What is the medical term for inflammation of the appendix?

The medical term for inflammation of the appendix is appendicitis.

The appendix is a narrow, tube-shaped pouch attached to the first part of the large intestine. Appendicitis usually begins when the appendix becomes blocked, sometimes by a hardened piece of stool called a fecalith, swollen lymph tissue, a parasite, or—less commonly—a tumor. Pressure and bacterial growth can then produce inflammation.

Pain often starts around the navel and later moves to the lower right side of the abdomen. Nausea, vomiting, fever, and loss of appetite are common, but not everyone has the classic pattern. If the inflamed appendix ruptures, infection can spread through the abdominal cavity and become life-threatening.

Appendicitis is not the same as pancreatitis, gastritis, or colitis. Those conditions involve the pancreas, stomach lining, and colon, respectively. Doctors may use an examination, blood tests, ultrasound, or CT imaging to evaluate suspected cases; treatment commonly involves antibiotics, surgery, or both depending on the circumstances.