Appendicitis is the inflammation of the appendix. The symptoms are pain in the belly button area which in the end will move in the right side of the lower abdomen and will be much worse, low graded fever, nauseas and sometimes even vomiting, loss of appetite and constipation or diarrhea. Some people might not have all these symptoms and some might not have any of them, but still have appendicitis.

Appendicitis can be often mistaken with other affections like gastroenteritis, but it seems that in appendicitis the nausea and vomiting begin after the abdominal pain had installed.

Small children are the hardest patients to diagnose because in their case appendicitis does not manifest so clear like in adult patient. Sometimes they complain of a hip pain or they refuse to walk. After a while vomiting will appear.

If you have any of the mentioned symptoms you should call the doctor and if the last for more than four hours you should go to the emergency room.

Some tests will be done to see if you have appendicitis or not. A white blood cell count will be performed along with a urine test to exclude a urinary infection. Even abdominal CT or ultrasound can be performed by the doctor if he has doubts about your appendicitis.

If you are at home and you suspect that someone in your family has appendicitis do dot give him food or water in order to avoid complications and not to make surgery more difficult. Also, painkillers, antibiotic drugs and laxatives are prohibited.

Surgery is necessary because there is no other treatment for appendicitis. It will be performed an appendectomy for removing the inflamed appendix. Before that, intravenous fluids will be administered to keep you well hydrated and no oral intake of food and water is allowed because this could interfere with the anesthesia and surgery.

Complications can occur if appendicitis is left untreated. The perforation of the wall is one of them, leading to a local abscess and even peritonitis which is dangerous because the entire lower abdomen will get infected. Therefore surgery must be done as soon as possible.

Another complication is the blockage of the intestine caused by the intense inflammation which stops the intestinal muscle from working and so the intestinal contents will not move anymore.

If everything goes well you will be able to go back to you activities in a few days but no physical activity is allowed to be done for 3 to 4 weeks