How to check for appendicitis at home: reliable symptoms. How does appendicitis hurt? Where does appendicitis hurt? Which side does appendicitis hurt on?

Pay attention to its location. At first discomfort arise in the epigastrium, after a few hours the pain intensifies and moves to the right side (side, iliac region). Before attempting a self-diagnosis, call ambulance. If you suspect appendicitis, it is better to play it safe and not wait until the pain becomes unbearable.

If appendicitis cannot be diagnosed and treated in time, after some time it may, after which all its contents will enter the abdominal cavity, causing severe inflammation. This can even lead to the death of the patient. It is very important to pay attention to any ailments, especially if it concerns.

Symptoms of appendicitis

Pain in the abdomen, especially in the lower right part, loss of appetite, sometimes accompanied by nausea and vomiting, in some cases diarrhea or, conversely, constipation, fever and similar manifestations.

Pay attention to such signals as difficulty walking, pain, sneezing, jumping, and driving over bumps.

Often these symptoms may be mild, and some may not appear at all. In addition, all these manifestations are also characteristic of gas, overeating, food poisoning and some other diseases. Therefore, you should not act on your own; if you have any suspicion, you should immediately contact medical assistance.

Diagnosis of appendicitis

An inflamed appendix is indicated by incessant and gradually increasing pain in the abdomen, which can last even several days. The diagnosis can be confirmed using pressure. Lay on your back, ask to bend your knees, then lightly press on the right lower abdomen and release. When releasing, the pain becomes much stronger than during pressing; this is typical only for appendicitis.

Remember that you need to press very carefully so as not to cause rupture vermiform appendix. It is better to entrust such work to a professional.

In a hospital, it is much easier to recognize a disease as appendicitis. Ultrasound diagnostics, a general blood test and a urine test can help with this. The probability of error in such an examination is only 5%.

Treatment is carried out only surgically. The doctor, under anesthesia, removes the inflamed rudimentary appendage. If the appendix has not ruptured, then this is enough simple operation with minimal recovery period.

If peritonitis could not be avoided, surgical intervention will be deeper, since the doctor will have to remove abdominal cavity everything foreign that managed to get into it. Postoperative recovery will also be longer due to the course of antibiotics.

Appendicitis– many have experienced its inflammation. And although the mortality rate from appendicitis is statistically only 0.2-0.3% per year, these modest figures conceal almost 3,000 lives. Therefore, it is very important to quickly recognize the signs of acute appendicitis in order to call a doctor in time and perform surgery. For self-diagnosis of appendicitis, there are simple techniques.

Instructions

Appendicitis can also be done by tapping. Bent pad index finger tap lightly on the right iliac fossa. If the pain gets worse, you have appendicitis. To check, you can knock in the same way in the area of the left ilium: there should be no pain there.

Video on the topic

Sources:

how to check for appendicitis in 2019

Appendicitis may appear by multiple reasons. The vermiform appendix becomes inflamed, which in most cases requires immediate surgical intervention. No surgeon would risk treating appendicitis conservative methods, because he knows that at any moment it can rupture, which will lead to peritonitis and the death of the patient if immediate prompt assistance is not provided.

Instructions

Accurate inflammatory process not established in the appendix. Doctors name multiple factors that can contribute to the appearance. These include: blockage of the hole feces or mucus, swelling of lymphoid tissue, infection or inflammatory processes in the abdominal cavity, the presence of adhesions in the abdominal cavity. Some experts call the cause of inflammation of the appendix the presence of gastritis, colitis, cholecystitis in the patient, that is, diseases that occur in every third person.

The first signs of appendicitis are pain in the area, often without specific localization, nausea, and vomiting. In some cases, body temperature may rise to high levels, but not always. The pain may radiate to the right leg and it will feel as if it is impossible to step on the leg, it simply bends.

In all cases of pain in any area of the abdomen, general malaise and other symptoms, you must immediately call an ambulance. Some forms of appendicitis develop very rapidly, which is dangerous not only because it will burst and pus will leak into the sterile abdominal cavity, but also because the infection can enter the bloodstream and sepsis will begin, which is difficult to treat and poses a threat to the patient’s life.

