Rectal examination causes pain that is localized on the right side. Tapping the heels or jarring the leg upwards causes increased pain on the right side of the abdomen. A CBC shows increased white blood cell count . An abdominal X-ray may or may not show signs of appendicitis. The diagnosis may be confirmed by the surgeon during an exploratory laparotomy .
Little preparation is required.
If an abscess is suspected, the surgery may be delayed until antibiotic therapy has reduced the infection. Call your health care provider if right-lower quadrant abdominal pain or other symptoms suggestive of appendicitis develop. Anatomical areas on the front of the body that may be referred to in the symptom analysis section are labeled. Many areas are referred to by both descriptive and technical names. For example, the back of the knee is called the popliteal fossa.