Appendicitis is a serious medical condition where the appendix, a small pouch connected to the large intestine, becomes infected.

This infection can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention.

Symptoms of appendicitis in females often begin with severe abdominal pain, typically starting around the navel and shifting to the lower right side where the appendix is located.

Other common symptoms include vomiting, nausea, loss of appetite, constipation or diarrhea, fatigue, bloating, and frequent urination.

Treatment usually involves surgery to remove the infected appendix.

This prevents the appendix from rupturing, which can lead to a more serious condition called peritonitis.

In some cases, antibiotics may be prescribed to treat the infection before surgery.

Early Symptoms of Appendicitis in Women

Symptoms of appendicitis in females usually start with pain in the middle of the abdomen near the navel, then the pain moves to the right side of the lower abdomen and gets worse over time.

Coughing and movement can also increase the feeling of pain, while bringing the knees together towards the chest can reduce the feeling of pain.

The patient may also show the following symptoms:

• Fatigue.
• Vomiting.
• Nausea.
• Loss of appetite.
• Diarrhea or constipation.
• Frequent urination.
• Confusion, especially in the elderly

Pregnant women, children and the elderly may have pain in different areas of the body or be less severe or develop slowly. (NHS, 2024)

How Appendicitis Symptoms Vary Between Men and Women

Although the Symptoms of Appendicitis in Females are similar to those in males, there are some differences, namely:

• Pelvic pain: Women feel pain in the pelvic area when they have appendicitis, which is also where their female reproductive organs are located, so the symptoms resemble those of pelvic inflammatory disease, ovarian cysts, or ectopic pregnancy, which makes diagnosis more difficult.
• Vomiting and nausea: In men, symptoms such as nausea and vomiting are more pronounced.
• Loss of appetite: Loss of appetite is more pronounced in males than in females.
• Right lower quadrant cramps and pain: More pronounced in males than in females. (Kollias, 2024)

Diagnosing and Treating Appendicitis in Females

Diagnosing appendicitis in women can be challenging as its pain is very similar to some health problems that affect women such as pelvic inflammatory disease, polycystic ovary syndrome and ectopic pregnancy.

Therefore, if you are suffering from symptoms of appendicitis in females, it is possible to rely on approved diagnostic methods to confirm the causes of those symptoms, such as:

• Taking the medical history and physical examination of the patient.
• Blood tests such as white blood cell count.
• Ultrasound.
• CT scan.

A pregnancy test should also be performed if the woman is sexually active and of childbearing age to avoid any complications.

Treatment of appendicitis:

Surgical treatment is the most appropriate approved treatment for the vast majority of cases and can be performed laparoscopically with minimal surgical intervention or with an open incision.

Antibiotic treatment: In some cases, it is recommended to give antibiotics before the operation, especially if there is a suspicion of appendicitis rupture.

Read Also: Signs of Colon Cancer in Females

References

Kollias, T. F. (2024). PubMed. Retrieved from Sex Differences in Appendicitis: A Systematic Review: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11162818/

NHS. (2024). Retrieved from Appendicitis: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/appendicitis/