The hospital will conduct an emergency examination and determine the exact cause of pain in the abdominal area. The most in a fast way to identify the presence of inflammation in the appendix or to diagnose another disease are ultrasound and CT scan. Urine and blood tests cannot show reliable results. But also urgent diagnostics the inflamed appendage does not always allow it, so experts prefer to do urgent surgery, if no other inflammation is detected, and everyone indicates. The only method that helps to see the inflamed appendix is laparoscopy, but not in all medical institutions can be carried out this type diagnostics in the absence of a device.

If immediate surgery cannot be performed, the patient is prescribed antibiotics to avoid further development inflammatory process and rupture of the appendix. Surgical intervention is performed at the first opportunity.

There are two types of appendectomy - this is a traditional operation through an incision or endoscopic surgery through punctures under the supervision of a monitor. In accordance with the availability of certain tools, decides what type

Modern medicine makes it possible to recognize appendicitis in time and begin treatment. In adults, it is easier to identify inflammation of the appendix than in children, since the child cannot always objectively talk about his feelings. In order to independently determine the pathology, a whole range of diagnostic techniques has been developed.

Main symptoms of the disease

Inflammation of the appendix, already at an early stage of development, is accompanied by a number of symptoms:

Pain syndrome - with appendicitis on early stage pain is felt in the navel area. Then painful sensations spread to the right iliac region (lower abdomen). As a rule, an attack of pain appears suddenly; the patient cannot always clearly indicate the location of the unpleasant sensations. The pain is aching, dull, and intensifies with deep inspiration. In addition, it becomes stronger when coughing or laughing - often this symptom helps to understand the origin of the unpleasant sensations.
Forced pose – with inflammation of the appendix, the patient experiences abdominal pain when changing body position. Often a person takes a forced position in which the discomfort is minimal - usually this is a position on his side with his legs pulled up to his stomach.
Seizures nausea and vomiting– appendicitis is almost always accompanied severe nausea and exhausting vomiting, which does not bring relief to the patient. In some cases, the attack of vomiting is one-time, but most often it is repeated many times.
Increased body temperature – as a rule, at the time of an attack of pain, body temperature rises to 38 ºС in adults; in children, the values may be higher. An increase in body temperature indicates that inflammation is progressing.
Dry mouth .
Abnormal stool – if the appendix is abnormally positioned, diarrhea may occur.

Step-by-step instructions for determining at home

It is possible to diagnose appendicitis at home using several diagnostic techniques:

The patient is asked to stand up and take several steps so that the legs bent at the knees rise high enough. If the appendix is inflamed, such movements bring pain.
The patient lies on his back on a flat surface. The muscles are as relaxed as possible - this is necessary in order to ensure the ability to freely palpate the abdomen. You can check for appendicitis with a simple press - strong muscle tension indicates the disease.
Shchetkin-Blumberg symptom - in a supine position, pressing the palm below the navel with subsequent sharp release provokes sharp pain.

In young children, in addition to general symptoms Abdominal bloating, refusal to eat and vomiting occur. A characteristic symptom is lethargy of the child. Older children may behave restlessly and point to the abdomen; when palpating is attempted, the child usually resists examination and cries. Attacks of pain can be sudden, causing the baby to wake up in the middle of the night crying loudly.

How to distinguish appendicitis from other diseases with similar symptoms?

It is difficult to distinguish appendicitis from other pathologies of the abdominal organs independently at home. Nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain accompany many diseases, so several additional tests must be performed to make a diagnosis:

General analysis of blood and urine - a urine test is carried out in order to exclude kidney disease (in case of appendicitis, the indicators are normal). The blood test shows sharp increase level of leukocytes, which indicates the presence of inflammation in the body.
Ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs is a quick and reliable way to diagnose appendicitis.
Computed tomography – if appendicitis is suspected, it is performed quite rarely. It is prescribed when there is doubt about the correctness of the diagnosis.

Modern research methods and knowledge simple rules diagnostics help to avoid such serious complications as peritonitis, sepsis, internal bleeding and many others. Treatment of the disease is usually surgical.

