Appendicitis occurs when the appendix, a small non-functional organ which is part of the intestinal system, becomes inflamed or infected with bacteria. The main symptom of appendicitis is abdominal cramping and pain, which becomes increasingly severe. Tenderness in the area may also occur, and as an infection worsens, the patient may also develop nausea, vomiting, fever and loss of appetite. In most cases, appendicitis is treated with antibiotics, though a doctor may decide that surgically removing the appendix is medically necessary. This type of surgery is known as an appendectomy, and it is one of the most common surgical procedures in the country.
