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A painful swelling of the appendix, a small, thin pouch that connects to the large intestine where faeces is formed. Can be chronic (rumbling) or acute.
An appendicitis usually starts as a pain in your abdomen that comes and goes. Within a few hours the pain increases and becomes persistent, travelling to the lower right-hand side of your body. This is where the appendix usually lies. If left untreated, appendicitis may cause your appendix to burst and lead to infection.
Symptoms of appendicitis may include:
Appendicitis can be difficult to diagnose as the typical symptoms only appear in about half of cases. The location of the appendix can also vary from person to person.
Your consultant will speak to you about your symptoms, examine your abdomen and see if the pain gets worse when they apply pressure to the appendix area. If further tests are required these may include:
If you have appendicitis your appendix will normally need to be removed as soon as possible. It's unclear why we have an appendix, but removing it doesn't harm your body. This requires a surgical procedure called an appendectomy. There are two ways of performing the surgery:
This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.