Where is the appendix located
The appendix is a small finger-like pouch attached to the cecum – the section at the start of the large intestine. It is on the lower right-hand side of your abdomen, but pain from appendicitis may start in the middle of your abdomen.
Appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix, a pouch-shaped organ connected to the large intestine. If you don’t get treatment for it, the appendix can rupture, which is a life-threatening situation. Always seek immediate medical attention if you think you have appendicitis.
Treatment for appendicitis involves surgery to remove the appendix. After surgery, most people recover quickly and without complications.
The characteristics of Appendicitis
Usually, appendix pain begins at the middle of the abdomen and near the navel. This occurs due to the appendix’ innervation that enters the spinal cord which is at the similar level of the navel (umbilicus).
At the later stages, the appendix as well as the proximal or near abdominal wall gets irritated and swollen. This results in the localization of appendix pain at the right lower quadrant, with the exception in the children who are below three years of age.
The appendix pain location can be determined with the use of various signs through the performance of assessment. First, when the physician touches the abdomen lightly or gently, the specific area will feel tender. Then, when the gentle pressure is released, the tenderness at the specific area will get worse. This symptom is also known as “Rebound Tenderness” or “Rebound Pressure”. It is actually what most physicians look for the confirmation of the condition’s diagnosis.
Pain location may also be determined when a specific abdominal part hurts when the patient coughs, sneezes, moves around, or takes a deep breath. This location where appendix pain is found is also known as the McBurney’s Point. McBurney’s Point refers to the point located at the right abdominal side which is measured to be 1/3 of the anterior superior iliac spine’s distance to umbilicus.
The appendix pain nature and location may vary such as in the cases of pediatric patients and pregnant women.
Appendix Pain and Associated Symptoms
1. Abdominal Pain
- The main symptom of appendicitis. It usually develops immediately about for an hour.
- The pain felt in this condition starts at the mid-abdominal area near to the umbilicus. As it progresses, it becomes more localized to right lower portion of the abdomen. Worsening of appendix pain happens over the period of 6 to 24 hours.
- Rebound Tenderness: Pain that becomes more severe when the gentle pressure applied on the right lower abdomen is released.
- The quality of pain begins as dull and shifts to sharp type.
- Intensifies upon movement, coughing, sneezing, or deep-breathing
- In other cases, the pain may be noticed initially at the right lower abdominal quadrant.
2. Other symptoms
- Low-grade fever (37°C to 39°C)
- Appetite loss
- Nausea and vomiting
- Inability to pass gas, constipation or diarrhea
- Swelling and rigidity of the abdomen
- Frequent urination: This is associated to the irritation of the ureter’s lining (tube connecting the kidney and bladder) which is nearby the appendix area.
- Fever, malaise