What is an Enlarged Spleen?
An enlarged spleen is a condition in which the spleen becomes abnormally large. The spleen is an organ located under your rib cage on the left side of your body. It helps your body fight infections and filters old red blood cells from the bloodstream.
A usual spleen measures about 6 to 9 inches (15 to 23 centimeters) long, 3½ inches (9 centimeters) wide, and 1 inch (2¼ centimeters) thick. An enlarged spleen may be caused by: Autoimmune disorders such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, Cancer, and certain tumors, such as Chronic lymphoma infections such as tuberculosis and histoplasmosis Iron-deficiency anemia Parasites Sickle cell disease Infections that spread to your spleens, such as mononucleosis and some types of pneumonia Tissue destruction, such as that caused by trauma or radiation treatment.
What are the symptoms?
The main symptom is a swollen abdomen. The spleen is usually felt in the upper part of the left side of the belly, about three fingers’ width below your rib cage. Because it’s protected by a strong layer of muscles and other tissues, an enlarged spleen can make these areas painful when touched: Upper back, between your ribs Middle of your chest Abdomen on the left side Some people with an enlarged spleen have no symptoms at all.
Others experience pain in their upper back or abdomen that worsens when they’re active or hungry and eases when they lie down. Other symptoms may occur if the enlarged spleen presses on nearby organs or tissues, including Stomach area pain, Kidney problems, Pain in your left shoulder blade, Loss of appetite Fever Nausea Tiredness.
An enlarged spleen can also cause other problems. You might bruise more easily because blood flows more slowly through an enlarged spleen. Or you may bleed too much after injuries or surgery around the spleen, leading to chronic bleeding.
What are the causes?
Causes of Enlarged Spleen:
The most common causes include autoimmune disorders such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. Cancer and certain tumors can also cause an enlarged spleen. These include lymphoma, leukemia, multiple myeloma, and certain other cancers. Chronic infections that can cause an enlarged spleen include tuberculosis and histoplasmosis.
Iron deficiency anemia is another common cause of splenomegaly. Parasites such as malaria, schistosomiasis, amebiasis, filariasis, strongyloidiasis, toxoplasmosis, or ascariasis are also known to cause an enlarged spleen.
Sickle cell disease may result in abnormal sickle cells, which form a mass called “sickle cell bodies” within the red pulp of the spleen leading to its enlargement. Lymphoma due to Helicobacter pylori infection can also lead to splenic enlargement.
An enlarged spleen can also result from infections that spread to the spleen, such as infectious mononucleosis. It may also be caused by sure pneumonia, tuberculosis, and histoplasmosis. Tissue destruction, such as that seen in trauma or radiation treatment, may lead to enlargement.
What are the possible complications?
The main complication of an enlarged spleen is hemorrhage. Sometimes, the spleen ruptures when it becomes large, causing severe abdominal pain and shock. The rupture may lead to life-threatening internal bleeding.
It also causes splenic sequestration, commonly presenting as acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). It is a condition in which blood cells generally produced in the bone marrow are found in an enlarged spleen or liver.
foods to avoid with enlarged spleen:
Spices:
Avoid all spices and any food that contains them. The increased spleen cancer cells take away the ability of the spleen to process food. Spices make it take longer for your body to digest, which will cause you to become malnourished because no nutrition is getting absorbed. They also make it harder for your body to drink water.
Healthy foods:
Cancer patients should avoid healthy foods such as whole-grain bread and pasta, raw or undercooked vegetables and fruits, sprouts or raw nuts and seeds, raw meat (yes – this means sushi), and soy products. These organically grown/raised produce contain natural pesticides called lectins that stimulate white blood cell production in the pre-cancerous spleen.
Lectins also interfere with the absorption of water, nutrients, and minerals from your diet, allowing more food to be broken down by the enzymes in the stomach. The more food is broken down in your stomach. The less nutrition you receive from it since your body cannot fully break down all of what’s been eaten.
Inedible parts:
Cancer patients should avoid eating foods that contain inedible or toxic parts, such as apple seeds, orange/grapefruit seeds, avocado pits, and peach/apricot pits which contain cyanide.
Chocolate:
Chocolate contains a substance called phenylalanine that will increase the growth rate of cancer cells in the liver and spleen. For chocolate to be safe for consumption, you must make sure it’s at least 70% cocoa or higher.
Meats:
Meats such as red meat and beef should be avoided since the spleen doesn’t process heavy proteins very well when in a pre-cancerous condition. The spleen also has problems processing high iron meats like steak and hamburgers because the cancer cells destroy the physical structure of the spleen so that blood is no longer appropriately filtered.
According to Rife technology, this allows free radicals to flow through your body unchecked and cause damage to healthy tissue, which is one of the leading causes of cancer growth. Canned meats should also be avoided because they contain chemicals and preservatives that can contribute to mutations in the liver and spleen.
Enlarged spleen treatment:
The doctor will remove the spleen if it is enlarged. And in alternative medicine, specific remedies can help treat or even reverse enlargement of the spleen.
In Ayurveda, Sahacharadi ghrita, a herbal mixture containing Trikatu, Ginger, and black pepper, effectively treats inflammatory conditions. Trikatu contains long pepper fruit (Piper longum) and Indian long pepper fruit (Piper retrofractum), which have been shown to possess anti-inflammatory properties.
Triphala powder with warm water is used for cleansing the stomach and intestinal tract of mucus and other waste material that may cause enlargement of the spleen. In addition to this, warm water enema also helps in the growth of the spleen.
what causes spleen pain:
Spleen is an organ in the upper left side of your abdomen, below your ribs, and above your stomach. The spleen plays many roles in the body’s immune system.
When you get sick, such as with a cold or flu, your spleen helps fight infections by:
Storing white blood cells (special infection-fighting cells) that destroy bacteria and other germs throughout your body
When needed, make more of these cells to help fight infections caused by viruses and other germs.
The reason behind this pain can be different for each people. This depends on various factors like size, weight, etc. Some common causes are fractured rib, aggravation of gallstones, fevers, nutritional deficiency diseases, etc… Gallstones are of many types like black ones, small ones, green ones, etc. But the common factor is they are stones.
The pain also arises due to spleen inflammation called splenitis or infectious mononucleosis. This fever might be accompanied by swollen neck, armpit, and groin lymph nodes. So nip this in the bud; else, it may lead to Cancer.
Symptoms:
Spleen enlargement can cause symptoms when pressure on nearby organs blocks normal blood flow through the veins. When an enlarged spleen presses on the stomach, heart, or other organs, it might cause:
A feeling of fullness after eating only a tiny meal A heavy sensation in your stomach Excessive gas (flatulence) or burping that is difficult to control Frequent nausea, vomiting, belching, or sour stomach Bloating of the abdomen Pain in your upper abdomen Fatigue (extreme tiredness) Loss of appetite Difficulty breathing when lying down
Home remedies for spleen cancer:
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People have used this cure for 1000s of years without any side effects. This herb is used every day in China, Malaysia, etc. The most suitable method to consume it is via capsules. This will give more effective results, especially for enlarged spleen conditions. As this herb is mainly used for cleansing the blood, it will also help enlarge the spleen.
In Ayurveda, Neem leaves are very effective in curing an enlarged spleen. In a cup of hot milk, add a few neem leaves and drink twice a day. Drink this mixture regularly for one month to get effective results.
This herb contains alkaloids, polyphenols, and bitter principles, which have therapeutic properties that cure all kinds of diseases, including but not limited to cancerous conditions.