case Rep. 2019;2019(5):rjz163. Published 2019 May 28. doi:10.1093/jscr/rjz163
Hu Q, Shi J, Sun Y.Left-sided appendicitis due to anatomical variation: A case report.Frontiers in Surgery. 2022;9. doi:10.3389/fsurg.2022.896116
Johns Hopkins.Appendicitis.
Nemours Children’s Health.Appendicitis.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Diagnosis of appendicitis.
Alyhari Q, Ahmed F Sr, Nasreldin M, et al.Prehospital delay and its associated factors in Sudanese patients presenting with acute appendicitis at a teaching hospital.Cureus. 2022;14(3):e23036. Published 2022 Mar 10. doi:10.7759/cureus.23036
van Rossem CC, Schreinemacher MHF, van Geloven AAW, Bemelman WA.Antibiotic duration after laparoscopic appendectomy for acute complicated appendicitis.JAMA Surgery. 2016;151(4):323. doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2015.4236
MedlinePlus.Appendicitis tests.
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