Why do you have to have your appendix out to be an astornaugt?
815382
The pressure from orbit can cause the appendix to burst.
962456
Your appendix is on the right, so it isn't appendicitis.  (There is no way that the appendix can be on the left in case you were wondering)  The spleen is on the left, but it is located right under the ribcage.  Your kidneys are low in your abdomen and are located on both sides.  I would guess that it has something to do with your intestines though.
940011
Do you mean appendicitis?\n\nThe causes of appendicitis are generally unknown, but the leading theory is that obstruction of the appendiceal orifice is the inciting factor. Obstruction may come from fecal matter lodged in the appendix, impaction of mucous, a small tumor (such as a carcinoid), or even a small blood clot. Populations with high fiber diets have a low incidence of appendicitis and diverticulitis leading some to conclude diet induced constipation is a contributing cause. Viral infections, which can cause ulceration of the lining, can also lead to obstruction of the appendix through proliferation of lymphatic tissue in its walls. A viral etiology is a possible explanation for seasonal variations in rates of appendicitis and clustering of cases. Regardless of the cause, obstruction of the appendix may lead to progressive appendiceal distension. This distension increases the pressure within the appendix, which in turn impairs its blood supply. Deprived of blood, the appendix loses the ability to fight infection and fecal bacteria begin to grow out of control. Although spontaneous recovery can rarely occur, with time and lack of treatment the walls of the appendix eventually become gangrenous from the infection and lack of blood flow. As bacteria begin to leak out through the dying walls, pus forms within and around the appendix (suppuration). The end result of this cascade is appendiceal rupture causing peritonitis, which may lead to septicemia and eventually death.
379728
The Vermiform appendix is basically a tube connected to the cecum. It averages 10 cm in length, but it's size can range from 2 to 20 cm. Most physicians and scientists believe the appendix lacks significant function, and that it is a remnant of the larger cellulose-digesting cecum found in our herbivorous ancestors. However, the pineal gland was also considered a remnant and, recently,it has been found to produce important chemicals like melatonin. Possible functions for the appendix include lymphatic, exocrine, endocrine, and neuromuscular functions.
938355
I had my appendix removed when I was 13 ( I am 25 now). My scar is about two inches long and very thin. I only had pain once. I woke up to a sharp pain in my abdomen and none after that. My mother took me to the doctor just in case and then I was sent to the hospital. Anyhow, every case is different. My friend's appendix burst and she was in quite a bit of pain. I had virtually no pain until my surgery, which was scheduled about a month after I had the pain in my abdomen.
325947
It's not just you, it's me too!\nI haven't had my appendix out but suffer with regular chest infections and colds.\n\nMy doctor has told me having childhood illnesses like asthma, eczema, allergies to aspirin / penicillin - animals - hay etc make you more susceptible as an adult as your immune system is so sensitive to the slightest bug.\n\nMy Doctor's advice was to keep clear of those with bugs at work and get fresh air away from the office air con systems.\nHopefully now we are in spring we should all start to feel better.
140544
Go the to emergency room if it is pretty bad...\n\nYour appendix is on your right side.\n\nMy cousin nearly died from ignoring it.\n\nGo to your doctor, or if your worried about the cost, hit a free clinic.
1026951
It could be a million things.  Depending on the exact location, it could be your appendix, it could be a kidney stone, or since you are a woman, it could even be a cyst on your ovaries.  It could also be nothing much.  But you need to see a doctor rather than asking the wise-alecks who hang around Yahoo Answers.
436604
normally a doctor performs an abdomenal exam.  An appendicitis is often accompanied by severe abdomenal pain and/or rebound pain (i.e. pain when the doctor releases the pressure)\nAfter this initial exam, a doctor would most likely exam the patient with an sonogram or CAT scan depending on how critical the situation seemed (I recieved a CAT scan but the concern was low, sonograms can be done much quicker.)\nFrom these images, the doctor would determine if it was an appendicitis and surgery would be planned in if it was.
