"My spleen hurts.."

[ladelfina]

Has anyone ever (barring a grave injury or advanced medical condition) NOTICED their spleen?

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We're at our yoga class. Doing the normal stretchy-poo things, nothing baroque.
I see DH with a look of mild discomfort and ask, "are you Ok?"

He says, "yeh, I'm fine.. it's just my spleen."

"Your SPLEEN?"

"Yeah, when you exercise, you can get pains in your spleen."



After the class, I go to the instructor:
"My husband says he's having problems with his spleen, but that this is normal when you exercise.. Is this true or just one of those Italian supersititions?"
Instructor: "no, no, it's true... that can happen."
DH: "Yes! Everyone knows.. Like, if you go for a run.. your spleen contracts!"

----

Rich, help! Is this NORMAL SPLEEN BEHAVIOR or are they just bonkers?

[Meadbh]

The French worry incessantly about their livers and bowels, so obviously the Italians need something else to worry about!

The spleen is a soft organ tucked into the left upper corner of your abdomen. It plays an important part in your immune system and is also a recycling plant for old and decrepit red blood cells. Not having one would be a problem.

There are no sensory nerves in your spleen, so it can't actually hurt. However, there are many conditions in which the spleen enlarges, including leukemia, Hodgkins' disease, infectious mononucleosis and portal hypertension (often due to cirrhosis). If the spleen becomes very big it could cause some discomfort by displacing other organs.

Rupture of the spleen is not uncommon in serious motor vehicle accidents and can also happen during contact sports when players have an enlarged spleen. (Hence the common recommendation to people with infectious mono to avoid contact sports until their spleen has gone back to its normal size). Rupture can cause major bleeding in the abdomen, leading to shock, but there is no pain. So every ER nurse and doc knows that you should always think of a ruptured spleen when the cause of massive bleeding is not obvious.

Rich may have more to say on this since a lot of his patients have big spleens!!!! But I'm on vacation and he's probably seeing patients right about now.

Meadbh

[Rich_in_Tampa]

Ladelfina,

You have broken all sorts of humorous records by posting messages involving the pylorus and then the spleen within minutes. I'm not sure I really want to know why this sudden interest in abdominal viscera, but must admit I am getting a kick out of it .

The spleen makes blood cells and stores extra cells and platelets. It also is a lymphatic organ for immune battles, and filters out old red cells, bacteria, etc. About a third of your platelets hang out in the spleen on reserve duty. It lives tucked under the left lower ribs, deep near the tail of the pancreas.

You can easily live without its 150gms but you are somewhat more prone to certain types of infection in that case. I don't know that it actually "contracts" but it can unload prestored blood cells during times of stress including exertion.

What most people probably feel when they think it's their spleen is a spasm of the intercostal muscles (the ones between the ribs, as in spare ribs), called a "precordial catch" or simply intercostal spasm. Spleens can hurt but only under bad circumstances like injury, leukemia, and a few other maladies.

And, by the way, if someone wants to think that what they are experiencing is their spleen, do not try to talk them out of it. They are likely very attached to their spleens and all it stands for.

P.S. Meadbh and I cross-posted sorry. I'm not sure who is more depraved - me for posting about spleens during an administrative morning at work, or her for posting about spleens while on vacation. Two sorry characters, we.

[ladelfina]

The French worry incessantly about their livers and bowels, so obviously the Italians need something

Oh, yeah.. they're big on the liver, too.. I'll get to that next!

[HFWR]

"Sarge, I'm only eighteen, I got a ruptured spleen, and I always carry a purse..."

Draft Dodger Rag, Phil Ochs

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Spleen is one of the funniest words on earth. Just say it out loud in a crowd and guaranteed someone will crack a smile.

[ladelfina]

CFB, just for you.. the next cookbook I'll submit a spleen crostini recipe (very traditional) along with a new one for rabbit.

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I want some Milzsuppe!

No bunny recipes please.

[Meadbh]

Originally Posted by Rich_in_Tampa

P.S. Meadbh and I cross-posted sorry. I'm not sure who is more depraved - me for posting about spleens during an administrative morning at work, or her for posting about spleens while on vacation. Two sorry characters, we.

Rich, your administrative mornings must be more fun than mine!!!!

[Rich_in_Tampa]

Originally Posted by Meadbh

Rich, your administrative mornings must be more fun than mine!!!!