Blood and Immunity Archives - Healthhype

Spleen Location, Anatomy and Function

Dr. Chris — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 23:24:50 +0000

What is the spleen? The spleen is a spongy oval-shaped organ and is roughly the size of a person’s fist. It is located in the left upper quadrant (hypochondrium) of the abdomen, just under the left ribcage. The spleen has many important functions in the body involving the storage of blood and immune activity but it is not a vital organ. It can be removed surgically (splenectomy) without significantly impairing the quality of life although a person may be more prone to infections. Location of the Spleen Where is the spleen? The spleen lies within the abdominal cavity and is almost entirely tucked behind the left ribcage. It is only palpable on the anterolateral abdominal wall (below the left costal margin) if it is enlarged. It sits against the diaphragm and the posterior abdominal wall in close relation to the ribs. Its location is helpful in protecting this very fragile organ but at the same time, the protective feature of the ribs can be to detriment of the spleen. In the event of a fractured rib, the spleen can be pierced by the rib and rupture. The spleen lies behind the stomach, above the left colic flexure and to the [...]

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Excessive Bleeding – Different Types of Bleeding Disorders

Dr. Chris — Tue, 31 May 2011 20:18:18 +0000

The body has an efficient mechanism for stopping blood loss when bleeding arises. This mechanism has several phases to first reduce the degree of bleeding, temporarily plug the point of the blood loss, further seal the area for the long term and then expedite healing of the affected blood vessel to restore its integrity. The entire process is carefully coordinated by the body to ensure that the sequence of events will stop the blood loss as rapidly as possible. In some instances where there is a severe injury with excessive blood loss, these mechanisms are ineffective and medical attention is necessary. This is usually when the tear or rupture of the blood vessel is so severe that physical measures are needed to preserve life until medical attention can be sought. At other times, a person with bleeding disorder may find that even a minor cut can lead to excessive blood loss. What are bleeding disorders? A bleeding disorder is any impairment in the process of hemostasis (mechanism to prevent blood loss) thereby leading to profuse and/or prolonged bleeding. Most of these bleeding disorders involve one or more defects in the phases or components of hemostasis. There are four distinct phases [...]

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Macrocytosis (Enlarged Red Blood Cells)

Dr. Chris — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 23:24:50 +0000

What is macrocytosis? Macrocytosis is the term for enlarged red blood cells. These blood cells, also known as erythrocytes, may be larger than normal for various reasons that affect its development. Therefore further investigations are necessary to identify the cause, as some of these causative factors can be very serious in nature. Macrocytosis is not a specific disease but rather a term to described abnormally enlarged red blood cells. It is often associated with anemia, where there is a lower than normal amount of hemoglobin in the blood. However, enlarged red blood cells may occur on its own without anemia. Macrocystosis and MCV Macroytosis is often reported in terms of mean cell volume (MCV) also known as mean corpuscular volume. It is a test that is done as part of a complete blood count (CBC). Blood is placed in a centrifuge which is device that spins it around at high speed. The red blood cells become packed together and this is known as hematocrit. The hematocrit is then divided by the total number of red blood cells and then multiplied by 10. The result is an indication of the size of the red blood cells or the number of red [...]

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Sickle Cell Anemia (Sickled Red Blood Cells)

Dr. Chris — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 19:42:49 +0000

The red blood cells possess a protein known as hemoglobin that binds and transports oxygen from lungs to other body parts. Therefore, hemoglobin is critical for survival and normal body functioning. Any defect in the gene coding for this oxygen-carrier protein may disrupt all vital body functions and present a spectrum of life-threatening conditions. Once such condition is sickle cell anemia. Sickle Cell Anemia Definition Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is an inherited anemic condition that appears due to a defect in the gene coding for hemoglobin (HbS). Owing to the mutation, RBCs become sickle-shaped (crescent-shaped). The lifespan of these defective red blood cells are also greatly reduced. Ultimately there is a decline in the red blood cell population leading to anemia. Sickling produces sticky ends that cause red blood cells to clump together and clog the blood vessels. Obstructed blood flow and inadequate oxygen supply causes a range of functional disorders that often proves fatal. Sickle Cell Anemia Incidence Sickle cell anemia is more common in the African American population in the United States. However, it is also commonly seen in Indian, east Mediterranean and Middle Eastern communities. About 8% of African Americans are affected with sickle cell disease. It [...]

