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Which Organs Are Extra in the Human Body?

Which organs are extra in the human body? None, really. A person can live without some organs, such as the appendix, gallbladder, spleen or one kidney, but each of them still has a job.

Organs People Can Live Without

  • Appendix. It was once called useless. Research now suggests it stores good gut bacteria that can help refill the gut after a bad stomach bug. It is removed when it becomes infected, which is called appendicitis.
  • Tonsils. They sit at the back of the throat and help catch germs, mostly in childhood. They are sometimes taken out when infections keep coming back or when they block breathing during sleep.
  • Gallbladder. It stores bile, a liquid that helps digest fat. Without it, bile flows straight from the liver into the gut. Most people eat normally afterward, though some notice looser stools.
  • Spleen. It cleans the blood and helps fight certain germs. People without a spleen can live full lives, but they have a higher chance of some serious infections, so they are given extra vaccines.
  • One kidney. One healthy kidney can do the work of two. A long study of kidney donors found they lived as long as other people, with a similar rate of kidney failure.

Why “Extra” Is the Wrong Word

When an organ is removed, the body has to cope in a new way. That is why doctors weigh what a surgery will fix against what will be lost, and why removing a part is saved for when it is truly needed.

The Spine Has No Spare Parts Either

The spine has 23 discs, plus ligaments and small joints that keep it strong and flexible. When a disc bulges or herniates, it can press on a nerve and cause pain down the leg, known as sciatica.

Many herniated discs shrink on their own over months. A review of the research found that the most pushed-out kind, called an extruded or sequestered disc, was the most likely to shrink. A trial also compared early surgery with a longer try of conservative care for sciatica. Surgery eased leg pain faster, but after one year both groups were doing about the same.

That is why CSC starts with conservative care, such as spinal decompression, non-rotatory chiropractic, focused physiotherapy and rehab exercise. Spine surgery stays as a later option if care does not help.

Getting a Conservative Care Opinion at CSC

To ask whether conservative care fits a disc, knee or joint problem, contact either Kuala Lumpur center:

For travel, parking and opening hours, see Bukit Damansara address, hours and phone or Bandar Sri Damansara address, hours and phone. The chiropractic price in Kuala Lumpur and physiotherapy fees in Kuala Lumpur pages list current fees.

The Knee Tells the Same Story

The meniscus is a rubbery cushion inside the knee. For years, trimming part of it with keyhole surgery was a common fix for wear-and-tear tears. A long trial in middle-aged adults compared that surgery with exercise therapy. Ten years later, both groups had similar knee function and similar changes on X-ray. More on this is on the page about meniscus tear care.

Peer-Reviewed References

  1. Bollinger RR, Barbas AS, Bush EL, et al. Biofilms in the large bowel suggest an apparent function of the human vermiform appendix. J Theor Biol. 2007;249(4):826-831.
  2. Di Sabatino A, Carsetti R, Corazza GR. Post-splenectomy and hyposplenic states. Lancet. 2011;378(9785):86-97.
  3. Ibrahim HN, Foley R, Tan L, et al. Long-term consequences of kidney donation. N Engl J Med. 2009;360(5):459-469.
  4. Chiu CC, Chuang TY, Chang KH, Wu CH, Lin PW, Hsu WY. The probability of spontaneous regression of lumbar herniated disc: a systematic review. Clin Rehabil. 2015;29(2):184-195.
  5. Peul WC, van Houwelingen HC, van den Hout WB, et al. Surgery versus prolonged conservative treatment for sciatica. N Engl J Med. 2007;356(22):2245-2256.
  6. Berg B, Roos EM, Englund M, et al. Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy versus exercise therapy for degenerative meniscal tears: 10-year follow-up of the OMEX randomised controlled trial. Br J Sports Med. 2025;59(2):91-98.

These sources describe organ function and spine and knee care in general. None of them tests a program at Chiropractic Specialty Center.

The Author of Which Organs Are Extra? Organs People Can Live Without

Which Organs Are Extra? Organs People Can Live Without was written by Yama Zafer, D.C., who has 30+ years in chiropractic and physiotherapy and founded Chiropractic Specialty Center in Kuala Lumpur in 2006.

Last Updated: Which Organs Are Extra in the Human Body?

Which Organs Are Extra in the Human Body? was last reviewed and updated on September 30, 2026.

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