Swollen spleen medication is usually adjusted based on the underlying disease, so there is no specific treatment to treat a swollen spleen itself. However, if the condition of the swelling of the spleen is quite severe, further treatment of the spleen may be needed.
Because it is adjusted to the cause, the swollen spleen medicine is very diverse. Swollen spleen can be caused by many diseases, ranging from viral, parasitic and bacterial infections, various types of hemolytic anemia, to cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma.
The process of diagnosing a swollen spleen (splenomegaly) and the disease that causes it is carried out through a series of examinations, ranging from physical examination, blood tests, CT scan, and MRI.
If the doctor already knows the cause of the disease, the condition of the swollen spleen is usually predictable. But if not, swollen spleen can be a sign of another disease that is happening.
Types of Swollen Spleen Medication
The doctor will give medicine for swollen spleen after knowing the disease that causes the swelling. The following are various types of swollen spleen medications that you need to know:
1. Antimalarial
Antimalarial drugs are usually prescribed in conditions of swelling of the spleen caused by infection with the malaria parasite. These drugs are of course adapted to the type of parasite that causes malaria, the severity, or the location of malaria transmission. As the malaria infection improves, the spleen will also return to normal.
2. Antibiotics
Swollen spleen caused by bacterial infections, such as syphilis and endocarditis, can generally be treated with antibiotics. Make sure you finish all the doses of antibiotics prescribed by the doctor so that the bacteria that enter the body are completely destroyed without remaining.
Splenomegaly is one result of increased blood pressure in the hepatic veins or portal veins. This can occur in liver diseases, such as cirrhosis. To reduce swelling of the spleen, portal vein blood pressure needs to be lowered. Propranolol is one type of swollen spleen medication for this condition.
3. Corticosteroids
Swollen spleen caused by autoimmune conditions, such as lupus and autoimmune hemolytic anemia, can be treated with corticosteroids. However, if the condition does not improve, another option is immune-suppressing drugs.
4. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy
Swollen spleen can be caused by splenic cancer, spread of cancer from other organs to the spleen, and blood cancers, such as lymphoma and leukemia. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy can treat swollen spleen in these conditions.
Spleen Removal Surgery
When the spleen is swollen or has caused complications or is caused by a chronic disease and cannot improve with treatment of a swollen spleen, surgical removal of the spleen is required, also known as splenectomy.
Some conditions that require surgical removal of the spleen include:
- Hairy cell leukemia
- Felty . syndrome
- Primary myelofibrosis
- Thalassemia major
- Gaucher's disease
- Hemodialysis splenomegaly
In addition to splenectomy, there are also other surgical procedures that can be done, namely by repairing the spleen blood vessels. However, it is also determined based on the cause of the swelling of the spleen.
Although they can live an active and normal life, people who have had a splenectomy are at a higher risk of infection. Usually the patient will be prescribed antibiotics after surgery, and get vaccines before and after removal of the spleen to reduce the risk of infection.
Swollen spleen medication depends on the underlying disease. Doctors need to conduct a thorough examination first to determine the cause of the disease and what treatment can be given to treat a swollen spleen.
Therefore, if you experience symptoms of a swollen spleen, such as pain or maybe a lump in the upper left abdomen, fatigue, or a feeling of fullness in the stomach, immediately visit a doctor so that an examination and treatment can be carried out according to the cause.
