The mono blog

With the recent tragic death of 14 year old Aimee-Louise Bates of England, from a ruptured spleen from mononucleosis, I’ve had many questions from my patients on how to minimize potential problems with their spleen.

Your spleen is a large, dark red organ located on the left side of your abdomen, below and behind your stomach. Its job is to filter the blood and help with the immune system.

An enlarged spleen occurs in about 50% of mononucleosis patients. Rupture of the spleen is the most common cause of death in mononucleosis. The spleen may rupture spontaneously or following trauma, including vigorous palpation (physical examination) of the abdomen.

A ruptured spleen is rare – occurring in 1 – 2 of every 1000 mononucleosis cases. Rupture usually occurs during the first three weeks of the illness.

Apart from rest and taking care with physical activities, you should avoid constipation which can put extra strain on the abdominal area. If you are an athlete or do contact sports like football or rugby, or are a weight lifter then please check with your doctor before resuming these activities.

There are some excellent herbs like St Marys Thistle and Red Root which you can take to help cleanse the lymphatic system help to reduce an enlarged spleen. Supporting your immune system with a healthy diet, anti-inflammatory foods (ginger, turmeric, fish oils etc) and supplements will also ensure you have done your best to avoid spleen complications.

Elizabeth
 

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