Causes and symptoms of an enlarged spleen, and when should the spleen be removed?
The spleen is considered one of the most important organs of the human body. It is part of the lymphatic system, as it works to produce white blood cells that work to fight bacteria and dead tissues and expel foreign bodies from the body as part of immunity. It also helps to maintain the health of red blood cells and platelets. Inflation occurs, and several symptoms and health problems appear, so what are they? Causes of an enlarged spleen What are its risks and how can it be treated? Follow us.
Normal spleen size
The spleen is located just below the rib cage in the upper left side, and its normal size can be distinguished by the size of a fist and is usually not felt during a normal examination, but in the case of some diseases, the spleen can swell and become much larger than its normal size.
An enlarged spleen may not be a sign of a specific problem that caused that enlargement, but it may indicate a problem of hyperactivity of the spleen, which causes its destruction of blood cells, resulting in several problems of blood diseases.
Symptoms of an enlarged spleen
In many cases, symptoms of an enlarged spleen may not appear, but there are several cases that are among the causes of an enlarged spleen, which may cause these symptoms:
- Feeling pain in the left and upper side of the abdomen, and the pain extends to the back.
- Feeling full quickly despite eating a small amount of food.
- The appearance of symptoms of anemia.
- Bleeding easily with minor injuries.
- Fatigue and tiredness.
- jaundice
- Weight loss.
- frequent infections.
Causes of an enlarged spleen
There are several diseases and health problems that may cause an enlarged spleen. We present them to you as follows:
Causes of enlarged spleen in children
An enlarged spleen may occur in children due to several diseases, including:
Is an enlarged spleen dangerous?
You may become concerned after knowing the causes of an enlarged spleen that we have mentioned, and some of these diseases may be really dangerous, but an enlarged spleen in itself can be treated and may not be life-threatening unless in the case of spleen rupture Because of its direct injury and exposure to shock, it causes internal bleeding that may cause death, and emergency aid must be provided.
Several health complications may occur due to the inability of the spleen to produce and maintain healthy white blood cells. Red blood cells and platelets are also reduced, which causes exposure to infection easily, anemia and increased blood fluidity.
Diagnosis of an enlarged spleen
If you are complaining of pain as we mentioned before about the symptoms, you should go to the doctor, especially if the pain is unbearable, then the doctor will perform a physical examination based on feeling the area where the spleen is located and noting any swelling in it, and the doctor may request that you undergo some tests such as x-rays CT scan, ultrasound, and some blood tests to find the cause of the enlarged spleen.
Treating an enlarged spleen
Treatment depends on knowing the pathological causes of an enlarged spleen, which must be treated so that complications do not occur that lead to necessity Splenectomy Finally, you should also avoid any activities that may expose you to a ruptured spleen that causes internal bleeding.
If the surgery is resorted to to remove the spleen, this means that the body has become in a weak state with which it cannot fight infection and bacteria, so the doctor will prescribe some necessary vaccinations and some medicines to prevent any possible infection.
Finally, it may not be possible to prevent an enlarged spleen because some of the conditions that cause this enlargement cannot actually be prevented, but exposure to rupture of the spleen after its enlargement can certainly be avoided by avoiding any direct trauma to it, and we always advise you to consult a doctor if you notice any symptoms or pain other than It could indicate a health problem.