Duration and treatment

Chronic appendicitis is a long-term inflammation of the appendix, a small sac that extends from the large intestine. This causes pain in the lower right quadrant of the abdomen, which may last or go away over time. How long chronic appendicitis lasts varies from person to person. For some it lasts several months. For others, years.

Researchers do not know how common this condition is. Although chronic appendicitis does not always require surgery, up to 23% of people who end up having their appendix removed may develop chronic appendicitis.

Learn more about chronic appendicitis, including how it differs from acute appendicitis, what causes it, how it’s diagnosed (and why it’s often misdiagnosed), and how it’s treated.

What does chronic appendicitis feel like?

Chronic appendicitis is usually relatively mild. It can last for more than seven days, sometimes longer, and sometimes go away.

Because of this, people do not necessarily need to seek medical care. Chronic appendicitis pain may last for months or worsen until symptoms are identified.

Chronic and acute appendicitis pain

This is in stark contrast to the more common type of acute appendicitis. This causes the pain to become intense quickly and get worse when you move or take deep breaths. It often starts near the belly button and moves diagonally down to the lower right part of the abdomen.

For some people, the pain of acute appendicitis is unlike anything they’ve felt before.

Chronic appendicitis pain is less specific.

cause

The causes of chronic appendicitis mirror those of acute appendicitis, including:

• The opening of the appendix is ​​blocked by food or stool
• An appendix that is inflamed due to an infection or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

Complications of chronic appendicitis

If left untreated, chronic appendicitis can affect your quality of life. In many cases, the disease progresses to acute symptoms.

Like other forms of appendicitis, chronic appendicitis carries the risk of appendix rupture, which can lead to serious infection. However, this is not as immediate a concern as in acute cases.

Unfortunately, this condition has not been well studied, so it is not clear how often chronic appendicitis causes complications.

Diagnosis of chronic appendicitis

Chronic appendicitis can be diagnosed through discussion with your health care provider, physical exam, and imaging tests.

• patient medical history: Your health care provider will ask you about your symptoms, including any patterns you notice and when they occur. You will also be asked about your overall health.
• test: The health care worker will feel your abdomen and sometimes your right leg.
• test: Blood tests look for signs of infection, and urine analysis can help rule out other diseases, such as bladder or kidney infections.
• Imaging: Chronic appendicitis may appear on a computed tomography (CT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or ultrasound. These detect inflammation and can help detect a ruptured appendix.

Misdiagnosis

Most healthcare professionals know that appendicitis is an acute condition. People who do not have severe pain may not consider appendicitis as a diagnosis.

Symptoms of chronic appendicitis are mild and can be confused with other gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome. This is especially true because chronic appendicitis is not well understood and there are no formal diagnostic criteria.

Does chronic appendicitis require surgery?

Unlike acute appendicitis, chronic appendicitis does not require emergency surgery. However, there are times when appendectomy is the best way to treat the condition.

In some cases, your health care provider may choose to give you antibiotics first to treat the underlying infection that may be causing the appendix to become inflamed. You may be advised to monitor your symptoms before choosing surgery, with or without medication.

Although these options may help avoid unnecessary procedures, research shows that many people end up needing their appendix removed.

appendectomy

If you have severe or recurring pain, your health care provider may recommend the following treatments: appendectomysurgery to remove the appendix.

This can be done through traditional incisions or laparoscopically using three small incisions. Surgery usually takes less than an hour and is often an outpatient procedure, allowing you to go home the same day.

Most people feel better soon after surgery, but follow your health care provider’s advice for recovery. Most people need to rest for about a week after surgery.

summary

People with chronic appendicitis usually have less pain than people with acute appendicitis. The pain may last several days at a time or come and go.

Like acute appendicitis, chronic appendicitis can progress to the point where the appendix ruptures. This is why it is important to see your doctor if you have symptoms of chronic appendicitis.

Antibiotics are sometimes used to treat this condition, but many people with chronic appendicitis eventually need surgery to remove their appendix.