The spleen is an abdominal organ that is part of the lymphatic system. It is located on the left side of the abdomen, just above the stomach. The organ is approximately the size of a person's fist, according to MedlinePlus. The spleen helps regulate the volume of blood in the body and removes unneeded cells from the blood. Disease or injury may cause the spleen to rupture. Recognizing the symptoms of an injured spleen is important, because immediate medical attention is necessary to prevent life-threatening complications.
Abdominal Pain
Once a spleen ruptures, it results in internal bleeding. When the bleeding from the spleen begins, the abdomen fills with blood. The actual rupture of the spleen and subsequent abdominal bleeding cause extreme pain. The pain is usually located in the upper left portion of the abdomen, according to the Mayo Clinic. The pain does not go away with position changes or rest.
Shoulder Pain
Referred pain is the perception of pain in one portion of the body, even though the injury is to another area. For spleen ruptures, you may feel pain in your left shoulder, according to Merck.
Rigid Abdomen
The rupture of the spleen auses the abdominal muscles to tighten. When placing pressure on the abdomen, the muscles feel stiff and rigid.
Hypotension
The large amounts of blood lost from the ruptured spleen cause a drop in blood pressure, also called hypotension. The symptoms of a sudden drop in blood pressure due to abdominal bleeding include nausea, cold and clammy skin, paleness, fast and shallow breathing, and dizziness. As the internal bleeding progresses and the blood pressure continues to fall, blurred vision, confusion and fainting may occur as a result. The severity of the hypotensive symptoms depends on the degree of internal bleeding.
