What causes Spleen Pain after Eating

Spleen is a small organ that is located between the stomach and the diaphragm on the far left side of the upper abdomen. The spleen is an important component of the lymphatic system. It aids the immune system by producing the immune cells. As blood passes through the spleen, the disease-causing agents such as bacteria, viruses and parasites are trapped and filtered with the help of lymphocytes. The spleen acts as a reservoir of the white blood cells and platelets and also performs the function of recycling the old red blood cells. Now that you have a basic idea about the vital functions of the spleen, you can very well imagine the serious repercussions spleen disorders can have on one's health. Enlargement or rupturing of the spleen are both serious medical conditions that can cause pain in the upper-left quadrant of the abdomen. Pain in this region may not always be a result of an injured, ruptured or an enlarged spleen. Sometimes, pain experienced by the sufferer could be a referred pain. For instance pain in spleen area after eating, could be a result of stomach disorders or problems associated with the gastrointestinal tract. In this article, we will find out why one may experience spleen pain after eating.

Medical Conditions that Affect the Spleen

An enlarged spleen is one of the most common spleen disorders. An enlarged spleen is medically referred to as splenomegaly. This condition is characterized by the enlargement of the spleen. An enlargement of the spleen may be attributed to bacterial, viral or parasitic infections such as malaria, hepatitis, syphilis, endocarditis, mononucleosis or tuberculosis. Other medical conditions such as sickle cell anemia, leukemia, Hodgkin's disease, liver cirrhosis or sarcoidosis could also cause the enlargement of the spleen.

When the spleen enlarges, it starts trapping blood cells and platelets. This leads to a dip in the levels of red blood cells and platelets in the bloodstream. The immune cells present in the spleen may also start destroying the healthy red blood cells in the process. Under such circumstances, one may experience spleen pain.

Trauma to the spleen can also cause pain. Splenic infarct is another condition may cause spleen pain. Splenic infarct causes blockage in a splenic artery which in turn may adversely affect the supply of oxygenated blood to the tissue. If the blood supply is completely cut off, it could lead to the death of splenic tissue.

Can an Enlarged Spleen Cause Pain After Meals?

Since the spleen lies between the diaphragm and the stomach, an enlarged spleen starts pressing against the stomach. This gives rise to pain around the upper-left section of the abdomen. The pain might even radiate to the back or towards the left shoulder. The pressure on the stomach may also affects one's appetite. One may experience a feeling of fullness even without having a meal. The degree of discomfort or spleen pain will vary depending on the extent of enlargement of the spleen.

The spleen is normally about the size of a fist, however, it may increase about two to three times its size due to infections or diseases. If the spleen enlarges considerably, it will put more pressure on the stomach and this may cause pain. Since spleen helps in protecting the body against the pathogens, spleen disorders could also affect the body's ability to defend itself from infections. This can give rise to a variety of distressing symptoms. Pain experienced after meals could also be caused due to other conditions. Food poisoning, acid reflux disease, indigestion, inflamed stomach lining, inflamed pancreas, intestinal obstruction, gallstones, gas, bloating or other abdominal problems may cause upper stomach pain after eating. It is therefore essential to find out whether the pain is referred from other parts of the body, or is arising from spleen. This can be ascertained with the help of diagnostic tests and imaging procedures.

Pain in spleen area after a meal may not always be caused due to spleen disorders, so, make sure that the exact cause of such a pain is determined at the earliest. The treatment options will vary depending on the underlying cause. The treatment options will include drug therapy, but in severe cases, surgery may be recommended. In case of cancer, radiotherapy or chemotherapy will be suggested. If the spleen has enlarged considerably, and there is a risk of complications, surgical removal of spleen may be recommended.