Your appendix is a small, finger-like pouch that’s located at the lower right side of your abdomen at the junction of your large intestine and small intestine.
Appendicitis occurs when your appendix becomes inflamed and filled with pus, a fluid made up of dead cells and inflammatory debris that often results from an infection. If appendicitis is left untreated, the appendix will swell and eventually burst, leaking its infected contents throughout your abdomen and leading to a potentially ʟɪғᴇ-ᴛʜʀᴇᴀᴛᴇɴɪɴɢ ɪɴғᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ.
There is no way to predict who will get appendicitis, so spotting the signs of appendicitis is vital for early diagnosis. That’s why we share you these 10 signs that warn you that your appendix might rupture soon. Be attentive!
1. Bloated abdomen
A swollen or bloated abdomen is one of the signs that tell you that your appendix might rupture. If your stomach starts expanding beyond its typical size, the only reason for this may be appendicitis. However, your stomach does swell after heavy meals as well, but if you haven’t eaten anything and it swells then you need to pay attention to it because if it doesn’t subside soon, it could be bad news. Appendicitis is known to cause inflammation in the body followed by other complications like worsening infections and blockages. You should see a doctor as soon as you notice your stomach swelling up or your abdomen bloating out for no apparent reason.
2. You feel like urinating frequently
When you feel like urinating constantly it is indeed a red flag of appendicitis. This frequent urge to go to the toilet will linger on even after urinating and can be rather painful. But if your appendix becomes too inflamed it can cause problems for your bladder and cause your urinary tract to get inflamed as well. An inflamed urinary tract is the prime reason why you may always feel like urinating. It would be best to seek professional medical aid if you notice that you are going to pee too often.’
3. Belly button pain, vomiting, and nausea
Pain in the area around your belly button, nausea, or vomiting are classic signs of appendicitis on the verge of rupturing. All three signs can often occur at the same time. It begins with the pain around your belly button followed by vomiting soon after. A few hours later, the pain shifts to the lower right side of your abdomen. But sometimes these symptoms occur individually and the abdominal pain may feel like a dull stomachache or cramp that gradually gets worse. Alternatively, sometimes the pain is sharp, severe, and constant on the right side.
Some people even experience this pain as a pelvic pain that slowly worsens. Nausea and vomiting without abdominal pain occur in some instances as well. But in any case, if you walk, stand, cough, jump, or sneeze your pain only seems to get worse and it could become so intense that it starts occurring each time you breathe.
4. Trouble with passing gas
A potential red flag that your appendicitis is at risk of rupturing is when you have trouble with passing gas. If you experience any of the other signs on this list, along with this sign then it is a sure indication of a complete obstruction in your bowels which may be indicative of an appendix rupture.
5. Decreased appetite
Everyone needs to eat in order to keep up their strength, energy and stay healthy. However, certain health problems and conditions make you lose your appetite and that itself is a big problem. A decreased appetite means that something is seriously wrong and you shouldn’t ignore it because food is vital for keeping you alive. Appendicitis can account for your decreased appetite as well. If your loss of appetite happens along with other red flags or warning signs on this list, then you have your answer- it is a sure sign of appendicitis.
6. Abnormal bowel movements
Constipation and diarrhea are indications of abnormal bowel movements which mean that something is definitely wrong within your body. If you have appendicitis, then it may be that your appendix has swollen up so much that it is now causing an obstruction. An infection could also be the reason behind your abnormal bowel movements.
7. Lower back pain
The appendix may be a tiny part of your body but, it can cause you excruciating pain when it is about to burst or rupture. Appendicitis pain starts in the abdomen and can be felt in your lower back too. Many health issues, including appendicitis can cause lower back pain. Some people have their appendicitis located further back and, in such cases, lower back pain is common. At first, the pain will seem dull, but it gradually becomes intense over time.
8. Severe cramps
In serious cases, you can experience severe cramps and if they occur then it is a big sign that an appendix rupture will happen. When these cramps are caused by appendicitis, they tend to originate in your lower abdomen. But severe cramps are a complicated warning sign as they can occur for different reasons as well. The only way to understand whether they are an indication of your appendix rupturing is if you get them along with other signs.
9. Fever
People with appendicitis can develop a low-grade fever and experience some chills too. Take this as an indicator of an appendix rupture which can take place at any time. If your appendicitis deteriorates and bursts, your fever will rise and that could spell a real emergency.
10. Brain fog
Having brain fog is never a good sign and if you do experience it, then you should get medical aid as soon as possible. Experiencing brain fog with other symptoms as well means that your bloodstream has gotten infected and is slowly getting worse. The infection in your bloodstream starts depleting the oxygen levels that travel to your brain. The slightest changes in your brain can trigger brain fog, so you should get yourself checked out without any delays.
