What intestinal obstruction is an acute inflammation of the vermiform appendix?

Appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix, a finger-shaped pouch that projects from your colon on the lower side of your abdomen. Appendicitis causes pain in your lower right abdomen. However, in most people, pain begins around the navel and then moves.

As the inflammation worsens, appendicitis pain typically increases and eventually becomes severe. Although anyone can develop appendicitis, most often it occurs in people between the ages of 10 and 30. Standard treatment is the surgical removal of the appendix.

The site of your pain may vary, depending on your age and the position of your appendix. When you're pregnant, the pain may seem to come from your upper abdomen because your appendix is higher during pregnancy.

More Info: www.mayoclinic.org

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11 Comments

Jim Mascair

Mine ruptured and earned me a month long hospital stay. They chose to let the incision heal naturally because of infection.

Steve Tingle

I was 60 when it happened to me, 3 months after an operation for bowel cancer - but I read the symptoms accurately (thanks to the internet) and had it removed before it burst, it was larger than usual my surgeon said which confused several trainee doctors later on when I offered my scarred abdomen for their training and the scar was much bigger that what they'd been told to expect.

Cheryl McMeekin

Hope I never get appendicitis.

Beverly Luetkemeyer

Michael Doherty, you are giving too much credit. Terrible question.

Barbara Nelson

Badly worded question. Appendicitis rarely leads to intestinal obstruction.

Julie Brosz-Turney

I knew this! At 72 years young, I had my appendix removed last March. Lots of memories of the pain as a child but never removed due to not a high enough blood count so I knew exactly what was happening. Luckily, perforated but not burst. TYG

Michael Doherty

Another third grade level question.

Julie Allen

Steve Tingle, I had a suspected appendicitis at 50 and when they operated they removed half my bowel and six feet of small intestine. My bowel cancer scar is the size of most peoples appendix scar.

Edie Koller

My grandmother gave birth to twins in 1923 and died from complications from a ruptured appendix and had peritonitis and was 26 at the time. No antibiotics then and she left 6 children too very sad. But it can still happen today even in 2022 (modern times) sad as it may be.