Mesenteric adenitis is a commonly harmless autoimmune condition that affects the abdomen. It happens mostly among children and young teens, although anyone at any age can deal with it.

Read on to learn more about it from our AFC Urgent Care Memphis team!

What Exactly Is Mesenteric Adenitis?

Mesenteric adenitis (also known as mesenteric lymphadenitis) is the swelling of the lymph nodes in the mesentery, which attaches the intestine to the abdominal wall and holds it in place.

Mesenteric adenitis is most often caused by a viral or bacterial intestinal infection. When the intestines become infected, the body’s lymph nodes become swollen as they work to prevent the infection from spreading to the rest of the body. We’ve listed the most common symptoms of this condition below.

Common Mesenteric Adenitis Symptoms

• Pain in the abdomen, often on the lower right side
• Abdominal tenderness
• Fever
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea

Can Mesenteric Adenitis Cause Serious Complications?

It’s extremely unlikely. Most cases of mesenteric adenitis clear up after one to four weeks. However, in very rare cases, it can cause the serious complications that we’ve listed in the section below.

Despite these rare occurrences, mesenteric adenitis won’t cause long-lasting medical issues.

Rare Complications Caused By Mesenteric Adenitis

• Abscess, which is a pocket of pus in the abdomen
• Dehydration, due to severe diarrhea or vomiting
• Joint pain called arthralgia
• Peritonitis, a rare condition that causes inflammation of the membrane that surrounds the outside of the organs in the abdomen
• Sepsis, which is a result of an infection causing systemic inflammatory response syndrome

Whether your child is dealing with mesenteric adenitis or some other type of non-emergency ailment, our AFC Urgent Care Memphis team can provide the quality, convenient and affordable care you need! You don’t need an appointment to come see us, so don’t hesitate to stop by today.