The pressure an enlarged spleen can put on surrounding organs can sometimes be felt if the swelling has become severe enough. If you experience sharp pain in the upper left part of your abdomen when taking a deep breath, it may be time to talk to your doctor to see if you are suffering from splenomegaly. With its role in cleaning and maintaining your blood supply, the spleen can be susceptible to many different conditions that affect your blood. Your dietary habits and lifestyle could cause your spleen to become enlarged.
Liver disease, such as cirrhosis caused by chronic alcoholism, can affect the spleen. Some forms of heart disease, which can be affected by diet and exercise, can also disrupt the blood supply to your spleen. Blood disorders are a significant source of splenic problems. Since your spleen spends its day filtering and cleaning your blood supply, things that go wrong with your blood, particularly when they affect your red blood cells, can be a challenge for your spleen.
Several of the blood disorders that are common causes of splenomegaly involve the spleen working too hard to remove damaged blood cells. These conditions include hemolytic anemia, sickle cell disease, thalassemia, and spherocytosis. The blood disorders mentioned above are not the only reason your spleen may be working overtime trying to target and filter damaged cells from your blood. It is also possible that other types of cancer can metastasize into splenic tissue.
There are a number of metabolic and genetic disorders that can affect the spleen. These conditions are less focused on damage to the blood itself, but the damage to other tissues in the body can still cause there to be extra work for the spleen to do.
The more common causes of this type of damage to the spleen include the following:. Infections of various types are also possible causes of splenomegaly. This can include viral, bacterial, and even parasitic infections. Other, lesser-known infections such as anaplasmosis and cytomegalovirus, can also cause damage to the immune system, including the spleen.
Most organs in the body have their way of telling you something is wrong. Chronic coughing and nasal drainage can indicate something has gone wrong in your respiratory system. The spleen has a few important functions: It fights any invading germs in the blood the spleen contains infection-fighting white blood cells. It controls the level of blood cells. The spleen controls the level of white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets small cells that form blood clots It screens the blood and removes any old or damaged red blood cells.
This can lead to: anaemia , from a reduced number of red blood cells an increased risk of infection, from a reduced number of white blood cells bleeding or bruising, from a reduced number of platelets Spleen problems Spleen pain Spleen pain is usually felt as a pain behind your left ribs. A damaged or ruptured spleen The spleen can become damaged or may rupture burst after a forceful blow to the abdomen, car accident, sporting accident or fracture to the ribs.
Rupture can happen straight away or it may happen weeks after the injury. Signs of a ruptured spleen are: pain behind your left ribs and tenderness when you touch this area dizziness and a rapid heart rate a sign of low blood pressure caused by blood loss Sometimes, if you lie down and raise your legs, the pain can be felt at the tip of your left shoulder.
Enlarged spleen The spleen can become swollen after an infection or injury. An enlarged spleen doesn't always cause symptoms. Splenectomy having the spleen removed An operation to remove the spleen, known as a splenectomy, may be needed if the spleen is damaged, diseased or enlarged. If there's time, you'll be advised to have a series of immunisations before the operation. Laparoscopy Most splenectomies are carried out using laparoscopy keyhole surgery.
The procedure involves: Making several incisions in your abdomen tummy area. Guiding a laparoscope into your body through one of the incisions, so doctors can see what they're doing. Passing thin instruments into your abdomen through the other incisions, to remove your spleen.
Gas will be pumped into your abdomen to make this easier. Open surgery Open surgery, where one large incision is made, may be needed if the spleen is too large or too damaged to be removed via keyhole surgery. You'll need a general anaesthetic and may need to stay in hospital for a few days to recover.
Afterwards It's normal to feel sore and be bruised after a splenectomy, but you'll be given pain relief medication. You should be able to eat and drink as normal soon after the operation. Your doctor will run through these risks with you. Living without a spleen If your spleen needs to be removed, other organs such as the liver can take over many of the spleen's functions.
Risk of infection Young children have a higher risk of serious infection than adults, but the risk is still small. This risk can be minimised by following simple precautions to prevent infection. Vaccinations Make sure you have had all your routine childhood vaccinations. You should also be vaccinated against: pneumococcal infections such as pneumonia flu get the seasonal flu jab every autumn meningitis MenACWY and MenB Antibiotics It's recommended that you take low-dose antibiotics for the rest of your life to prevent bacterial infections.
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Surgery to remove an enlarged spleen usually isn't needed, but sometimes it's recommended. See your doctor promptly if you have pain in your left upper belly, especially if it's severe or the pain gets worse when you take a deep breath. A number of infections and diseases can cause an enlarged spleen.
The enlargement might be temporary, depending on treatment. Contributing factors include:. Your spleen is tucked below your rib cage next to your stomach on the left side of your belly. Its size generally relates to your height, weight and sex. An enlarged spleen affects each of these jobs.
When it's enlarged, your spleen may not function as usual.
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