The main symptom of appendicitis is belly (abdominal) pain. The pain can feel like indigestion or like you need to have a bowel movement or pass gas. Many people feel the first pain near the belly button. Then it moves to the lower right side of the belly. But the pain can be in different parts of your belly or even on your side. The pain may get worse if you move, walk, or cough. You may also have a fever or feel sick to your stomach.

Many people who have had appendicitis say the pain is hard to describe. It may not feel like any pain you have had before. It may not even be a very bad pain, but you may feel like something is wrong. If you have moderate belly pain that does not go away after 4 hours, call your doctor. If you have severe belly pain, call your doctor right away.

You may have appendicitis if:

• You have pain in your belly. The pain may begin around your belly button.
• The pain in your belly gets stronger and moves below your belly button on your right side (the lower right quadrant). This is the most common place to feel pain when you have appendicitis.
• The pain does not go away and gets worse when you move, walk, or cough.
• You have pain in any part of your belly or on your side.
• You feel nauseated or throw up a few times. You also may not feel like eating.
• You have constipation, back pain, a slight fever, or a swollen abdomen.

Some people do not have the symptoms listed above. Older people, children younger than 2 years, and pregnant women may not have pain in the lower right part of the belly. Other people feel pain in their side because their appendix is in a different position than normal.

Pain in the abdomen is very common. For more information, see the topics Abdominal Pain, Age 12 and Older, and Abdominal Pain, Age 11 and Younger.

There are also many conditions with symptoms similar to appendicitis. But because appendicitis can become serious in a short amount of time, call your doctor right away if you have any of the symptoms listed above. Treatment is much easier if the appendix has not ruptured. In most people, the appendix does not rupture until they have felt sick for at least 24 hours.