Is It Appendicitis? Symptoms & How You Know It’s Not A Stomach Bug

Dr. Oz: Is It Appendicitis?

Dr. Oz talked about appendicitis on the show. To help him out, he chose an Assistant of the Day named Elizabeth. Elizabeth was very excited to be there and her and Dr. Oz decided to dance around together.

Dr. Oz showed Elizabeth the intestines and where the appendix is. The appendix is very small and comes off the large intestines. It’s thought that when you have bad diarrhea, a little bacteria would hold up in the appendix and come out when the diarrhea had passed to help you get back to good health again. Sometimes, a piece of food gets stuck in the appendix and blows up the appendix like a balloon, leading to swelling and inflammation until the appendix bursts.

Dr. Oz: Stomach Pain Vs. Appendicitis

The problem is that it seems a lot like a stomach bug. A stomach bug gives you lots of cramping and pain and discomfort in the abdomen. The stomach is nearby the appendix, so it’s tricky for both the patient and doctors to figure out. So how do you know if what you have is appendicitis or something else?

Dr. Oz: Appendicitis Symptoms

The biggest risk of the appendix rupturing is in that first 24 hours. Appendicitis begins with stomach pain. Soon after that, you lose your appetite. If you’re still hungry, you don’t have appendicitis. Three quarters of people with appendicitis get nausea and vomiting. Patients also get fever and pain in their right lower abdomen. Dr. Oz had Elizabeth pain each of these symptoms onto a cardboard cutout of a woman and she had a lot of fun with it.

If you’re still not sure, there are other ways to tell. If you jump up or cough and you get pain in your lower right part of the abdomen, you might have appendicitis. You can also lay down on your left side and have a friend or family member lift your right leg and gently pull it back. If you have pain in your lower right abdomen, you might have appendicitis.