Chronic appendicitis is a long-lasting inflammation of the appendix. It can become extremely painful and, in some cases, life threatening. The main symptom is abdominal pain.
Treatment for chronic appendicitis includes antibiotics and removal of the appendix.
The appendix is a small pouch shaped like a finger or sausage. It connects to the bottom of the large intestine. Appendicitis occurs when the appendix becomes inflamed and infected. The first noticeable symptom of appendicitis is
People with chronic appendicitis have appendicitis that lasts for long periods of time. This means appendicitis that has been present for longer than a week.
Chronic appendicitis is relatively rare, with just an estimated 1.5 percent of all appendicitis cases being considered chronic appendicitis.
Chronic appendicitis can be difficult to diagnose, as symptoms may be fairly mild and easily mistaken for a different condition.
Many people experience mild abdominal pain at first, and this may remain as their only symptom.
The pain is usually located on the lower right side of the abdomen, but can spread toward the belly button. It can be dull or sharp.
As well as abdominal pain, people with chronic appendicitis may also experience the following symptoms:
Not all people with chronic appendicitis will have all of these symptoms. Symptoms may also subside on their own and then return, making it more challenging for doctors to give an accurate diagnosis if a person is not experiencing the symptoms at the time.
However, because chronic appendicitis can become life threatening, it is important that people with recurrent abdominal pain and the above symptoms seek medical attention, particularly if the symptoms become more severe.
While chronic and acute appendicitis have similar symptoms, there are important differences between them.
Chronic appendicitis has symptoms that last for a long time, and these symptoms usually come and go. If there is no diagnosis, the person can continue to experience symptoms for years.
Acute appendicitis is a condition in which a person suddenly develops severe symptoms. These symptoms will be impossible to ignore and require immediate emergency medical treatment.
The most typical symptom of acute appendicitis is abdominal pain that starts around the belly button and moves to the lower right side of the tummy. This pain may start out as mild and dull, but it is likely to intensify.
Other symptoms of acute appendicitis include:
- nausea with or without vomiting
- low grade fever
- constipation or diarrhea
- lack of appetite
- inability to pass gas
Appendicitis usually occurs when an obstruction, such as a foreign object or calcified stool, blocks the inner cavity or appendiceal lumen of the appendix.
Chronic appendicitis may occur when the appendiceal lumen is only partially blocked. However, the blockage is likely to worsen over time, causing pressure to build up.
When this happens in people with chronic appendicitis, the pressure may overcome the partial obstruction, and the symptoms will reduce in intensity or go away altogether.
The symptoms will then return the next time the blockage causes the appendix to become inflamed.
Chronic appendicitis
Often, chronic appendicitis occurs due to inflammation and obstruction of the appendix. Other possible causes include:
- accumulation of fecal matter, which can happen due to constipation
- calcified fecal deposits, also known as ‘appendix stones’
- trauma to the abdomen
- tumors
- enlarged lymph nodes and glands
- worms
- a buildup of foreign objects, such as stones, marbles, or pins
A doctor
In most cases, a doctor will do several tests to rule out other medical conditions that have the same symptoms.
The conditions the doctor may attempt to rule out include:
- urinary tract infection
- kidney infection
- Crohn’s disease
- ulcerative colitis
- ovarian cysts
- pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
- irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- other gastrointestinal disorders
The tests used to rule out these conditions include:
- blood tests
- a pelvic exam
- a pregnancy test
- urinalysis or testing a person’s urine
- computerised tomography (CT) scan
- abdominal ultrasound
- magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
If there is a diagnosis of chronic appendicitis, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics or may advise draining the pus that has formed around the appendix due to the infection.
The most common treatment, however, is to have the appendix removed altogether. This surgery is an appendectomy.
An appendectomy is
The most common complications of chronic appendicitis
- acute appendicitis
- a ruptured appendix or when a person’s appendix bursts
- an abscess or when a pocket of pus develops around the appendix
- sepsis or when chemicals release into the bloodstream, causing the whole body to become inflamed
- peritonitis or inflammation of the abdomen’s lining
The above complications are serious and require immediate medical care. It is vital not to ignore symptoms of appendicitis and to seek medical attention urgently.
Chronic appendicitis is a long-term condition characterized by appendicitis symptoms that come and go over time. It is different from acute appendicitis, but it can also have serious complications.
While a person may live with chronic appendicitis for years, it is important that they do not ignore the symptoms. Recurring pain in the lower abdomen can be a symptom of various underlying conditions, so it is essential to receive a proper diagnosis.
A person should make sure they eat fibre and drink lots of water if they have appendicitis.
Movement, pressing on the area, or coughing may make the pain feel worse.
Signs of appendicitis pain include worsening pain in the middle of the tummy, around the belly button, and the lower right side of the stomach.
Chronic appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix that lasts for a long period of time. Symptoms include abdominal pain that worsens over time.
Treatment for chronic appendicitis typically involves taking antibiotics, reducing inflammation by draining pus, and removing the appendix.