Why does appendix get infected

It can be acute or chronic. In the United States, appendicitis is the most common cause of abdominal pain resulting in surgery. Over 5 percent of Americans experience it at some point in their lives. If left untreated, appendicitis can cause your appendix to burst. This can cause bacteria to spill into your abdominal cavity, which can be serious and sometimes fatal. Appendicitis pain may start off as mild cramping. It often becomes more steady and severe over time.

It may start in your upper abdomen or bellybutton area, before moving to the lower right quadrant of your abdomen. These treatments may cause your appendix to burst. Contact your doctor if you have tenderness in the right side of your abdomen along with any of other symptoms of appendicitis.

Appendicitis can quickly become a medical emergency. Get the information you need to recognize this serious condition. In many cases, the exact cause of appendicitis is unknown. Experts believe it develops when part of the appendix becomes obstructed, or blocked. When your appendix becomes blocked, bacteria can multiply inside it. This can lead to the formation of pus and swelling, which can cause painful pressure in your abdomen.

Other conditions can also cause abdominal pain. Click here to read about other potential causes of pain in your lower right abdomen. If your doctor suspects you might have appendicitis, they will perform a physical exam. They will check for tenderness in the lower right part of your abdomen and swelling or rigidity. Depending on the results of your physical exam, your doctor may order one or more tests to check for signs of appendicitis or rule out other potential causes of your symptoms.

To check for signs of infection, your doctor may order a complete blood count CBC. To conduct this test, they will collect a sample of your blood and send it to a lab for analysis. Appendicitis is often accompanied by bacterial infection. An infection in your urinary tract or other abdominal organs may also cause symptoms similar to those of appendicitis. To rule out urinary tract infection or kidney stones as a potential cause of your symptoms, your doctor may use urinalysis.

This is also known as a urine test. Ectopic pregnancy can be mistaken for appendicitis. It happens when a fertilized egg implants itself in a fallopian tube, rather than the uterus.

This can be a medical emergency. If your doctor suspects you might have an ectopic pregnancy, they may perform a pregnancy test. To conduct this test, they will collect a sample of your urine or blood. They may also use a transvaginal ultrasound to learn where the fertilized egg has implanted. To examine your reproductive organs, your doctor may perform a pelvic exam.

During this exam, they will visually inspect your vagina, vulva, and cervix. They will also manually inspect your uterus and ovaries. They may collect a sample of tissue for testing. To check for inflammation of your appendix, your doctor might order imaging tests of your abdomen.

This can also help them identify other potential causes of your symptoms, such as an abdominal abscess or fecal impaction. In some cases, you might need to stop eating food for a period of time before your test. Your doctor can help you learn how to prepare for it. Pneumonia in the lower right lobe of your lungs can also cause symptoms similar to appendicitis. If your doctor thinks you might have pneumonia, they will likely order a chest X-ray.

The bacteria multiply rapidly, causing the appendix to become inflamed, swollen and filled with pus. If not treated promptly, the appendix can rupture. A pocket of pus that forms in the abdomen. If your appendix bursts, you may develop a pocket of infection abscess. In most cases, a surgeon drains the abscess by placing a tube through your abdominal wall into the abscess. The tube is left in place for about two weeks, and you're given antibiotics to clear the infection.

Once the infection is clear, you'll have surgery to remove the appendix. In some cases, the abscess is drained, and the appendix is removed immediately. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products.

Researchers say in some less serious cases of appendicitis antibiotics can help avoid surgery to remove the appendix. Appendix cancer occurs when healthy cells become abnormal and grow rapidly. Appendix cancer is rare, but there are successful treatment options….

Television journalist Norah O'Donnell says she waited too long to have the pain in her abdomen examined. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. What causes a rupture? Signs and symptomsof a rupture. Treatment of a rupture. Recovery process. The outlook. Can a rupture be prevented? Read this next. Emergency Signs and Symptoms of Appendicitis. Medically reviewed by Tyler Walker, MD.

Medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph. Medically reviewed by Karen Gill, M. What Does the Appendix Do? Things to Know. Medically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph. Medically reviewed by Steve Kim, MD. Appendix Cancer. It usually takes a couple of weeks to make a full recovery after your appendix has been removed.

But strenuous activities may need to be avoided for up to 6 weeks after having open surgery. It's not clear what causes appendicitis. In many cases it may be that something blocks the entrance of the appendix. For example, it could become blocked by a small piece of poo, or an upper respiratory tract infection could cause the lymph node within the wall of the bowel to become swollen.

If the obstruction causes inflammation and swelling, it could lead to increased pressure within the appendix, which may then burst. As the causes of appendicitis are not fully understood, there's no guaranteed way of preventing it. Appendicitis is a common condition. In England, around 50, people are admitted to hospital with appendicitis each year.