This condition, known as appendicitis , is marked by sharp pain that begins near the navel and then localizes over time to the lower right abdomen, where the appendix is located. The pain gets worse with movement, deep breaths, coughing, and sneezing. Other appendicitis symptoms include:. The standard treatment for appendicitis is an appendectomy, a surgical procedure to remove the appendix.
But if doctors don't remove the appendix quickly — usually within 24 to 72 hours after symptoms begin — the organ may rupture, or burst. Perforation is found in about 13 to 20 percent of patients who have symptoms of appendicitis.
When your appendix becomes infected or obstructed, bacteria that normally live inside the organ can rapidly multiply. Your appendix becomes inflamed and filled with pus, a thick liquid containing bacteria, tissue debris, and dead white blood cells. This infection will cause the pressure within your appendix to quickly increase.
As the pressure increases, the amount of blood flowing through the wall of the organ decreases. The healthy cells that make up the tissues of your appendix will then become starved of blood and start to die. This will continue until the muscular wall in one area of your appendix gets so thin that it breaks open, allowing bacteria-laden pus from inside the appendix to leak out into the rest of the abdomen. When your appendix ruptures, you may start to feel better as the appendix pain you originally had subsides.
But this generally doesn't last long, because a perforated appendix can quickly lead to other health issues. Pus-filled abscesses may develop around your appendix. Scar tissue and other abdominal structures will "wall off" the abscessed appendix and the seepage, preventing the infection from spreading.
If you have an abscessed appendix, you may experience symptoms similar to appendicitis, including: 5. You may also experience other symptoms not typically associated with appendicitis, such as weakness, chills, high fever, and a feeling of rectal fullness.
Additionally, the infected contents that have seeped out of your appendix may cause peritonitis, which is an infection of the peritoneum, the silk-like membrane that lines the abdominal cavity. The classic symptoms of appendicitis are pain starting around the belly button followed by vomiting. Several hours later, the pain moves to the lower abdomen on the right side.
One study found only about half of the people who get appendicitis have these classic symptoms. The pain is often spread out all over the abdomen in babies and children. In pregnant and older people, the abdomen may be less tender and pain may be less severe. Once your appendix ruptures, symptoms vary depending on what happens. At first, you may actually feel better for a few hours because the high pressure in your appendix is gone along with your original symptoms.
When bacteria leave the intestine and enter the abdominal cavity, the lining on the inside of your abdomen and outside of abdominal organs become inflamed. This condition is called peritonitis. The symptoms will be similar to those for appendicitis, except:. When this is successful, it forms an abscess. This is a closed off collection of bacteria and pus. Symptoms of an abscess are also similar to those for appendicitis, except:.
When left untreated, the bacteria from a ruptured appendix can get into your bloodstream, causing a serious condition called sepsis. This is inflammation that occurs throughout your entire body. Some of the symptoms of sepsis are:. The treatment for a ruptured appendix is removal of your appendix through surgery. Peritonitis is treated by cleaning the abdominal cavity during surgery to remove bacteria.
You may need to use antibiotics for several weeks to be sure the infection is gone. Often, your appendix will be removed immediately.
This is done by inserting a tube into the abscess and letting the fluid-containing bacteria and pus drain out. This can take several weeks, so you might be sent home with the drain in place as well as antibiotics. When the abscess is drained and the infection and inflammation are controlled, your doctor will perform the surgery. The first several doses will be given through your veins at the hospital. You typically take antibiotics for up to two to four weeks, depending on how bad the peritonitis or abscess was.
Open surgery instead of laparoscopic is almost always used for a ruptured appendix. This is so your doctor can be sure that all of the infection has been cleaned out of the abdominal cavity. It can take four to six weeks to fully recover from surgery. The pain tends to be more constant and severe than the dull, aching pain that occurs when symptoms start.
However, some people may have an appendix that lies behind the colon. Appendicitis that occurs in these people can cause lower back pain or pelvic pain. You may also have the chills. If your appendix bursts, the resulting infection could cause your fever to rise. Appendicitis can cause nausea and vomiting. You may also become constipated or develop severe diarrhea. This may be related to underlying appendicitis.
They also may have a difficult time pinpointing the pain, and they may say that the pain is in their entire abdomen. This can make it difficult to determine that appendicitis is the cause. Parents can easily mistake appendicitis for a stomach bug or urinary tract infection UTI. A ruptured appendix can be dangerous for anyone, but the risk of death is highest in infants and toddlers.
Many appendicitis symptoms are similar to the discomforts of pregnancy. These include stomach cramping, nausea, and vomiting. However, pregnant women may not always have the classic symptoms of appendicitis, especially late in pregnancy. The growing uterus pushes the appendix higher during pregnancy. This means pain may occur in the upper abdomen instead of the lower right side of the abdomen.
Pregnant women with appendicitis are also more likely to experience heartburn , gas, or alternating episodes of constipation and diarrhea. These may include:. The medications will help prevent an infection from developing after surgery.
Your surgeon will then perform surgery to remove your appendix. This is called an appendectomy. Your surgeon may perform an open appendectomy or a laparoscopic appendectomy.
This depends on the severity of your appendicitis. During an open appendectomy, your surgeon makes one incision in the lower right side of your abdomen. They remove your appendix and close the wound with stitches. This procedure allows your doctor to clean the abdominal cavity if your appendix has burst or if you have an abscess. During a laparoscopic appendectomy, your surgeon will make a few small incisions in your abdomen.
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