Your spleen is a small organ that sits inside your left rib cage, just above your stomach. Many different conditions, disorders and injuries affect how your spleen works.
Here’s a handy guide for 3 common conditions:
➕Enlarged Spleen (splenomegaly)
- A normal, healthy spleen is up to 12 cm long and 70 g in weight. An enlarged spleen may be up to 20cm long and can weigh more than 1,000g.
- An enlarged spleen is a symptom of many different conditions, some more serious than others.
- Common causes of an enlarged spleen include infections, which cause the spleen to overproduce antibodies and immune cells, and liver disease which can cause pressure to build up in blood vessels between the liver and the spleen.
- Other causes could be thrombosis (blood clot), certain types of anaemia, blood cancer or autoimmune diseases like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.
➕Functional Asplenia
- This is a medical condition where the spleen is structurally intact but does not function properly.
- Functional asplenia makes individuals more vulnerable to infections due to a weakened immune response.
- Common causes of functional asplenia can include inflammatory conditions like sickle cell disease, celiac disease and multiple sclerosis, and autoimmune disorders like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and rheumatoid arthritis.
➕Damaged or Ruptured Spleen
- A ruptured spleen is a medical emergency that occurs as a result of a break in your spleen’s surface.
- Car accidents and forceful blows to the abdomen (belly) are common causes of spleen damage.
- Without emergency treatment, the internal bleeding caused by a ruptured spleen can be life-threatening.
- How to know if your spleen may be damaged? Common symptoms can include pain in the upper left stomach, tenderness when you touch the upper left stomach, left shoulder pain, and confusion or dizziness.
If you, or someone you know, is experiencing symptoms such as a palpable lump in the spleen area, persistent or sharp pain in the upper left abdomen, unexplained fatigue or weakness, or frequent infections, a spleen ultrasound can help diagnose or rule out several conditions.
It’s a quick, safe, and effective way to gain insights into your spleen health and take control of your well-being.