Introduction to the spleen
There are the several types of different spleen disorders and all of them can be dangerous if they are not treated in time.
Even though a person can survive when having their spleen removed, they might not be able to survive if a spleen disorder is left untreated.
This is why it is very important to see the doctor as soon as a person notices symptoms that could be related to a spleen condition.
The spleen is an organ that is located on the left side of the abdomen near the ribs. It’s purpose is to get rid of old blood cells, but it also acts as a kind of reservoir for blood if there is a sudden trauma that causes a person to lose a lot of blood.
It also processes iron into the blood. Even though what the spleen does is very vital, the liver will be able to take over these responsibilities if a person loses their spleen. Spleen disorders
The most common type of spleen disorder is called a splenomegaly.
This is usually referred to as an enlarged spleen and it is usually cause by various other diseases and conditions. Sometimes mononucleosis can cause it, along with minor blockages like cysts, but in other cases, severe conditions like Hodgkin’s disease and leukemia may be the cause of the splenomegaly.
Infections and trauma to the part of the abdomen in which the spleen is located can also cause this enlargement.
The main symptoms of splenomegaly is chronic pain in the upper left abdomen, which can hurt especially when taking deep breaths. This pain can spread to the arm in some cases as well.
A long term symptom may be fatigue. This occurs because the spleen is not functioning properly and there is not enough iron being absorbed, which causes a person to feel tired.
Some minor symptoms include not be able to eat much and feeling full after a small amount of food has been eaten.
This occurs because the enlarged spleen is pinching the stomach.
Another common disorder of the spleen is asplenia.
This means that there is a lack of a spleen. Sometimes a person is born without a spleen and these people need to take extra precautions in order to compensate for this.
In other cases, a person might have had to have their spleen removed.
A person will have to have their spleen removed when the functions of the spleen have completely deteriorated and it is not function in the body at all.
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