What Are the Typical Signs and Symptoms of Appendicitis?

Update Date: 2024-05-16 Source: Network

Appendicitis is actually a very common inflammatory change. Generally speaking, acute appendicitis is more common clinically, and male patients are more common than female patients. In the case of acute appendicitis, patients will experience abdominal pain, diarrhea and other discomfort symptoms. Generally speaking, the treatment of acute appendicitis is also very simple. Acute appendicitis can be treated with non-surgical treatment and surgical treatment. Non-surgical treatment mostly uses antibiotics to prevent infection.

Appendicitis is an inflammatory change caused by various factors, which is a common surgical disease. It is most common in young people, and males are more common than females. Clinically, acute appendicitis is more common, and it can occur in all age groups and pregnant women. Chronic appendicitis is relatively rare.

(1) Abdominal pain: Typically, in the early stage of acute appendicitis, there is pain in the middle upper abdomen or around the umbilicus. After a few hours, the abdominal pain shifts and fixes in the right lower abdomen. When the inflammation affects the serous layer and parietal peritoneum, the pain is fixed in the right lower abdomen, and the original pain in the middle upper abdomen or around the umbilicus is relieved or disappears. Therefore, the absence of typical history of metastatic right lower abdominal pain does not exclude acute appendicitis. Simple appendicitis often presents as paroxysmal or persistent distending pain and dull pain, and persistent severe pain often suggests suppurative or gangrenous appendicitis. Persistent severe pain affecting the middle and lower abdomen or both lower abdomens is often a sign of appendiceal gangrene and perforation.

(2) Gastrointestinal symptoms: Gastrointestinal symptoms of simple appendicitis are not prominent. In the early stage, nausea and vomiting may occur due to reflexive gastric spasm. Appendicitis in the pelvic position or appendiceal gangrene and perforation may increase the frequency of bowel movements.

(3) Fever: Generally, there is only low-grade fever without chills, and the fever in suppurative appendicitis generally does not exceed 38°C. High fever is more common in appendiceal gangrene, perforation, or complicated with peritonitis.

(4) Tenderness and rebound tenderness: The tender point of the appendix is usually located at McBurney's point, which is the intersection of the middle and outer 1/3 of the line connecting the anterior superior iliac spine and the umbilicus. Rebound tenderness, also known as Blumberg's sign, is a manifestation of irritation of the parietal peritoneum by inflammation. In obese patients or patients with appendicitis behind the cecum, the tenderness may be lighter, but there is obvious rebound tenderness.

(5) Abdominal muscle tension: Appendiceal suppuration has this sign, and abdominal muscle tension is particularly significant when gangrene perforation is complicated with peritonitis. However, in elderly or obese patients with weak abdominal muscles, it is necessary to simultaneously examine the contralateral abdominal muscles for comparison.