Appendicitis is a painful swelling of the appendix. The appendix is a small, thin pouch that's connected to the large intestine.
Appendicitis usually starts with a pain in the middle of your tummy that may come and go. Within hours, the pain travels to the lower right side of your tummy. This is where your appendix usually is. The pain can become constant and severe.
Urgent advice: Ask for an urgent GP appointment if:
- you have tummy pain that's gradually getting worse
Other symptoms of appendicitis
You may have other symptoms, including:
- feeling sick (nausea)
- getting sick (vomiting)
- loss of appetite
- diarrhoea
- a high temperature (fever)
- a flushed face
Things that may make the pain worse include:
- pressing on the area
- coughing
- walking
If your appendix bursts, it can cause a serious infection of the lining of your tummy. This is called peritonitis.
Emergency action required: Call 112 or 999 or go to your nearest emergency
- you have tummy pain that suddenly gets worse and spreads across your stomach
- your pain improves for a short time before getting worse again
The symptoms of appendicitis are similar to other conditions, such as:
- a stomach infection (gastroenteritis)
- severe irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- constipation
- bladder or urine infections
- Crohn's disease
- pelvic infection
Any condition that causes severe tummy pain that is there all the time needs urgent medical attention.
Causes of appendicitis
Appendicitis is common. You can get it at any age. But it usually affects young people age 10 to 20.
It's not clear what causes appendicitis. It may happen because something blocks your appendix.
Some things that might block your appendix are:
- a small piece of poo
- swollen lymph nodes in your bowel - this could be caused by an infection, such as a pin worm infection in children
The inflammation and swelling could lead to increased pressure in your appendix. This can cause your appendix to burst.
We do not know how to prevent appendicitis.
Content supplied by the NHS and adapted for Ireland by the HSE
