Introduction
Appendicitis is a relatively common disease that can affect children and young adults in particular. It often follows a typical course with symptoms that may indicate the disease. In some cases, however, the symptoms are very unspecific and the severity of the disease varies from person to person. Therefore, it is possible to recognise that appendicitis could be present on the basis of certain symptoms. Whether this diagnosis is correct or whether another cause is more likely, can ultimately only be clarified by a medical examination.
Appendicitis can be recognized by these symptoms
There are some symptoms that can indicate appendicitis. Especially if there is severe pain in the right lower abdomen, people who still have their appendix should think of appendicitis as a possible cause. Especially if the pain is so severe that the person concerned can only lie in a relieving position, a doctor should be consulted urgently and promptly.
Another symptom that can occur with appendicitis is fever. Typically, the temperature measured in the anus is significantly higher than the temperature measured under the armpit or in the mouth. If the symptom is diarrhoea, gastro-enteritis is the most likely cause, although appendicitis cannot be ruled out with certainty.
In some groups of patients, such as elderly people or children, the symptoms of appendicitis are often less typical or less pronounced. It can therefore be difficult and take a long time to diagnose the disease. Appendicitis often follows a typical course with pain that changes in character and can wander in its localization.
In the case of an incipient appendicitis, the symptoms are usually most likely to occur in the area of the right upper abdomen or around the navel. In the beginning the pain often has a rather dull character and cannot be localized clearly. If there is an increase in the inflammatory reaction, the pain pattern often changes.
The pain maximum is then usually indicated in the right lower abdomen and the location of the pain can often be shown by the affected person as an exact point on the abdomen. The character of the pain is then often indicated as piercing and bright. The course described here is typical of appendicitis and in this form often allows the doctor to make a clinical diagnosis, provided the physical examination confirms the findings.
However, this typical pattern of pain does not occur in every person with appendicitis. In some cases, the severe stabbing pain in the right lower abdomen occurs right from the start. In other cases, the symptoms remain rather diffuse despite appendicitis and cannot be clearly described. In case of doubt, a medical examination is therefore always recommended.
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