Spleen Pain

The spleen is a vital organ in the human body which is small and located just below the rib cage on the left side. Usually, the spleen is approximately the size of a fist, but many conditions can cause the spleen to enlarge. This can happen because of infections, liver diseases as well as some cancers.

The majority of individuals do not have symptoms with an enlarged spleen. This problem is usually noticed during a routine yearly medical test. Under normal conditions, the physician is not able to feel the spleen, but one can easily feel it when it is enlarged.

Spleen Pain Location

The pain or feeling of fullness of a spleen that has a problem is usually located in the left upper abdominal area.

Spleen Pain Symptoms

Problems with the spleen especially one that is enlarged can cause the following symptoms:

• In some instances – there are no symptoms
• Fullness or pain in the upper left abdomen and can spread to the left shoulder
• Feeling full even without eating or after eating only a very small amount – this may happen when a distended spleen presses against the stomach
• Anemia
• Frequent infections
• Fatigue
• Bleeding easy

See your physician promptly if there is a pain in the upper left abdomen, and if it is severe or if the pain grows worse as soon as you take a very deep breath.

Spleen Pain Causes

Numerous diseases and infections can cause the spleen to enlarge. The problems on the spleen can in some cases be transitory dependent on the treatment. Causative factors consist of:

• Infections caused by viruses, like mononucleosis
• Diseases caused by bacteria, for instance, syphilis or infection of the heart’s inner lining known as endocarditis
• Infections of parasites, for example – malaria
• Hemolytic anemia that has many various types – and is a problem characterized by early damage of red blood cells
• Cirrhosis as well as other diseases that affect the liver
• Cancers of the blood such as lymphomas like Hodgkin’s disease as well as leukemia
• Pressure on the veins in the liver or spleen or a blood clot in these veins
• Metabolic illnesses such as Niemann-Pick as well as Gaucher’s disease

The spleen is put under the rib cage adjacent to the stomach on the left side of the abdomen. It is a spongy, soft organ that does perform many functions that are critical and easily can be impaired. Amid other things, the spleen:

• Filters and destroys damaged or old blood cells
• Prevents infection by creating white blood cells known as lymphocytes as well as performing as a first-line defense against attacking pathogens.
• Stocks platelets and red blood cells – platelets help with the blood clotting
• Acts as a go-between the immunity system and the brain, which leads scientists to believe that someday they might be able to trigger the spleen’s infection-fighting abilities by influencing the nervous system.

A spleen that is enlarged affects functions that are vital. For example, as the spleen gets larger, it starts to filter the normal cells as well as the abnormal ones thus decreasing the number of healthy cells in the blood system. It will also trap too many platelets. Ultimately, the excessive red cells, as well as platelets, can clog the spleen interfering with the normal functioning. A spleen that is enlarged can even get too large for its own blood supply and can destroy or damage sections of the organ.

Almost anyone may develop an enlarged spleen at any age, but some individuals have a higher risk, and they include:

• Young adults and children with contagions such as mononucleosis
• Individuals of African descent, who can grow splenomegaly as a problem of sickle cell disease which is a genetic disorder of the blood
• Individuals of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry have a greater risk of Gaucher’s disease, Niemann-Pick disease as well as certain other inherited illnesses that are metabolic and affect the spleen and the liver.
• Travelers in regions where malaria is pervasive

Probable difficulties of an enlarged spleen include:

• Infections which are frequent
• Ruptured spleen – can be life-threatening due to bleeding

Spleen Pain Treatment

When an enlarged spleen causes complications, or underlying problems that cannot be identified or treated, surgery to remove the spleen is an option. Surgery might have the best option for recovery in some critical or chronic cases.

But spleen removal that is elective needs careful contemplation. An individual may have an active life without a spleen, but are most likely to develop severe or life-threatening complications, including overpowering infection post-splenectomy that may occur soon after surgery. Often, radiation is used to shrink the spleen so that surgery can be avoided.

Reducing the risk of infection after surgery

If an individual does have the spleen removed some steps can aid in the reduction of the risk of infection, such as:

• Series of vaccinations before as well as after the splenectomy. These can include the pneumococcal or Pneumovax, meningococcal and Haemophilus influenza type b vaccines, which protect against pneumonia, meningitis, as well as infections of the bones, joints, and blood.
• Taking penicillin or other antibiotics after surgery and anytime there is suspected the possibility of an infection.
• Avoiding travel to areas of the world where diseases such as malaria are pervasive.