If you’ve ever been told that swallowing a fruit seed could land you in the hospital with appendicitis, you’re not alone. This myth has been circulating for generations. But is there any truth to it?

Appendicitis symptoms start with belly pain that moves and intensifies in your lower right side. Without surgery, perforated appendicitis can lead to serious complications like peritonitis or sepsis.

Most people know only two things about the appendix: You don’t need it – and if it bursts, you need surgery fast. That basic story traces back at least to Charles Darwin, the English naturalist who ...

Appendicitis progresses through four stages: simple (inflammation without complications), suppurative (inflammation with pus and ulcers), gangrenous (tissue death), and perforated (ruptured appendix).