Appendicitis: When to Visit the Urgent Care

Appendicitis occurs when the appendix is inflamed. Do not delay if you suspect you have appendicitis. Treatment at urgent care or the ER is critical as delayed treatment may mean rupturing of your appendix, resulting in death in severe cases.

Causes of Appendicitis

It is most common in people between 10 and 30, but anyone can develop appendicitis. A viral infection, parasites, or bacteria in your digestive tract generally cause it. It may happen when the intestine and appendix become blocked. Inflammatory bowel disease and growths are also possible causes. If you have steady pain in the right side of the stomach, go to urgent care to ensure it is not appendicitis.

The Main Symptom: Appendicitis Pain

When dealing with appendicitis, you will likely notice pain in the lower part of your right abdomen. While this is the area of the body most affected, the pain typically starts by the navel before moving to that area. It is not something you can treat from home. You will need to go to urgent care.

Other Symptoms of Appendicitis

While the pain is the most commonly noticed sign of appendicitis, it is far from the only one. Other symptoms include:

• Pain starting on the right lower abdomen
• Pain starting by the navel and moving to the lower right abdomen
• Pain that worsens when walking or coughing
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Flatulence
• Abdominal bloating
• Low-grade fever that can worsen

The Pain Can Vary

It is important to note that the pain may not be exactly in the lower right abdomen. It can vary based on where your appendix is positioned and whether you are pregnant. If you have stomach pain that doesn’t resolve and fits the above symptoms, visit urgent care immediately.

Always Seek Medical Care for Worsening Abdominal Pain

Because appendicitis is severe, seek medical care if you experience abdominal pain gradually worsening. Still, seek medical care even if your pain improves temporarily and then worsens. If the pain eases before worsening, this may mean your appendix has burst. That can cause life-threatening complications.

Treatment of Appendicitis

For the longest time, it was thought that the appendix did not have a function. It was thought to be an organ that humans evolved past needing. According to recent research, it is known that the appendix is a spot for beneficial bacteria to grow in our digestive tract.

Good bacteria aid digestion, help fight disease, and boost the immune system. That said, you can live without your appendix. Therefore, removal to cure appendicitis is the recommended treatment. Removal doesn’t affect any function and is a simple procedure in many cases.

This is one of the most common surgeries performed and has an excellent success rate. Most appendectomies are done laparoscopically as keyhole surgery with minimal incisions. You may need open surgery with a larger cut if the appendix is harder to access or has burst.

Diagnose and Treat Appendicitis at Bayhealth Total Care’s Emergency and Urgent Care Center

At Bayhealth Total Care’s Emergency and Urgent Care Center, our primary goal is to provide the residents of Sussex County with exceptional service and the proper billing for the care they need. Our combined emergency room and urgent care in Milton is fully equipped to handle everything from allergies to chest pain 24/7 with on-site labs, x-ray, ultrasound and CT.

Every patient at our ER and urgent care walk-in clinic is seen by an ER-trained physician at every visit, regardless of the level of care they need. Our approach makes care more affordable by avoiding the higher cost of the emergency room if patients only require urgent care services. Our ER and urgent care clinic is open 24/7.

Bayhealth Total Care’s Emergency and Urgent Care Center is located at 18383 Hudson Road, Milton, DE 19968.