Symptoms of Appendicitis

The main feature of acute appendicitis is abdominal pain or abdominal tenderness. Appendicitis statistics show that abdominal pain will occur with many other conditions and only about 5% estimated cases of abdominal case will turn out to be actual appendicitis. However uncommon, appendicitis is quite a serious problem and difficulty in diagnosing the condition at emergency department in clinics, hospitals and healthcare centers makes appendicitis the 3rd leading cause of ‘malpractice lawsuits’.

Appendicitis statistics reveal that misdiagnosing of appendicitis is very commonly seen in children with abdominal pain. This estimates of initial misdiagnosis rates from 28%-57% for under the age of 2-12. In infants, the misdiagnosis for appendicitis is almost about 100%.

Appendicitis is not that common but appendicitis statistics reveal that an incidence of acute appendicitis (annual) occur in 25 per 10000 (aging 10-17) and 1-2 per 10000 (under 4 years). Incidence rate is about 1 in 400 or 0.25% or 680000 people in USA. Another appendicitis statistics record that incidence for extrapolations for USA for acute appendicitis 680000 every year and 56666 per month making 13076 a week, 1863 every day, 77 per hour and 1 per minute.

However, the appendicitis statistics keep changing every year and more and more cases are now coming into the picture but Rothrock et al, 2000 study reveals that lifetime risk for acute appendicitis include 8.6% for the males and 6.7% for the females. There is some prevalence acute appendicitis statistics relates to data that 7-8% people are affected by appendicitis at some stage in their life in the US.

Some of the important appendicitis statistics for death and mortality includes –

 Deaths from acute appendicitis in the year of 1920 were 13.4 per 100000 people and then it rose to 15.2 in the year of 1929. Another appendicitis statistics reported 390 people died in USA in the year of 1999 for appendix condition where as current data suggest approximately 18000 to 20000 people dying every year from appendicitis only in US.

 Other statistics reveal that in other countries the death rates are; 6.8 in Prussia, 5.2 in Irish free State, 10.0 in Scotland, 7.2 in New Zealand, 9.1 in Mexico City, 3.7 (lowest) in Italy, 7.7 in England and Wales and Canada has almost equal death rates as in the US.

Looking at the increased graph of deaths occurring due to appendicitis, this disease has to be treated as early as possible. Because leaving this untreated, it turns to major complications including fair chances to have appendix perforation or rupture and then peritonitis causing death of the sufferer.

Quick Tip #1

Pain which starts in the area of the belly button and then slowly moves down to the lower right side of your abdomen is a classic symptom of Appendicitis. Make sure you are aware of these symptoms and contact your doctor if you have any reservations.

Quick Tip #2

If you are having these symptoms of abdominal pain for more than four hours, then you should seek an urgent medical evaluation at your doctors office immediately or you should go to your hospitals emergency department straight away