Symptoms of enlarged spleen (splenomegaly)

Comment by John P. Cunha, FACOEP

The spleen is an organ that allows to filter blood and fight infection. It is located in the left upper part of the abdomen under your side. Having an enlarged spleen (splenomegaly) can be very uncomfortable or you have no symptoms of an enlarged spleen.

Your doctor usually finds a spleen enlarged during a physical examination. Feeling a mass in the left, the upper part of the abdomen is a sign that the spleen is swollen.

Symptoms that may occur with an enlarged spleen include:

feeling full without eating a big meal, pressure or pain in the left upper part of your abdomen (close to the stomach) or pain your left shoulder blade or shoulder region when you take a deep breath.

Distension of the spleen is often due to other diseases, so you might have accompanying symptoms such as:

The symptoms are similar in children.

Read what others are talking about their experience with the symptoms of enlarged spleen.

REFERENCES:

UpToDate. Approach to the patient with splenomegaly and other splenic disorders adult.

UpToDate. Approach to the child with an expansion of the spleen.

Last editorial review: 2013-07-26 15:06:12

View the original article here