Have you ever heard of an organ called the spleen? Perhaps when the doctor who examined you said, "Your spleen seems a little enlarged," you were very curious and a little scared about it. But don't worry. A swollen spleen is often just a signal that something else is going on inside our body. Today, we will talk about this in a simple and clear way.
Let's first see, what is this spleen?
Simply put, the spleen is an important part of our body's defense system. It's located on the left side of your abdomen, just above your rib cage. It's about the size of your fist.
This small organ does a great job.
- Blood purification: This works like a filter that traps and removes old, damaged red blood cells from our blood.
- Fighting infections: This is where the white blood cells that fight germs that enter the body are stored. This means it provides a great support to our immune system.
Normally, when a doctor feels your abdomen, they won't feel your spleen. It's just inside, safe and sound. But it can become swollen and enlarged due to certain infections, diseases, or accidents. In medicine, we call this splenomegaly .
What are the causes of spleen swelling?
Spleen swelling is not a separate disease. It is a symptom of another disease. Imagine, when we have an infection in our body, the sides of our mouth swell up like pimples, right? That's how it is with this one. There are several main reasons why the spleen may swell.
| Category of causes | Examples and explanation |
|---|---|
| Infections | The spleen can become swollen because it is overactive when fighting germs in the body. Examples: viral infections (e.g., mononucleosis), bacterial infections (e.g., endocarditis), parasitic infections (e.g., toxoplasmosis). |
| Cancers | In blood-related cancers, abnormal cells accumulate in the spleen and enlarge it. Examples: Leukemia (blood cancer), Lymphoma (cancer of the lymphatic system). |
| Liver Diseases | Diseases such as cirrhosis of the liver can obstruct blood flow through the liver. This can cause increased pressure in the veins connecting to the spleen (Portal Hypertension) and cause the spleen to swell. |
| Other reasons | Many other causes can affect the immune system (e.g., lupus, rheumatoid arthritis), blood clots (thrombosis), severe blows to the abdomen such as sports accidents, and diseases related to the body's metabolism (e.g., Gaucher disease). |
What are the symptoms of a swollen spleen?
The best part is, most people don't have any symptoms . It's usually discovered incidentally during a medical test for something else. But some people may have symptoms. If so, you may experience:
- Pain or discomfort in the upper left part of the abdomen: It can feel like something is filling your stomach, like it's heaviness. Sometimes this pain can spread to your left shoulder.
- Feeling full even after eating a little: When the spleen becomes enlarged, it presses on the stomach, so you may feel full even after eating a little. This may also cause a loss of appetite.
Important: If the spleen begins to function poorly, symptoms such as fatigue, weakness , easy bruising , and frequent infections such as colds may occur due to anemia.
How do you find this, Doctor?
If you have the above symptoms or if your spleen is suspected for any other reason, the first thing your doctor will do is ask you questions and perform a physical examination. During this, he or she will carefully palpate your abdomen to check for an enlarged spleen.
Then, they will order several tests to find out the exact cause.
- Blood tests: This helps to check your red blood cell, white blood cell, and platelet counts, as well as your liver function.
- Scans: An ultrasound or CT scan can determine the exact size of the spleen and whether it is pressing on other organs around it.
- MRI scan: This helps to see more clearly how blood flows through the spleen.
How is it treated? And what are the complications?
The important thing to understand here is that we are not treating the swollen spleen itself, but the underlying condition that caused it to swell . For example, if the spleen is swollen due to a bacterial infection, antibiotics will help the infection heal and the spleen will return to normal size.
However, if left untreated, dangerous complications can occur.
1. Spleen Rupture: If the spleen becomes very large, it can burst with a minor accident, a severe blow, or even for no reason at all. This can cause a large amount of blood to leak into the body and can even be life-threatening. This is a medical emergency.
2. Hypersplenism: The spleen becomes overactive and begins to destroy too many good blood cells (red, white, and platelets). This can cause anemia, infections, and bleeding.
Does the spleen have to be removed?
In most cases, the spleen does not need to be removed once the underlying condition is treated. However, if the cause cannot be found, the condition is untreatable, or there is a high risk of the spleen bursting, the doctor may decide to surgically remove the spleen (splenectomy) .
It is possible to live without a spleen. But then the body's immune system is somewhat weakened. Therefore, a person who has had their spleen removed will have to take special vaccines and medications throughout their life to protect themselves from certain infections.
Take-Home Message
- Splenomegaly is not a disease, but a symptom of another disease.
- Since many people do not experience any symptoms, this can be detected during a medical examination.
- If you have persistent pain, discomfort, or a feeling of fullness in the upper left part of your abdomen, even after eating a small amount, don't ignore it. See your doctor immediately.
- The most important thing is to find the exact cause of the spleen swelling and treat the disease.
- Proper treatment can restore the spleen to normal and prevent serious complications.
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