Useful video on how to recognize the first signs of appendicitis

Diagnosis of appendicitis, as well as its further treatment, should be carried out by a surgeon. All patients with clinical picture acute abdomen(severe abdominal pain and protective tension of the abdominal muscles) should be immediately hospitalized in a surgical hospital.

Minimum volume diagnostic measures if appendicitis is suspected, includes:

examination by the surgeon on duty or the head of the surgical department;
carrying out laboratory diagnostics (general tests blood and urine, biochemical blood test, CRP, coagulogram, etc.);
study of heart rate and blood pressure;
ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs (ultrasound diagnosis of appendicitis is mandatory, but for patients with significant obesity it is preferable to undergo a CT scan of the abdominal organs, and for pregnant women - an MRI);
ECG (mandatory for all patients over 40 years old).

Also, according to indications, a consultation with a gynecologist, urologist, nephrologist, gastroenterologist, and infectious disease specialist is carried out.

Additionally, when diagnosing appendicitis, the Alvarado scale is used.

How to check for appendicitis at home

The main symptom of appendicitis is abdominal pain. However, it should also be noted that acute abdominal pain can also be observed with perforation of ulcers, ectopic pregnancies, ovarian apoplexy, renal colic, acute colic, etc. Just like with appendicitis, these conditions require immediate transportation to a hospital, since in the absence of timely medical care the development of severe complications up to and including death.

In this regard, if symptoms of an acute abdomen appear (acute abdominal pain, vomiting, tension in the muscles of the abdominal wall), you must immediately call an ambulance. Attempts self-treatment will only worsen the patient’s condition and lead to loss of time. Also, before the ambulance arrives, it is forbidden to give the patient painkillers, as this blurs the clinical picture and significantly complicates further diagnosis.

Inflammation of the appendix should be differentiated from:

acute gastroenteritis;
acute and;
perforated;
right-sided renal colic;
ectopic pregnancies;
ovarian apoplexy;
acute

How to recognize appendicitis in adults at home

The symptom complex of acute abdomen includes a large number of pathologies requiring treatment in a surgical hospital. Conduct differential diagnosis impossible at home. However, knowing the main symptoms of appendicitis, you can suspect it in the early stages.

How does appendicitis begin?

The first painful attacks extremely rarely appear directly in the right iliac region (RIL). Almost always, pain occurs first in the epigastrium, right or left hypochondrium. And then, within one to two hours, the pain moves to the PPO. This phenomenon is called Kocher's symptom.

Also in the first hours of the disease, there is a feeling of nausea and vomiting, fever up to 37.5, rarely up to thirty-eight degrees.

Despite the pain syndrome, general state Little was broken. Patients are conscious, communicative, and able to adequately answer questions. There may be complaints of weakness, decreased or complete absence appetite, feeling of nausea. The appearance of symptoms of severe intoxication, lethargy, and pronounced lethargy indicates the addition of peritonitis.

In the first hours after the onset pain syndrome vomiting appears. It is not abundant, does not bring relief and, as a rule, is one-time (children may vomit several times).

A characteristic sign of inflammation of the appendix is the appearance of the “toxic scissors” symptom - a discrepancy between the degree of fever and heart rate. Normally, an increase in temperature of 1 degree is accompanied by an increase in heart rate by about ten beats per minute. When the appendix is inflamed, normal or slightly elevated temperature against the background of significant tachycardia.

Increased breathing is also noted. In children, more often than in adults, the right side of the abdomen lags noticeably when inhaling.

Painful sensations in the first hours of illness can be migratory in nature. The progression of inflammation is accompanied by a persistent displacement of pain in the PPO, as well as the appearance of stiffness of movements (when walking, the patient limps on the right leg) and a forced body position (lying on the right side with the legs pressed to the stomach).

How to recognize appendicitis in a child

Children may experience disturbances in general well-being to a greater extent than adults. Children are capricious, whiny, and react extremely negatively to palpation of the abdomen. In the first hours after the onset of pain, diarrhea may occur. Tachycardia increases faster.

