9 Symptoms of Appendicitis

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Appendicitis symptoms

by Tammy Worth

Appendicitis occurs when your appendix, a worm-shaped pouch attached to the large intestine, becomes inflamed.

It can be life threatening if the appendix bursts, but doctors usually remove it surgically before this happens.

A diagnosis can be tricky, however, says Michael Payne, MD, a gastroenterologist with Cambridge Health Alliance, a Harvard-affiliated public healthcare system, in Cambridge, Mass. "It is a very common illness and many people don't have classic symptoms," he says. "We actually have to put our hands on a belly to see for sure."

See your doctor if you have the following symptoms.

Next: Belly-button pain