Spleen swelling or having an enlarged spleen, which is called splenomegaly, commonly is the result of an underlying condition. Splenomegaly can be caused by cancer, liver disease and infections, reports the Mayo Clinic. Typically, splenomegaly only is found during a physical examination because there may be no direct symptoms of the condition. Treatment involves finding the cause of the condition and fighting that. Rarely, your spleen may need to be removed through surgery.
Bleeding
Because the spleen acts as a filter for blood with its splenic pulp, particularly filtering old blood cells, and because it produces splenic lymphoid nodules and malpighian bodies that are infection fighters, you may bleed more easily from cuts. When the spleen is malfunctioning because of swelling, it throws off the balance between white and red blood cells in your body. This can prevent your blood from clotting normally, so it may continue to flow from a cut or other wound longer than it usually would. You also may become anemic because the spleen is not filtering the red blood cells effectively. Anemia is a condition in which you do not have a sufficient amount of red blood cells circulating throughout your body.
Infections
Your spleen helps to fight infections with lymphocytes. If it is not working correctly, there may not be enough white blood cells or they may not be strong enough to fight off typical infections that usually would not occur.
Pain
Most people do not get symptoms of spleen swelling, states the Mayo Clinic. For those who do, pain is among them. Because of the location of pain associated with spleen enlargement, you may think you are having a heart attack. The pain generally occurs first in the upper left region of the abdomen but then can spread all the way up to your left shoulder.
Other Symptoms
There are two other symptoms of a swollen spleen, although they may not appear to be related to the condition. The first is fatigue or a general feeling of weakness throughout your body. This may be related to not having enough red blood cells. The other symptom is the sensation that your stomach is full even if you only have eaten a little or nothing at all, because when the spleen becomes swollen, it can press against your stomach.
