Spleen
The spleen is a large lymphatic organ and it is located behind the stomach in the abdominal cavity on the left side from the ninth to the eleventh rib. Between it and the ribs there is the diaphragm. The spleen is soft and deep red in color and contains a very large number of blood vessels. Its surface is completely covered by the peritoneum. The spleen has two broad ligaments. One of them connects the spleen to the stomach; it is called the gastrosplenic ligament, while the other connects the spleen to the kidney and is called the splenorenal ligament. Both of these ligaments are formed from the peritoneum.
Spleen size:
The spleen is 12 to 15 cm long and its average weight is approximately 200 grams. When blood accumulates in it, then its size and weight increase. In this way, the accumulated blood is released, for which the spleen contracts at intervals. After eating, the size of the spleen decreases.
It has the following diseases:
Splenomegaly (Enlargement of the Spleen)
This organ is located under the left rib. In malaria or chronic fevers, or due to improper treatment of these, the spleen often enlarges. Its symptoms are as follows:
1- Where the left rib ends towards the abdomen, pressing there makes the spleen palpable.
2- Due to weak digestive power, appetite is lost. If anything is eaten, it is not digested.
3- Due to mild fever, the patient becomes weak and the eyes become sunken.
4- The body color first becomes pale and then dark.
5- Severe constipation and blackish stools occur.
6- Swelling occurs in the face, hands, and whole body.
7- Jaundice and ascites are the final stages of this disease.
8- Lying on the left side causes discomfort.
9- On ultrasound examination, the spleen appears enlarged in size.
10- Due to the spleen, two types of fever occur:
A: Fever occurs with chills and subsides after five to six hours. In English medicine this is called “malaria”.
B: Fever occurs every third day especially during digestion it becomes severe and in the morning it becomes slightly less. This fever lasts for a long time. The patient becomes weak and emaciated. Sometimes shortness of breath and cough also occur. This condition is like tubercular fever.
Acute symptoms:
In typhoid fever, the spleen is soft. Therefore during examination it is not properly felt. Only increased resistance can identify it. Other specific symptoms of typhoid fever are also present. In relapsing fever, the spleen becomes quite large. Fever comes with chills, back pain occurs, body temperature suddenly reaches 105. After 6 to 7 days it subsides by crisis. After 6-7 days the attack of the disease occurs again. Pulse is rapid and sweating is excessive. In chronic ague fever, history of ague fever is found. In pneumonia and diphtheria, with splenomegaly, the specific symptoms of these diseases are present. In case of trauma or fall, the spleen ruptures. However its capsule does not rupture and no special mark appears on the skin. Due to internal bleeding within the splenic capsule, severe pain occurs and the spleen enlarges.
Chronic symptoms:
There is dull pain at the spleen site. On pressing it, pain increases. The spleen sometimes enlarges and covers the entire abdomen. The body becomes dark, face becomes dull and pale, and mucous membranes of mouth and gums also become pale. Sclera becomes dull. Indigestion and loss of appetite occur. Vomiting and blackish foul material is discharged in stool. Weakness and emaciation occur. With slight movement shortness of breath occurs. Swelling occurs in eyelids and feet.
In splenic white blood disease, the spleen is the largest and white blood cells become more than fifty thousand. In splenic anemia, the spleen gradually enlarges and white blood cells decrease in blood. The tendency of the body is towards bleeding. In liver hardening, in the final stage of the disease, the spleen enlarges. Along with it vomiting of blood, ascites and jaundice also occur. Sometimes ascites is of fleshy type. Nosebleed and gum bleeding occur. Due to blood loss, spots appear on the body.
In splenomegaly and weakness, acidity in the body decreases and instead of red blood, fluids increase in blood. Signs of blood deficiency and blood disorder appear. The body swells, blood formation stops. Major damage is swelling of muscles, along with which the heart also enlarges.
Causes: excessive use of cold and moist substances poisoning.
Splenic Hardening
The spleen extracts black bile from blood and stores it, which it again adds to the blood when needed. When red blood cells (RBC) break, the spleen absorbs them and repairs them with fresh iron (hem) and again adds them to blood. If this system is disturbed for any reason, the spleen takes black bile from blood but does not return it to blood, and accumulation of black bile causes swelling. After some time, this material causes inflammation and swelling in the spleen. This is called splenic hardening. If this putrefied material enters the blood, black jaundice (hepatitis) occurs. Usually this disease starts from improper treatment of malaria fever.
Symptoms:
Hardness is felt at the spleen site and it may be round, broad, long thin or long thick. Intermittent or irregular fever may occur. Severe difficulty occurs in eating. Indigestion occurs. Diarrhea may occur, body color becomes earthy or dark. Neck becomes thin. Palms and knees are warm. Weakness develops in the body. Increased appetite occurs. Sadness, grief and obsessive thoughts dominate. Sometimes tongue becomes black or dark. Due to toxic effects of impure humor, ulcers appear on the legs. Teeth and gums show erosion-like condition. Urine is usually normal in color but becomes dark after exertion.
Causes: excessive use of cold and dry substances, improper treatment of malaria fever, poisoning.
Splenic Swelling
In hot temperament, the spleen expands. At this time burning and mild pain occurs on pressure at the spleen site. Face color becomes pale. Urine and stool become red-black. Appetite decreases. Breathing becomes difficult. Fatigue, weakness and difficulty in walking occur. Usually intermittent fever occurs every third day.
Malaria
Malaria means “bad air”. This word was created when physicians thought malaria was a poisonous air produced from decay and evaporation of plant matter in warm humid places but modern research has found that malaria is not caused by poisonous air but by the bite of Anopheles mosquito.
Definition:
Malaria is a germ disease caused by the presence of a specific type of parasite in the blood. Fever, enlargement of spleen and liver and weakness are the main symptoms of this disease.
Causes: poison of malarial parasite.
Splenic Weakness (Spleen becomes weak)
Symptoms:
In case of weakness of absorptive power, the body color becomes pale. The whiteness of eyes becomes dull. Loss of appetite occurs and phlegm enters blood and spreads throughout the body and becomes the cause of many diseases.
Causes: excessive use of cold and moist substances.
Dengue Virus
This virus is transmitted through the bite of a female mosquito Aedes Aegypti. The one it bites gets fever, and it flies and does not transmit the virus to others. It is found in the Indian subcontinent, South Asia, Africa, China, Middle East, Central America, Australia and many other islands. In rainy season when rains are heavy, water accumulates in different places and becomes stagnant and putrefied. This environment increases mosquitoes and causes dengue viral fever. In areas like United Arab Emirates it is rare because there is no stagnation.
Mostly children under ten years are affected. Researchers say it was first seen in epidemic form in 1780.
After 5 to 8 days of mosquito bite, symptoms appear:
Chills
Cold
Headache
Loss of appetite, nausea, retching and vomiting
High fever
Weak pulse, low blood pressure
Severe fatigue
When disease enters second stage:
Red eyes, joint pain, lower back pain, general weakness, gum bleeding, swelling of lymph nodes, muscle pain, rash and severe headache, red spots appear on arms, legs and then whole body.
Soles and palms become red. Symptoms gradually increase in 10 days and patient becomes extremely weak.
When severity increases:
Severe fever, headache and cough increase. Blood vessels swell and start leaking. Blood appears under skin. Small purple spots appear called petechiae. Severe bleeding occurs from nose, gums and skin. If blood enters stomach it comes out as coffee ground vomiting. Severe hemorrhage reduces oxygen supply to heart, muscles and kidneys and causes damage.
Platelets are destroyed in blood causing severe bleeding. IgM increases and coagulation studies are monitored for platelet count.