Appendicitis is one of the most common surgical emergencies worldwide. Early recognition prevents perforation and serious complications. This guide explains the classic symptoms, atypical presentations and exactly when to seek urgent care in Dubai.
Classic appendicitis symptoms
- •Pain starting around the belly button and shifting to the right lower abdomen over 6–24 hours
- •Loss of appetite (almost universal)
- •Nausea and sometimes vomiting
- •Low-grade fever (37.5–38.5°C)
- •Pain worse with movement, coughing or pressing
- •Right-sided tenderness on examination
Atypical presentations
Pregnant women: pain may be higher in the abdomen. Children: irritability, refusal to eat, vague abdominal pain. Elderly: less dramatic pain, sometimes presenting with confusion or simply feeling unwell. Posterior appendix: back or flank pain rather than front of abdomen.
When to go to the emergency room
Seek emergency care immediately if you have: severe persistent right lower abdominal pain, high fever, vomiting that won't stop, sudden severe abdominal pain or signs of shock (fast heart rate, pallor, dizziness). Untreated appendicitis can perforate within 24–72 hours.
How appendicitis is diagnosed
Clinical examination by a general surgeon, blood tests (raised white cells, CRP) and imaging (ultrasound first-line, CT for unclear cases). Diagnostic laparoscopy is used when imaging is inconclusive.
Treatment in Dubai
Laparoscopic appendicectomy is the standard treatment — three small ports, 30–60 minute operation, day-care or one-night discharge for uncomplicated cases. Antibiotic-only treatment is selectively used for very early uncomplicated appendicitis but has a high recurrence rate.