Other manifestations of appendicitis are similar to those in adults.

How is appendicitis diagnosed in a hospital?

The primary diagnosis of appendicitis in children and adults is carried out on the basis of complaints and palpation results.

Diagnosis of appendicitis based on palpation methods is carried out by identifying symptoms:

Razdolsky– with careful percussion of the abdomen, a sharp increase in pain in the abdominal cavity is observed;
Rovzinga– when pressing the sigmoid colon to the right ilium (to its wing) and jerky palpation, above the point of compression there is a sharp increase in pain in the PPO. The same thing is observed when a section of the descending part of the large intestine is pressed against the left wing of the ilium. This symptom is based on stretching of the cecum by moving gases, which in the presence of inflammation leads to a sharp increase in pain;
Sitkovsky– pain in the PPO increases significantly if the patient lies on his left side;
Bartholomew-Mikhelson - the patient lies on his left side, and the doctor palpates the PPO, and a significant increase in pain is observed;
Shchetkin-Blumberg– indicates the transition of inflammation to the peritoneal integument. The symptom is checked by withdrawing the hand when palpating the PPO. In this case, there is a sharp increase in pain precisely after abduction of the arm;
Voskresensky– after pulling the patient’s shirt, while exhaling, slide your fingers from the costal arch to the RPO. At the moment the sliding ends, the pain intensifies;
Obraztsova(indicative of retrocecal inflammation) – when the patient rises straight right leg the pain in the protruding musculoskeletal region increases sharply;
cough shock - when coughing or sneezing, the patient feels severe pain in the PPO;
Krymova-Dumbadze– patients report sharp pain when palpating the umbilical ring;
Aaron– during palpation of the PPO, pain may appear in the epigastric region;
Laroca(the symptom is checked for inflammation in men) – palpation of the PPO is accompanied by spontaneous pulling up of the right testicle;

Pain may also be experienced during a rectal examination (with a retrocecal position of the appendix). In women, during vaginal examination, pain and sagging of the vaginal vault are noted.

How is appendicitis determined by palpation during pregnancy?

For pregnant women, Michelson's symptom is indicative, in which there is a sharp increase in pain when lying on the right side (due to the pressure of the uterus on the inflamed vermiform appendix).

Diagnosis of appendicitis in adults using the Alvarado scale

According to this scale, they evaluate:

positive Kocher sign (1 point);
presence of vomiting or nausea (1 point);
lack of appetite (1 point);
temperature over 37.3 (1 point);
positive Shchetkin-Blumberg symptom (1 point);
neutrophilia more than 75% (1 point);
increased level of leukocytes in appendicitis more than 10*10 9 /l (2 points);
pain in the PPO (2 points).

If the patient scores less than five points, the diagnosis of inflammation of the appendix is unlikely. With a score of five to six points, the diagnosis is considered possible, and with seven to eight points, it is considered probable. When the score reaches nine to ten, the patient needs emergency surgery.

Is appendicitis visible on ultrasound?

Yes. Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity for appendicitis is mandatory and is a highly reliable method for diagnosing appendicitis.

It should be noted that ultrasound for appendicitis allows not only to detect inflammation of the appendix, but also to detect fluid in the abdominal cavity and differentiate inflammation from ovarian apoplexy, renal colic, acute cholecystitis, etc.

Laparoscopy for appendicitis

This procedure can be used both for diagnosing the disease and for further surgical intervention.

Analysis for appendicitis in adults and children

There are no specific tests for appendicitis. General blood and urine tests, biochemistry, and coagulogram are performed.

A blood test for appendicitis helps detect leukocytosis and significant neutrophilia. Leukocytes with appendicitis in an adult and a child can increase above 10 * 10 9 / l (the increase in leukocytes is directly proportional to the severity of inflammation).

Urine tests for appendicitis may reveal red blood cells and white blood cells.

