6 Emergency Signs of an Appendix About to Burst
1.
Abdominal Pain
According to Dr. Michael Payne, a gastroenterologist at the Harvard affiliated Cambridge Health
Alliance, appendicitis is difficult to diagnose by doctors.
Dr. Payne explains that although appendicitis is “a very common illness…many people
don’t have classic symptoms” aside from dull pain in the abdomen.
This pain is also often described by patients as sharp pain that’s located near the navel
and moves to the lower right abdomen and intensifies very quickly.
This pain often worsens with jarring (i.e., coughing) or movement.
Medical professionals usually diagnose appendicitis by placing hands on the patients belly.
2.
Gas and Bloat
Appendicitis often causes unexplained abdominal boat as well as difficulty passing gas, which
can cause a painful and severely swollen abdomen.
This gas and bloating is similar to indigestion, but without reason (i.e., no meatball subs
in sight).
If the bloating and gas cause bowel pain, lower-right abdominal pain, difficulty sleeping,
and gradually worsen rather than improve over a day or to, consider that you may be suffering
from appendicitis.
3.
Appetite Loss
Loss of appetite will often accompany discomfort from gas, bloating, and abdominal swelling.
After all, who wants to chow down when they’re experiencing abdominal pain, right?
However, if you’re also experiencing mild diarrhea containing mucus, along with pain,
bloating, gas, and nausea, you may be experiencing appendicitis symptoms.
4.
Nausea
With gradually increasing abdominal pain, appendicitis often causing mild nausea with
vomiting sometimes close behind, very similar to a stomach bug.
However, unlike the flu, appendicitis will not improve in a few day’s time.
If the pain, nausea, and vomiting worsen with time, it’s time to seek out emergency attention.
5.
Low Grade Fever
Appendicitis can also cause a flu-like, low grade fever that can reach between 99-102
degrees Fahrenheit.
The fever is often accompanied by chills, clammy skin, nausea, and stomach pain so severe
that you can’t stand upright.
6.
Rebound Pain
According to Health.com, many patient complain of rebound tenderness in their lower-right
abdominal region with appendicitis.
For instance, rebound tenderness results when pressure is placed on the abdominal area and
then released.
If you feel pain upon release, this medically known as “rebound tenderness“.
This appendicitis-related pain is often accompanied by the other symptoms—such as chills, bloating,
fever, nausea, and vomiting.