Every time I get a sharp pain in my right side, I wonder if it might be appendicitis. How can I know if it’s the real thing?

Q. Every time I get a sharp pain
in my right side, I wonder if it might be appendicitis. How can I know if it’s
the real thing?

A. You can’t know for sure. But it’s
important to take the pain seriously and to remember the symptoms described
below. You may need to see a doctor or head to the emergency room
pronto.

Typically the first indication of appendicitis is general discomfort in the
abdomen, usually around the navel (belly button). Several hours later, the pain
increases—particularly in the lower right side of the abdomen. Fever, nausea,
vomiting, constipation, and lack of appetite may also be present.

The appendix is a small, finger-shaped pouch that grows out of the large
intestine. It’s in the lower right side of the abdomen and measures about 3
inches long (in adults). Interestingly, the appendix seems to serve no
purpose—we can do just fine without it. In fact, the only time we’re aware of
this organ is when it becomes inflamed. And that is appendicitis. The
inflammation may be due to a virus or an obstruction in the appendix or nearby
colon. The obstruction may be due to feces or, at times, pinworm infestation.

Whatever the cause, the swollen and inflamed appendix is infected. If left
untreated, it may burst—an event that can be life-threatening. About 8% of
Americans will suffer appendicitis at some point in their life. In fact,
appendectomy (removal of the appendix) is the most commonly performed emergency
abdominal surgery in the U.S.

The diagnosis of appendicitis can be tricky, because the symptoms resemble
those caused by other conditions. While a blood test can confirm the presence of
inflammation, an ultrasound exam or computed tomography (CT) scan may be
necessary to visualize inflammation as being localized to the appendix. In some
cases, exploratory surgery of the abdomen—called a laparotomy—may have to be
performed to confirm or rule out the diagnosis.