Article prepared
Infectious disease doctor A.L. Chernenko

Thanks to basic knowledge, which involves self-determination of acute appendicitis, anyone can promptly detect the disease both in themselves and in their loved ones. This will help to begin timely treatment of this pathology, which is quite dangerous to health and life, through surgical intervention. In this article we will try to cover as much as possible the topic of how to determine appendicitis at home, and also tell you about all the features of this disease and the complications that it poses.

The main symptoms that allow you to independently determine appendicitis

If you want to know how to identify appendicitis at home, first of all you should familiarize yourself with the main symptoms that may indicate the presence of this pathology.

Serious suspicions of appendicitis can cause sharp pain in the abdominal area. Especially if localization of pain is located in the navel area or on the right side. I would like to note that, as a rule, such pain can subsequently move from the center of the abdomen down and to the right, not reaching the boundaries of the pelvis.
Even if with light pressure on the problem area on the right side you feel strong sharp pain , in this case it is necessary immediately, call an ambulance without delay.
As a rule, in a normal state, the abdomen is soft and during palpation, the fingers slightly press the tissue, plunging into it. Solid and bloated belly is one of the main signs of an inflamed appendix, so this symptom clearly indicates that you need to seek help urgent help to specialists.
If the patient will not be able to stand up and walk with a straight back, this is also a clear sign of appendix. Acute pain simply will not allow this. To ease the pain before the doctors arrive, you can lie down “curled up” and tuck your knees under your chest.

How to determine appendicitis in a child

A pathology such as acute appendicitis occurs due to an inflammatory process affecting the process of the cecum, which is about 6 cm long. I would like to note that the symptoms of the disease in children are similar to other diseases. The most characteristic symptom of appendicitis is pain in the abdominal area. The initial localization of pain is near the navel, while the pain is barely perceptible. Then the pain intensifies and moves closer to the right side.

Usually, with inflammation of the appendix, the child’s condition worsens significantly:

severe weakness, lethargy;
increased body temperature;
Nausea and vomiting may occur;
the child begins to be capricious and refuse to eat, including his most favorite dishes.

Touching your baby's belly can cause severe pain which can cause a child to start crying. Important! Being interested in the topic of how to determine appendicitis in a child, we note that An increase in body temperature with inflammation of the appendix may not always occur, therefore this symptom is not the main one in determining this pathology.

If you notice the listed signs and changed behavior in a child, be sure to try to palpate the abdomen to determine the location of the pain. If suspicions are confirmed, you must urgently call an ambulance.

How to identify appendicitis in men

Main and characteristic feature The fact that a man has an inflamed appendix of the cecum is that, as a rule, it is initially quite difficult to determine. This is explained by the fact that the pain is not localized in one place - pain spreads throughout the entire abdominal area, making it difficult to determine the source of pain. Nevertheless, several hours after the attack, the pain is still concentrated in one place (from 2 to 7 hours). Also, sharp movements, coughing, and sneezing cause acute pain.

If you are interested in the question of how to determine appendicitis in men, you should pay attention to what The patient experiences nausea and vomiting However, these symptoms are not debilitating. The average number of gags is about 3 per hour. However, the symptom persists even if the person did not eat before the attack.

The most obvious sign that will help answer the question of how to determine appendicitis at home in a man is that the latter exhibits symptoms such as dry tongue with a characteristic white coating . Also, the patient constantly occupies one position in which he experiences the least pain. Important! During an appendix attack, you should not make sudden movements, as this can cause appendicitis to rupture.

How to determine appendicitis at home in a woman

A pathology such as acute appendicitis most often occurs in women than in the stronger sex. This factor is determined physiological characteristics structure of the female body. It is for this reason that many are concerned about the question of how to determine appendicitis at home in a woman and what needs to be done first.

Many experts associate the occurrence of appendicitis in women with the fact that female body Hormonal changes occur more often, which in turn increases the risk of inflammation of the appendage of the cecum.

The most striking symptom that will help you understand how to identify appendicitis at home is - quite severe pain in the right hypochondrium with subsequent displacement down the abdomen. Typically, attacks pain increases with coughing and straining. Often, due to appendicitis, problems may arise when walking, since the pain radiates quite noticeably to the lower extremities.

