Can you break your spleen

Answer 1

Yes, and it is called a 'ruptured spleen'. Accidents that apply trauma to the abdominal area often rupture the spleen, and it must then be removed by surgery because the spleen is a repository for blood and someone can bleed out internally if the spleen isn't removed. You can live without your spleen just fine, by the way.

Answer 2

I ruptured my spleen in a motorbike accident in 1964. The spleen was removed in 1965, six weeks after the accident. At the time it was some kind of record because the previous record was 48 hours and that was a wrestler who was injured in the Wrestling ring. I was sixteen and thought I was very lucky to be alive & hoped I would make 30 yo. I am now 61 and still have annual blood checks to ensure my resistance to pneumococcal infection is high enough. I am supposed to take penicilllin twice a day but it makes me ill so I don't take it but take larger doses if I get a fever. They tell me if I get a pneumococcal infection and don't take antibiotics I have six hours to live. A lot of people suffer with glandular fever post splenectomy but I didn't. I did get tonsillitis twice a year for a number of years though. malaria would kill me. There was a theory that splenectomy survivors wouldn't survive endurance tests because they wouldn't know when to stop & would keep on going until they died. Probably not true, I don't know.

Answer 3

The symptoms will depend upon the cause of rupture. Most rupture occurs due to trauma either from a fall, traffic accidents and Rugby or football injury, and as such other injuries may be present. Pain, fracture ribs, may be associated with shock, low blood pressure and will require emergency surgery. Spontaneous rupture can sometimes happen in people with enlarged spleen and they can present with sudden collapse, pale appearance and in shock. Bleeding is very torrential and urgent attention and surgery is required .

Answer 4

Yes, without surgical intervention you will die.

Answer 5

no