If you have appendicitis, you will start feeling a dull, aching pain located in your lower right quadrant. While you may think you just have stomach pains, pay attention to where the pain is in your abdomen. This can spread the infection and may cause inflammation in the lining of the abdomen. Left untreated, an infection can cause your appendix to burst. The appendix gets infected when there’s a blockage, Dr. But there’s nothing you or your doctor can do to prevent it or reduce your risk of getting it, he says. In fact, it’s the most frequent reason for emergency surgery in kids.Īppendicitis isn’t hereditary, and you can’t pass it to others. It’s most common in adults, ages 18 to 25, and in children, ages 10 to 19. “It’s not surprising that the pain is worse.”Įveryone has a low risk - roughly 8% - for developing appendicitis during their life. “Typically, people say that they know they have appendicitis when they’re on the ride to the emergency room because any bumps or movement hurt,” says O’Brien. For pregnant women, they will experience pain in the upper right side. Go to the emergency room or call your doctor right away if you notice new or worsening pain. “Then it feels like an ache and is tender,” he says. O’Brien says that the pain will eventually move down to your right lower quadrant, located between your rib cage and hip bone. “And, it’s always an emergency.” What does appendix pain feel like?Īppendicitis can start out feeling like a stomachache. “Appendicitis is a serious condition,” he says. You’ll need medical attention right away, says general surgeon William O’Brien, MD. But if it happens to get infected or bursts - causing appendicitis - you’re in trouble. We all can survive without the 2- to 4-inch, worm-shaped organ. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center.

How to know if your appendix burst