In fact, this symptomatology immediately characterizes the pathology - the inflammatory process of the vermiform appendix of the intestine. Also, for a more accurate determination, you should check your body temperature (most often over 38 degrees), as well as visually examine the oral cavity - the tongue is dry and has a white coating. If you have these symptoms, it is recommended to immediately call an ambulance for subsequent hospitalization.

How to determine appendicitis in a woman yourself

Having wondered how to determine appendicitis in a woman independently at the initial stage of development of this pathology There are a few tips to follow.

First of all, if pain occurs, pay attention to its location. As mentioned above, in humans, when the appendix of the cecum is inflamed, the first pain sensations, as a rule, appear in the umbilical region, after which they move lower and to the right. The pain appears suddenly and is vague in nature - at first the pain symptoms are characterized by aching, dull pain that does not allow deep breath, then the pain intensifies and becomes more severe.
Another point to pay attention to is body position. Due to painful symptoms, a person cannot move normally or even stand up completely. Often the most comfortable position that causes the least discomfort is lying on your side with your legs tucked under you.
It is also often noted with appendicitis stool disorder. If the patient has abnormalities in the location of the appendix, constipation or quite severe diarrhea may be observed. Abdominal pain does not go away after defecation.

How to determine appendicitis in a woman after childbirth

Answering the question of how to determine appendicitis in a woman after childbirth, I would like to note that the appearance of abdominal pain that persists for several hours should immediately seek medical attention. medical care. This is especially important for women who gave birth to a child some time ago. The vast majority of pain is localized in the navel area. Nevertheless in women after childbirth, pain often has no clear localization. In addition, pelvic pain in women may also indicate other problems; an examination by a gynecologist may be required to accurately diagnose the disease. Symptoms may include:

abdominal wall muscle tension;
attacks of nausea, vomiting, lack of appetite;
upset stool, pain during gynecological examination;
increase in body temperature.

Before consulting a specialist, it is not recommended to take antibacterial or painkillers. . Also, you should not expect that the pain will go away on its own, attributing the ailment to some gynecological disease. The symptoms of many female ailments are very similar to those of acute appendicitis. You should not risk your health, but it is better to call a doctor immediately.

Let's sum it up

Inflammation of the rectal appendix is very dangerous pathology, which cannot be ignored under any circumstances. We hope that the article presented to our readers on the topic of how to determine appendicitis at home was useful to you and helped you find answers to your questions. exciting questions. You can read reviews on this topic or write your opinion on the forum.

With appendicitis, the vermiform appendix of the cecum becomes inflamed. Symptoms of appendicitis can be easily confused with symptoms of other processes, including stomach upset, poisoning, or renal colic. Therefore, you need to have an idea of the complete clinical picture and signs to understand how serious the situation is.

Appendicitis can be recognized primarily by discomfort in the abdominal area. It is quite difficult to unequivocally answer the question of how appendicitis hurts, since the nature of the sensations depends on the specific case and the stage of the inflammatory process. However, there are characteristic criteria that help you understand how to determine appendicitis at home:

1. Dangerous inflammation can usually be recognized by pain localized in the navel area.

2. Over time, the pain moves to the right side down the abdomen (the area is limited to the pelvic bones).

3. If appendicitis occurs during pregnancy, discomfort may be felt not in the lower part, but in the side in the middle of the abdomen.

4. Pain that progresses as inflammation develops is diffuse (spreads throughout the abdomen) and can be either permanent or transient. Most often, there is no intense discomfort at the beginning of the process. Constant pain becomes after its displacement to the right lower section abdomen (you will feel the changes after a couple of hours or even a couple of days).

5. You can determine if you have appendicitis if the pain is not reflected and, localized in the navel area, spreads from it in different directions.

Symptoms

Diagnosis of appendicitis is based on identifying signs of inflammation. Typical ones include:

1. In a lying position on a flat, hard surface, slight pressure on the stomach at the location of the pain leads to unbearable sharp sensations.

2. Move around the room with the body in a straight, straight position due to severe pain almost impossible. When you lie down with your legs pressed to your stomach, relief comes.

