Splenomegaly

Herbs for a Swollen Spleen

Certain herbs may be helpful in treating your swollen spleen. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, splenomegaly is enlargement of your spleen beyond its regular size. Your spleen, which is located in your left upper abdomen,...

Causes of LUQ Abdominal Pain

Abdominal pain can be burning, cramping or dull in quality. Sometimes, the pain can be continuous or intermittent. In some instances, this abdominal pain can be concentrated in the left upper quadrant region. This pain can be a sign of an...

Conditions of the Spleen

There are several important medical conditions associated with the spleen. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, the spleen is part of the lymphatic system, which wards off infection and balances...

Diseases of Spleen

The spleen is part of the lymphatic system and has a vital role in the body's immune system function. The spleen produces white blood cells (WBCs) that help fight infection; filters old, damaged blood cells from the circulatory system; and stores...

The Spleen & Vitamin B-12 Deficiency

Vitamin B-12 is a water-soluble vitamin that your body uses together with other B vitamins and plays a vital role in supplying methyl for protein and DNA synthesis, MayoClinic.com notes. Adults typically need about 2.4 mcg of vitamin B-12 daily....

Common Diseases of the Spleen

The spleen is a spongy organ about the size of a fist located in the upper left portion of the abdomen, towards the flank, behind the lower ribs. It is part of the lymphatic and immune system, helping the body fight off infections and clearing up...

What Are the Treatments for a Swollen Spleen?

Spleen enlargement, or splenomegaly, is not actually a disorder but rather the symptomatic manifestation of different disorders such as repeated parasitic infections, certain metabolic disorders or cirrhosis of the liver. The treatment for an...

Symptoms of a Swollen Spleen

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...

What Are the Causes of Spleen Pain?

The spleen is an organ located behind the rib cage area of the human body. Its primary function is to aid the immune system as well as aid with blood supply. The spleen's job is to remove old red blood cells known as erythrocytes, while it removes...

About Spleen Problems & Disorders

The spleen is located under the ribs on the left side of the body. It is part of the lymphatic system and helps fight infection, balance body fluids, and controls the amount of blood in the body. Diseases and injury to the spleen can cause...

Disorders of the Spleen

The spleen is an organ with an important role for both the immune system and the blood. Immune cells develop and replicate in the spleen. In addition, the spleen is responsible for removing old and damaged cells from the blood. If the spleen...

Symptoms of Spleen Enlargement

Your spleen helps your body to fight off infection. It also regulates the amount of fluid, including blood, that circulates in your body. In addition, it is responsible for destroying damaged cells in the body. You do not need a spleen to survive...

Are Vegetables Good for the Spleen?

Vegetables benefit your spleen because the nutrients in vegetables prevent disorders that cause splenomegaly, a condition that rarely presents symptoms other than an enlarged spleen, which your doctor may feel on an examination of your abdomen....

Effects of Thalassemia

Thalassemia refers to a type of blood disorder associated with decreased red blood cells and hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying pigment in blood. Symptoms of thalassemia include shortness of breath, weakness, fatigue, irritability and a swollen...

What Are Mono Symptoms?

Mononucleosis is an infectious viral disease. The University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) estimates that 90 percent of adults have had mononucleosis, which is most common among people 15 to 19 years old. Mononucleosis is diagnosed with a...

Portal Hypertension Complications

Portal hypertension refers to increased pressure in the portal vein, the vein that goes from the gastrointestinal tract to the liver. The most common cause is cirrhosis of the liver. Other causes include certain types of heart disease, which...

What Foods Can Shrink a Spleen?

When healthy, your spleen is a small organ about the size of a fist located on the left side of your abdomen. A spleen becomes enlarged due to several conditions. Although specific foods will not directly shrink a spleen, some of the conditions...

Symptoms of Contagious Mono

Mononucleosis ("mono") is an infectious disease that, according to the Mayo Clinic, is transmitted through human saliva. For this reason, it often is referred to as "the kissing disease," but it can also be spread through sneezes and coughs or by...

Main Functions of the Spleen

The spleen is an internal organ located in the upper left part of your abdomen, under your diaphragm and behind the stomach. It looks like a small rounded catcher's mitt with several notches on it, according to the Children's Hospital of...

Spleen Functions

The spleen is an organ that serves quite a few roles in normal bodily function. It has roles in both immune system and hematologic system (the blood) regulation but is not essential for the body's survival. People can be asplenic (lack spleen...

Spleen Pain After Eating

The spleen is a small, fist-sized organ located below your left rib cage, and is a significant part of your body's immune system. It helps fight infection by producing white blood cells called lymphocytes as a defense against invading pathogens....

Herbs to Help Spleen Problems

Spleen problems range from mild to severe and life-threatening. One of the most common spleen-related problems is splenomegaly, or an enlarged spleen. According to MerckManuals.com, an enlarged spleen is indicative of an underlying health problem,...

4 Ways to Spot Symptoms of Hemolytic Anemia

Hemolytic anemia, a medical condition which causes the premature destruction of red blood cells, can lead to cardiovascular collapse, heart disease and lung disease. One of the easiest ways to spot symptoms of hemolytic anemia is to check the...

Liver Cirrhosis Symptoms

Cirrhosis is the final phase of chronic liver disease and is defined by three characteristic changes. These are fibrotic scarring as a result of progressive damage to the liver; nodules of hepatocyctes surrounded by scar tissue that are a result...

Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia Symptoms

Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia--also known as CMML--is a type of myelodysplastic-myeloproliferative disorder, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The incidence of this disease is estimated to be three cases per every 100,000 people older than 60...

Diseases or Injuries of the Spleen

The spleen acts as a filter for the blood, taking dysfunctional red blood cells out of the circulation and exposing the blood to the white blood cells of the immune system. As such, disorders of the spleen typically have an effect on the blood or...

Symptoms of Viral Meningitis in Teenagers

Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges, the tissue overlying the brain and the spinal cord. The most common causes of meningitis in adolescents are bacteria and viruses. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,...

Signs of a Vitamin A Overdose

Vitamin A is an important contributor to the health of various tissues, including the skin, bones, teeth and mucous membranes. This vitamin, also known as retinol, is of great importance to the formation of pigment in the retina, which is...

Signs of Poor Spleen Function

The spleen is an organ on the left side of the body in the upper abdomen near the stomach. It filters blood cells and plays a role in the body's immune system. A dysfunctional spleen is usually due to an underlying disorder. Improper function of...