For years, the appendix carried a reputation as the body’s most pointless organ. Doctors often removed it without hesitation, ...

When doctors and patients consider the appendix, it's often with urgency. In cases of appendicitis, the clock could be ticking down to a life-threatening burst. Thus, despite recent research ...

It was the first day of spring break in 1992 in Phoenix, Ariz. 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 ...

The appendix gets a lot of bad press. Yes, occasionally it becomes inflamed and threatens our health, but which other organs can say they don't? Widely regarded as defunct or even useless, the fact ...

When it comes to flying under the radar, the appendix is in the running for the top spot. Sure, you know you have it. But what does it actually do? And why do we have one? Your appendix is the small ...

Courtney is a registered nurse with over 13 years of experience in the clinical setting, helping individuals navigate their way through their healthcare journeys. She has been in the frontlines ...

Editor’s Note: This article previously appeared in a different format as part of The Atlantic’s Notes section, retired in 2021. A reader has the gobsmacking story: My story isn’t one of my pain being ...

She must have had a gut feeling. A woman was shocked to discover her appendix went “missing” — and it left doctors scratching their heads. Jeri and Ciara, hosts of the “Ladies and Tangents” podcast, ...