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Spleen enlargement is a condition that should worry you and prompt you to see your doctor. Splenomegaly is caused by the occurrence of infectious, metabolic, storage and cancer diseases. The spleen may return to its size as long as treatment is started. So what diseases are the causes of spleen enlargement?
Spleen – what is it?
The spleen is a small organ in the human abdomen. It is located on the left side, under the ribs, between the stomach and the left kidney. Its main task is to cleanse the blood of old blood cells. Another important task is the fight against microorganisms: bacteria, viruses, etc.
We can feel the enlargement of the spleen with our fingers when it exceeds 1,5 times its size and its weight increases to over 200 g.
Spleen enlargement – symptoms of spleen enlargement
Symptoms that indicate an enlarged spleen:
- we feel it with our fingers in the left hypochondrium;
- a feeling of fullness in the abdomen;
- nausea;
- abdominal pain;
- back pain radiating from the left upper abdomen;
- it is accompanied by an enlarged liver (enlargement of these two organs is called hepatosplenomegaly).
Spleen enlargement – causes
Spleen enlargement may occur in the course of diseases:
- caused by viral infection (often in children): cytomegaly, viral hepatitis, infectious mononucleosis, rubella;
- caused by bacterial infection: tuberculosis, Lyme disease, syphilis, typhoid;
- caused by fungal infection: candidiasis;
- caused by protozoal infection: malaria, toxoplasmosis;
- caused by parasitic infection: echinococcosis.
- blood diseases: haemolytic anemias, e.g. spherocytosis, thalassemia;
- metabolic (storage) diseases: Niemann-Pick disease, mucopolysaccharidosis, amyloidosis, Gaucher disease;
- bone marrow cancers: chronic myeloid leukemia, hairy cell leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and acute leukemia.
- lymph node tumors: lymphomas;
- tumors of the lymphatic system: myelofibrosis, Hodgkin’s disease;
- spleen cancer – both as a primary cancer and metastasis from another organ to the spleen.
- diseases associated with the so-called portal hypertension, which obstructs blood flow between organs: liver cirrhosis, Buddha-Chiari syndrome, thrombus, stenosis, portal vein cavity, compression by a tumor;
- autoimmune and systemic diseases: rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, sarcoidosis;
Spleen enlargement can occur due to the appearance of growths (cysts) on the spleen as a result of an injury, and due to spleen abscess, which is a life-threatening condition.
Enlarged Spleen – Treatment of an enlarged spleen
Since spleen enlargement is a symptom of another disease, this condition is always treated.
Additionally, with an enlarged spleen, you should change your lifestyle to a more moderate lifestyle, rest more and avoid injuries. It is important to be cautious in carrying out daily activities as an injury may result in rupture of the spleen and bleeding in the abdomen. Then it is necessary to surgically remove the spleen, the so-called splenectomy.
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You can live without a spleen, although then the body is more susceptible to infections and diseases. The enlargement of the spleen cannot be underestimated, as it is a symptom of many dangerous diseases that must be absolutely treated.