Lindsay Curtis is a health & medical writer in South Florida. She worked as a communications professional for health nonprofits and the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of ...

It was the first day of spring break in 1992 in Phoenix, and 12-year-old Heather Smith was excited for her family's upcoming ski trip. But before Smith and her family had even packed their snow pants, ...

There are four stages of appendicitis, which describe its severity and whether it has caused any complications: simple, supportive, gangrenous, and perforated. These range from mild inflammation ...

Appendicitis is not an inherited condition, but genetics may play a role. However, the cause of appendicitis is often unclear. Appendicitis refers to inflammation of the appendix. An infection may ...

For decades, the human appendix was casually dismissed as a “useless” vestige. Modern research and clinical experience, however, suggest that this small, narrow pouch, attached to the cecum in the ...