1052259
No the lack of a appendix has no effect on your immune system.
307167
the first answer is good.  they are not fun, you will know something is up.  i had one, it made part of my stomach bulge out, by the appendix was where mine was.  you can get them by too much stress in lifting, you blow out a lining inside and what the lining was holding protrudes out.  you would have to get a surgical procedure to fix it
762392
It is actually fairly common that doctors remove normal appendixes. I remember from med school that a good doctor removes diseased appendixes only around 84% of the time. A doctor who is correct with a diagnosis of acute appendicitis 100% of the time is bound to miss a few cases. And believe me, a ruptured appendix is a helluva prolem, causing peritonitis and eventual death. Not all patients with AP present with all classical findings. Thus, a surgeon has to weigh his impressions and it is generally to the patient's greatest benefit that his/her normal appendix be removed so that in the future, the diagnosis of AP can be easily ruled out.
1057275
"The vermiform appendage—in which some recent medical writers have vainly endeavoured to find a utility—is the shrunken remainder of a large and normal intestine of a remote ancestor. This interpretation of it would stand even if it were found to have a certain use in the human body. Vestigial organs are sometimes pressed into a secondary use when their original function has been lost."\n\nGiven our current evolutionary knowledge of comparative anatomy and phylogenetics, many biological structures can be considered vestiges. In evolutionary discussions the human vermiform appendix is one of the most commonly cited, and most disputed, vestigial structures. Evolutionary vestiges are, technically, any diminished structure that previously had a greater physiological significance in an ancestor than at present. Independently of evolutionary theory, a vestige can also be defined typologically as a reduced and rudimentary structure compared to the same homologous structure in other organisms, as one that lacks the complex functions usually found for that structure in other organisms\n\nThe appendix is longest in childhood and gradually shrinks throughout adult life. The wall of the appendix is composed of all layers typical of the intestine, but it is thickened and contains a concentration of lymphoid tissue. Similar to the tonsils, the lymphatic tissue in the appendix is typically in a constant state of chronic inflammation, and it is generally difficult to tell the difference between pathological disease and the "normal" condition. The internal diameter of the appendix, when open, has been compared to the size of a matchstick. The small opening to the appendix eventually closes in most people by middle age. A vermiform appendix is not unique to humans. It is found in all the hominoid apes, including humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, and gibbons, and it exists to varying degrees in several species of New World and Old World monkeys
932377
The main symptom of appendicitis is abdominal pain. The pain is at first diffuse and poorly localized, that is, not confined to one spot. (Poorly localized pain is typical whenever a problem is confined to the small intestine or colon, including the appendix.) The pain is so difficult to pinpoint that when asked to point to the area of the pain, most people indicate the location of the pain with a circular motion of their hand around the central part of their abdomen.\n\nAs appendiceal inflammation increases, it extends through the appendix to its outer covering and then to the lining of the abdomen, a thin membrane called the peritoneum. Once the peritoneum becomes inflamed, the pain changes and then can be localized clearly to one small area. Generally, this area is between the front of the right hip bone and the belly button. The exact point is named after Dr. Charles McBurney--McBurney's point. If the appendix ruptures and infection spreads throughout the abdomen, the pain becomes diffuse again as the entire lining of the abdomen becomes inflamed.\n\nNausea and vomiting also occur in appendicitis and may be due to intestinal obstruction.
256851
Yes it sounds like you could have an adominial hernia, that could get strangulated if you do not get treatment for it.  Once it is strangulated, the blood supply to the piece of gut, that is protruding, will be cut off causing severe problems
1097386
Inflammation causes an appendicitis attack !
528382
I've been told my various teachers/professors that it is believed that the appendix had a large rold in breaking down cellulose when humans would mostly eat plants. Cellulose is undigestable and is usually just passed straight through our bodies (it is what we call "fiber"). Plants are rich in cellulose, so when we were herbivores, we needed the appendix to break it down so we could use it for energy.