3. You can also check appendicitis at home by palpating the abdomen, which is normally soft, so your fingers can easily press through the tissues, freely plunging into them. If inflammation develops, the abdomen becomes hard.

In addition to the listed symptoms, the following signs are distinguished, which can appear either individually or in combination:

Temperature rises to 38-39 degrees and even higher.
The appearance of chills and sweating (typical of any severe inflammatory process).
Stool disorders in the form of constipation with associated vomiting, nausea - if all three signs appear together, there is inflammation of the appendix.
Feeling of pain in the back, which is similar in nature to renal colic.
An urge to defecate that does not result in the passage of stool.

Sometimes signs of appendicitis include diarrhea, especially if there is blood in the diarrhea.

Manifestations in children

Diagnosing appendicitis in children is much more difficult than in adults. Most often, inflammation of the appendix occurs at the age of 5-14 years. The peculiarity of the course is due to the insufficiently developed lymphoid tissue of the appendix at this age and its structure, sometimes - the location of the appendix behind the cecum under the liver.

If inflammation begins in children aged 3-4 years, acute appendicitis is manifested by refusal to eat, causeless whims, deterioration of sleep and decreased activity. At the same time, the child cannot understand exactly what exactly is bothering him, where the pain is localized, noting pain in the entire abdomen at once. The most obvious signs are present on the first night after the onset of an exacerbation - babies often wake up screaming, especially after accidentally touching the stomach in the navel area. Later, other symptoms appear (constipation is a rare occurrence), the child complains of discomfort when urinating. At home, children behave capriciously even during games, constantly trying to squat down or pull them closer to themselves. right leg, relieving acute pain.

Due to the often observed atypical location of the appendix, pain can be localized in the lumbar and groin area, above the pubis, and in the liver area. Older children can already clearly identify the location of discomfort, so diagnosing at home is greatly simplified. After the age of 7, the disease in a child manifests itself almost similarly to that in adults. The difference lies in the acute onset of the process and rapidly increasing symptoms.

Chronic form

Due to blurred clinical picture against the background of sluggish inflammation, a transition occurs to acute form. Chronic appendicitis is accompanied by pathological processes in the lumen of the appendix, which a special examination helps to identify. Sometimes the appendix turns into a cyst that must be removed surgically.

Recognize chronic appendicitis at home can be based on a number of signs:

Attacks of pain that occur over a long period of time, which is localized in the right side.
Appearance dull ache when walking, physical activity.
Stool disorder in the form of diarrhea, which is accompanied by severe pain in a stomach.

Flowing in chronic form inflammation is dangerous because each attack can end with peritonitis, so it is important to identify the appendix as early as possible (a surgeon will help check concerns).

How to proceed?

If you have been able to determine the symptoms of inflammation of the appendix at home, you need to take the following measures:

1. Ensure rest and bed rest.

2. Avoid taking food and liquids for a day (if thirst is strong, only iced tea, consumed in a teaspoon, is allowed).

3. Do not influence the body through laxatives, which provoke abdominal cramps, which are dangerous due to the possibility of appendix rupture and peritonitis.

4. Do not relieve discomfort with medications to avoid blurring the clinical picture. Pain relief makes it difficult to identify important symptoms appendicitis, resulting in lost time.

5. Ice compresses, which are placed on the stomach intermittently, help to “calm down” acute appendicitis a little.

6. You can relieve pain in the intestines by drinking small amounts of still mineral water.

Indications for visiting a doctor

Any signs of inflammation are a reason to immediately seek qualified medical help. Of course, abdominal pain can occur without the development of appendicitis, but if the discomfort is accompanied characteristic symptoms, under no circumstances should you delay your visit to the hospital. When severe pain prevents you from contacting a specialist on your own, you need to call an ambulance. The doctor will assess the severity of the situation to determine whether urgent hospitalization is necessary.

You should be especially careful if manifestations of the appendix are observed in children or the elderly. In the first case, you need to remember the difficulty of self-diagnosis, and in the second - about the smoothness of symptoms, as a result of which appendicitis can be detected already at the stage of peritonitis.