Appendicitis Center - Torrance, CA
WebMD Physician DirectoryTorrance, CaliforniaUpcoming Local Events2012-06-10
2012-06-10
2012-06-23
2012-06-30
2012-07-04
2012-07-04
2012-08-25
2012-09-02
2012-09-22
2012-09-30
AppendicitisRead the Appendicitis article » What is the appendix?The appendix is a closed-ended, narrow tube up to several inches in length that attaches to the cecum (the first part of the colon) like a worm. (The anatomical name for the appendix, vermiform appendix, means worm-like appendage.) The inner lining of the appendix produces a small amount of mucus that flows through the open center of the appendix and into the cecum. The wall of the appendix contains lymphatic tissue that is part of the immune system for making antibodies. Like the rest of the colon, the wall of the appendix also contains a layer of muscle, but the layer of muscle is poorly developed.
What is appendicitis and what causes appendicitis?Appendicitis means inflammation of the appendix. It is thought that appendicitis begins when the opening from the appendix into the cecum becomes blocked. The blockage may be due to a build-up of thick mucus within the appendix or to stool that enters the appendix from the cecum. The mucus or stool hardens, becomes rock-like, and blocks the opening. This rock is called a fecalith (literally, a rock of stool). At other times, the lymphatic tissue in the appendix might swell and block the appendix. After the blockage occurs, bacteria which normally are found within the appendix begin to invade (infect) the wall of the appendix. The body responds to the invasion by mounting an attack on the bacteria, an attack called inflammation. An alternative theory for the cause of appendicitis is an initial rupture of the appendix followed by spread of bacteria outside of the appendix. The cause of such a rupture is unclear, but it may relate to changes that occur in the lymphatic tissue, for example, inflammation, that lines the wall of the appendix.) If the inflammation and infection spread through the wall of the appendix, the appendix can rupture. After rupture, infection can spread throughout the abdomen; however, it ... Recommended Reading Related to AppendicitisIntroduction to night sweatsDoctors in primary care fields of medicine often hear their patients complain of night sweats as they are common. Night sweats refer to any excess sweating occurring during the night. However, if your bedroom is unusually hot or you are using too many bedclothes, you may begin to sweat during sleep - and this is normal. In order to distinguish night sweats that arise from medical causes from those that occur because one's surroundings are too warm, doctors generally refer to true night sweats as severe hot flashes occurring at night that can drench sleepwear and sheets, which are not related to an overheated environment. In one study of 2267 patients visiting a primary care physician, 41% reported experiencing night sweats during the previous month, so the perception of excessive sweating at night is fairly common. It is important to note that flushing (a warmth and redness of the face or trunk) may also be hard t... Other Related Appendicitis ArticlesEmergency Contact for Torrance
Nearby Torrance Hospitals * Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance  Torrance Memorial Medical Center  Del Amo Hospital  LAC Harbor UCLA Medical Center  Kaiser Permanente South Bay Medical Center  Vista Hospital of South Bay  Memorial Hospital of Gardena  Los Angeles Metropolitan Medical Center Hawthorne Campus  Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center San Pedro  Centinela Freeman Regional Medical Center Centinela Campus  Martin Luther King Jr MAC Service Center  Pacific Hospital of Long Beach  Long Beach Memorial Medical Center  Miller Children's Hospital  St Mary Medical Center  St Francis Medical Center  Kindred Hospital Los Angeles  Promise Hospital of East Los Angeles Suburban Medical Center Campus  Lakewood Regional Medical Center  Marina Del Rey Hospital  Community Hospital of Long Beach  Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center  Bellflower Medical Center  Community Hospital of Huntington Park  Brotman Medical Center  Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center  VA Long Beach Healthcare System  Downey Regional Medical Center  Los Angeles Metropolitan Medical Center  Orthopaedic Medical Center  Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center  College Hospital Cerritos  California Hospital Medical Center  Coast Plaza Doctors Hospital  Tri-City Regional Medical Center  Miracle Mile Medical Center  Olympia Medical Center  Los Angeles Community Hospital  Good Samaritan Hospital  Saint John's Health Center  Santa Monica UCLA Medical Center  VA Greater Los Angeles HealthCare System  East Los Angeles Doctors Hospital  Los Alamitos Medical Center  Promise Hospital of East Los Angeles  St Vincent Medical Center  Shriners Hospitals for Children Los Angeles  White Memorial Medical Center  Cedars-Sinai Medical Center  Norwalk Community Hospital  Kaiser Mental Health Center  Pacific Alliance Medical Center  Temple Community Hospital  Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center  UCLA Neuropsychiatric Hospital  LAC + USC Medical Center  LAC + USC Medical Center Women's & Children's Hospital  Metropolitan State Hospital  Barlow Respiratory Hospital  USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center  La Palma Intercommunity Hospital  USC University Hospital  Gateways Hospital & Mental Health Center  Hollywood Community Hospital  Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center  Childrens Hospital Los Angeles  Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center  Beverly Hospital  Monterey Park Hospital  Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital  Anaheim General Hospital  Kindred Hospital La Mirada  West Anaheim Medical Center  Garfield Medical Center  Kindred Hospital Westminster Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
Suggested Reading on Appendicitis by Our Doctors
-
Related Diseases & Conditions
5 articles-
Abdominal Pain
- Abdominal pain is pain in the belly and can be acute or chronic. Causes include inflammation, distention of an organ, and loss of the blood supply to an organ. Abdominal pain can reflect a major problem with one of the organs in the abdomen such as the appendix, gallbladder, large and small intestine, pancreas, liver, colon, duodenum, and spleen.
-
Night Sweats
- Night sweats are severe hot flashes that occur at night and result in a drenching sweat. In order to distinguish night sweats that arise from medical causes from those that occur because one's surroundings are too warm, doctors generally refer to true night sweats as severe hot flashes occurring at night that can drench sleepwear and sheets, which are not related to an overheated environment.
-
Abdominal Adhesions (Scar Tissue)
- Abdominal adhesions (scar tissue) bands of scar tissue that form between abdominal organs and tissues. Symptoms of abdominal adhesions are pelvic or abdominal pain. Abdominal adhesions on the intestines can cause bowel obstruction, which is a medical emergency. Treatment for abdominal adhesions is generally surgery to cut the adhesions away from the internal tissues and organs. There is no way to prevent abdominal adhesions.
-
Shock (Medical)
- Medical shock is a life-threatening medical condition. There are several types of medical shock, septic shock, anaphylactic shock, cardiogenic shock, hypovolemic shock, and neurogenic shock. Causes of shock include heart attack, heart failure, heavy bleeding (internal and external), infection, anaphylaxis, spinal cord injury, severe burns, chronic vomiting or diarrhea. Low blood pressure is the key sign of sock. Treatment is dependant upon the type of shock.
-
The Digestive System
- Digestion is the complex process of turning food you eat into the energy you need to survive. The digestive process also involves creating waste to be eliminated, and is made of a series of muscles that coordinate the movement of food.
-
Abdominal Pain
-
Medications
0 articles -
Procedures & Tests
7 articles -
Pictures, Images & Quizzes
6 articles -
Doctor's & Expert's Views
10 articles -
Health News
7 articles -
Health Features
0 articles
