The first role of the spleen is to filter your blood. One kind of tissue in your spleen, known as the red pulp, helps remove damaged blood cells and other cellular waste materials from your blood supply.
Your spleen is also responsible for holding platelets in reserve to aid in clotting when you are injured. The spleen also helps to maintain a healthy number of red blood cells in your blood to allow your blood to carry oxygen efficiently.
As a part of your lymphatic system, the second major function of the spleen is to help keep your immune system functioning properly. The second kind of tissue in your spleen, the white pulp, is responsible for helping to store lymphocytes. Also known as white blood cells, these cells are the main defense your body has against infections. When you are sick, the spleen releases these white blood cells into your bloodstream to attack any invaders, such as bacteria or viruses, in an attempt to destroy them and keep you healthy.
You would think any organ being enlarged would cause pain, but surprisingly, an enlarged spleen may not give you many signals that something is wrong. Unlike many other illnesses, problems with your spleen don't often exhibit a lot of symptoms on their own. It takes a serious case of splenomegaly for you to begin feeling pain from your spleen.
If your spleen becomes significantly enlarged, it is possible to experience pain in your upper abdomen and even into your left shoulder. 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.
It's normal to feel sore and be bruised after a splenectomy, but you'll be given pain relief. Like any operation, spleen removal carries a small risk of complications, including bleeding and infection. You should be given breathing and leg exercises to do at home to reduce your risk of getting a blood clot or a chest infection. Another risk is the surgical wound becoming infected.
If you spot any signs of infection , contact your GP or hospital immediately, as you may need antibiotics. Recovery usually takes a few weeks. Your doctor or nurse will advise when you can go back to your usual activities, such as driving.
If your spleen needs to be removed, other organs, such as the liver, can take over many of the spleen's functions. This means you'll still be able to cope with most infections. But there's a small risk that a serious infection may develop quickly.
This risk will be present for the rest of your life. The risk is also increased if you have a health condition like sickle cell anaemia or coeliac disease , or a health condition that affects your immune system, like HIV. It's recommended that you take low-dose antibiotics for the rest of your life to prevent bacterial infections.
Bites from animals and small blood-sucking parasites called ticks can cause infections. If you get bitten by an animal, particularly a dog, start your course of antibiotics if you have them with you, and seek medical advice urgently. If you go trekking or camping regularly, you may be at risk of Lyme disease , a disease transmitted by ticks.
Healthcare professionals will mark your health records to show that you do not have a working spleen. If possible, avoid countries where malaria is present. If you cannot avoid them, speak to a GP or local pharmacist about antimalarial medicine before you travel. Page last reviewed: 03 May Next review due: 03 May Spleen problems and spleen removal. What does the spleen do?
The spleen has some important functions: it fights invading germs in the blood the spleen contains infection-fighting white blood cells it controls the level of blood cells white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets it filters the blood and removes any old or damaged red blood cells Spleen problems The spleen is not working properly If the spleen does not work properly, it may start to remove healthy 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, caused by a reduced number of platelets A painful spleen Spleen pain is usually felt as a pain behind your left ribs. This can be a sign of a damaged, ruptured or enlarged spleen. A damaged or ruptured spleen The spleen can become damaged or may burst rupture after an injury, such as a blow to the abdomen, a car accident, a sporting accident or broken 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, you can feel the pain at the tip of your left shoulder.
Even though there are many different potential underlying causes that can lead to an enlarged spleen, there are a few possibilities that will tend to be the likely culprit. Here are some of the most common causes of splenomegaly:. The symptoms typically involved in an enlarged spleen are usually related to the underlying cause, such as fatigue and shortness of breath in anemia, for example.
For those who do experience symptoms, the most common examples are discomfort or pain in the upper left side of the abdomen or an inability to eat large meals. The treatment options for an enlarged spleen depend almost entirely on the underlying cause and the severity of those symptoms. Most of the time, the resolution of the underlying cause will, in due course, solve the spleen problem.
In general, though, an enlarged spleen is in danger of rupturing; for this reason doctors will recommend avoiding sports or any activities where trauma could occur. This procedure, known as a splenectomy, involves removing all or part of the spleen. As noted earlier, you can live a full and normal life without a spleen; however, the lack of spleen means that your immune system will be compromised for the rest of your life.
In order to compensate, doctors will prescribe a series of regular medications to boost immune function. If you would like more information about a possible enlarged spleen, or if you would like to talk with a gastroenterologist about your health in general, contact Cary Gastroenterology Associates to make an appointment.
Book an appointment today at one of our office locations throughout the Cary, Raleigh, Holly Springs and Triangle region. We are committed to providing you with the most comprehensive quality of gastroenterology care.
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