Appendicitis

There’s a worm-shaped bulge at the beginning of your large intestine. This is also known as the appendix. If it becomes infected, you have appendicitis. The infection often has no clear cause. It can therefore be difficult to diagnose.

When you have appendicitis you will suffer from symptoms like:

• A sudden and severe pain in your lower abdomen. The pain is on the lower right. The pain worsens with movement.
• A fever. Your body temperature will then be higher than 37.5 degrees.
• Nausea.
• Vomiting tendencies.
• A reduced appetite.
• Constipation or diarrhoea.

Initially, there won’t be a great deal you can do about appendicitis yourself. You should contact your GP pretty much immediately if you have appendicitis. He will minimally prescribe a course of antibiotics, but surgery will usually be required. You’ll have to go to the hospital for this and you’ll receive further advice once your appendix has been removed. We would therefore recommend following the advice provided by your GP or doctor in the hospital.

You should contact your GP immediately if:

• You have sudden and severe abdominal pain.
• You have pain in the lower right side of your abdomen.
• The pain is getting worse.
• The pain gets worse when you touch your abdomen.
• The pain worsens when you laugh or cough.
• You keep vomiting.
• You have no or a reduced appetite.
• You don’t or hardly drink.
• You have blood and/or pain when urinating.
• You have mucus and/or blood in your stools.
• You develop or have a fever.
• You feel drowsy.