The spleen is an immune system organ that filters foreign bodies and produces white blood cells. Inflammation can be caused by infections, cancer, or liver, blood, or lymphatic system issues. Symptoms may include feeling full, pain on the left side of the abdomen, anemia, weight loss, and fatigue. Diagnosis is confirmed through blood tests and ultrasound. Severe cases may require spleen removal.
The spleen is an organ located on the left side of the body, toward the back of the abdominal cavity and high under the ribs, just next to the stomach. It is an important part of the immune system and is connected to the lymphatic system, acting as a filter for foreign bodies and dead tissue passing through it. This organ also functions to produce white blood cells and to maintain the health of white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. Spleen inflammation can result from many different conditions, including various types of infections, cancer, and problems with the liver, blood, or lymphatic system.
Infections are a common cause of inflammation of the spleen, and viral diseases such as mononucleosis and viral hepatitis can cause the spleen to become significantly enlarged. Endocarditis, a bacterial infection of the heart valve, and cat-scratch disease, another type of bacterial infection, can also cause significant inflammation. Parasitic infections can also cause this condition, which is a common problem in a person infected with malaria or toxoplasmosis.
Some conditions that cause inflammation of the spleen can become so severe that the spleen may eventually need to be removed. Sickle cell anemia, a blood disorder, is one such disease. Cirrhosis of the liver is another example of a disease that can affect the spleen to the point where it becomes excessively enlarged and can no longer function, possibly resulting in its removal.
Many types of cancer can result in significant inflammation of the spleen, with leukemia and lymphoma being two of the main causes. Other cancers of the blood or lymphatic system also usually cause an enlarged and inflamed spleen. Cancer from other parts of the body that metastasizes or spreads to the spleen is likely to cause inflammation and may even cause it to be removed.
In many cases, a person dealing with spleen inflammation may not even be aware of the problem, because obvious symptoms are not common. Some signs that indicate a potential problem are feeling full with very little food and pain or a feeling of fullness on the left side of the abdomen. Other symptoms that may arise in connection with spleen inflammation are typically caused by the underlying disease, such as anemia, weight loss, bleeding too easily, and a constant feeling of tiredness. If the spleen is significantly enlarged, a doctor may be able to feel it during an exam, in which case it will likely be tender and painful. Blood tests and an ultrasound examination will most likely be used to confirm the diagnosis.
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