Many people do not know where the spleen is located before the onset of diseases, the manifestation of which becomes splenomegaly, or its increase. The largest organ of the lymphoid system is located on the left in the upper abdomen, approximately between the kidney, stomach and intestines.
The work of the spleen in the body
The spleen, having a length of 9-13 cm and a width of 6 to 9 cm, performs important functions in the body:
- Removes old and damaged red blood cells from the blood.
- It is the source of the formation of lymphocytes and antibodies.
You need to know about where the spleen is located, if only because it regularly cleanses and renews the composition of the blood, which means that it directly affects the condition of the whole organism. This leads to frequent organ damage as a result of other diseases.
The contours of the organ protruding to the pelvic level indicate that the size of the spleen has doubled. The result is enhanced blood filtration - healthy cells also come under fire. A decrease in the number of lymphocytes leads to infections, red blood cells to anemia, and platelets to bleeding. Because of where the spleen is located, many symptoms remind.
Signs of trouble in the spleen
Primary (congenital) diseases of the lymphoid organ are rare. Weakness of the ligaments provokes the wandering of the spleen - its omission under its own weight. Twisting the spleen legs is the result of developmental pathologies. These defects are corrected surgically.
Secondary diseases are a consequence of the role the spleen plays in the body:
- A heart attack (partial necrosis of tissues) due to excessive accumulation of cells in the organ against the background of leukemia (an increase in the number of mutated white cells) or infection (an increase in the number of other blood elements).
- Abscesses or suppuration appear after a heart attack or abdominal infections (endocarditis).
- A cyst and a benign tumor of the spleen are of a different nature. The cause may be the proliferation of vascular or lymphoid tissue, the accumulation of serous fluid after injuries, as well as parasitic infections (echinococcus). The formation of cysts is a long process, during which the location and functions of neighboring organs under pressure of an enlarged lymphoid organ change.
- Spleen cancer is rare, and most often the cause is the growth of immature connective tissue (sarcoma). Pain in the hypochondrium, extending to the shoulder - an occasion for visiting a doctor.
What are the pains talking about?
Pain in the spleen indicates acute infections or a significant increase in its size, as well as the inflammatory process. Splenomegaly brings many secondary signs that reflect the deterioration of the body: loss of strength, lethargy, loss of appetite.
If the enlarged size tells you where the spleen is located, you need to know that this can indicate many conditions: fluid accumulation in the peritoneum, cirrhosis of the liver, granulomatosis, various severe infections (typhoid, smallpox, measles, syphilis), leukemia, leukopenia or a reduction in the population of white blood cells, as well as diseases of the heart and blood vessels.