The two main types of spleen disorders are splenomegaly (enlarged spleen) and asplenia (lack of spleen function). The spleen is part of the lymphatic system and plays an important role in the immune system. Symptoms of an enlarged spleen include pain in the upper left abdomen and back, feeling full, and tiredness. Asplenia can result from a lack of spleen or underlying disorders. Ignoring symptoms can lead to a ruptured spleen and should be consulted by a doctor immediately.
There are two main types of spleen disorders. The most common is splenomegaly, which refers to an enlarged spleen. The other type is called asplenia, a lack of some or all spleen function.
The spleen is an organ located on the left side of the human body, typically between the 9th and 12th ribs, and is about the size of a human fist. It is part of the lymphatic system and its main task is to keep the body’s main fluids in balance by freeing it from old red blood cells. The spleen is also a sort of reservoir, holding extra red blood cells in case of a traumatic experience, and is the organ responsible for distributing iron into the bloodstream. The organ plays an important role in the human immune system, especially when fighting bacterial infections, so spleen disorders can be serious issues.
Splenomegaly, the most common of all spleen disorders, means that the spleen has become enlarged. Normally, the spleen is small enough to remain unnoticed, hidden behind the rib cage and stomach. There are some diseases and conditions, however, that can cause the spleen to expand to many times its normal size. The causes can be as simple as a minor blockage, trauma to the abdomen, or a viral infection such as mononucleosis, or they can be as critical as leukemia or Hodgkin’s disease.
An enlarged spleen doesn’t cause many symptoms, and the symptoms it causes can often be mistaken for other medical conditions. Symptoms usually include pain in the upper left abdomen and back. A feeling of fullness will often accompany the other symptoms as well, due to the close proximity of the stomach to the spleen and the pressure of the enlarged spleen on the stomach.
Sufferers of an enlarged spleen may find it difficult to eat large meals, feeling full after the first two bites. A constant feeling of tiredness may also occur if the spleen is unable to continue supplying the body with the right amount of iron or becomes anemic due to a lack of red blood cells being produced. If the spleen doesn’t get enough blood, it will begin to die, which will cause the pain from the left upper abdomen and vice versa to migrate further up the body to the shoulder.
If these symptoms are ignored or misdiagnosed, you are likely to end up with a ruptured spleen. This will result in tremendous blood loss. The pain will be amplified and a doctor should be consulted immediately.
The other of the spleen disorders that can be experienced is asplenia, the lack of function of the spleen. This can result from several causes. In some cases, this is the result of a lack of the spleen itself.
Typically, asplenia occurs in people born without a spleen or who have had a splenectomy. Most cases of asplenia are caused by one of a number of possible underlying disorders which, over time, have deteriorated the spleen’s ability to function properly and rendered it essentially useless. This leaves the body without an organ to fill the spleen’s roles, although in some cases it is possible for the liver to take over some of the spleen’s functions.
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