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Subclavian Artery Thrombosis (Blood Clot Blockage)

Dr. Chris — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 19:48:13 +0000

What is subclavian artery thrombosis? Subclavian artery thrombosis is a blockage of the subclavian artery by a blood clot. Injury to a vessel and narrowing due to fatty plaques (atherosclorosis) are common predisposing factors of a blockage of an artery with a blood clot. This is typically seen with older people. However, subclavian artery thrombosis can also arise in younger people, particularly athletes, when muscles around the artery compresses it and increases the chance of clot formation. Depending on the degree of blockage, a subcvlavian artery thrombosis can lead to a stroke. Subclavian Artery Location The aorta is the largest artery in the body. It arises from the left side of the heart, curves around (arch of the aorta) and then continues downwards. The subclavian arteries arise either directly or indirectly from the arch of the aorta. There are two subclavian arteries – the right and left. It is located in the upper chest. The left subclavian artery either originates directly from the arch of the aorta. The right subclavian artery arises from the brachiocephalic artery which is a branch of the aorta. The subclavian artery rises from its origin in the chest cavity and passes a short distance into [...]

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Thrombocytosis (High Blood Platelets)

Dr. Chris — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 22:35:48 +0000

Definition Thrombocytosis is a condition where the platelet count in the blood is higher than normal. It is also referred to as thrombocythemia. Platelets are an important component of blood and is an integral factor in the blood clotting process. Most cases of thrombocytosis are transient and the condition does not produce any symptoms. Diagnosis is usually made during screening for other medical conditions. However, the fact that platelets play such a central role in blood clotting does mean that there is a higher risk of clot formation in thrombocytosis. More importantly though, thrombocytosis may be caused by various disorders particularly those of the bone marrow, and some of which can be fatal if not treated immediately. Pathophysiology Formation of platelets In the bone marrow, hematopoietic stem cells develop into very large cells known as megakaryocytes. These cells are about 10 times or more large than red blood cells. Budding of the megakaryocytes forms cell fragments known as platelets. Each megakaryocyte can produce anywhere between 5,000 to 10,000 platelets. Average healthy adults produce some 100 billion platelets each day. Extra platelets are stored in the spleen while the remaining platelets circulate in the bloodstream. Picture of platelets from Wikimedia Commons [...]

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How To Diagnose Lupus (SLE)? Symptoms and Tests

Dr. Chris — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 23:21:36 +0000

Lupus is a broad term for a group of autoimmune conditions. A mild type is cutaneous lupus erythematosus, the most notable form being discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE), which primarily affects the skin. A greater concern for most people is systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) which can affect several organs throughout the body. Lupus can also be caused by using certain drugs and this is known as drug-induced lupus. There are other newborn and childhood variants that are less commonly seen. The problem with diagnosing lupus is that many of the signs and symptoms resemble other more common conditions. Most people focus on SLE when they think of lupus. The terms lupus and SLE will be used interchangeably in this article. Severe forms of SLE can be deadly but milder forms can be well controlled with drugs. However, even these milder cases can affect the quality of a person’s life. SLE is relatively uncommon. It tends to begin earlier in life, usually around the 20s and 30s but the onset may range from 15 to 50 years of age. Almost 9 out of 10 people who suffer with SLE are women. Asian and African women are at a significantly higher risk of [...]

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What Do Iron Blood Test Results Mean?

Dr. Chris — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 23:42:35 +0000

When we hear of iron in food or supplements we immediately think of the blood. Indeed the blood and specifically red blood cells require iron for its development and function. But iron is also needed by a host of other cells for different processes that sustain life. Iron is also needed for metabolic activities, for immune system functioning and for the production of a range of chemicals that are needed in the body. At times we do not give iron the same importance in human physiology as we do with other vitamins and minerals. But without iron, health and wellbeing would not be possible. Iron In The Human Body The human body sources all of its iron from food. Sometimes we do not get enough dietary iron due to our restrictions on the food we eat. At other times iron is lost during bleeding, or is not absorbed and assimilated properly. Whatever the case, the lower than normal levels of iron has various adverse effects on the body as does higher than normal levels. The signs and symptoms of these different conditions is one way of identifying the problem. But a blood test is the definitive measure of just how [...]

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Reasons for Common Iron Deficiency Anemia Symptoms

Dr. Chris — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 23:41:42 +0000

We do not often pay much attention to the complexity of human blood but it is a lot more than just red fluid flowing through the blood vessels. Within blood is a host of different cells, carrier proteins, nutrients, gases, wastes and toxins. Blood is the medium through which all these different substances travel from one part of the body to another. If any component of blood is lacking or defective then certain essential processes throughout the body will be disrupted. One such problem is anemia. Facts About Anemia Anemia is a common blood disorder. It is a broad term that includes different types of abnormalities with red blood cells. Red blood cells (erythrocytes) carry gases like oxygen through the bloodstream. Iron-deficiency anemia is the most common type of anemia. It occurs when there is not enough iron in the body. Iron is one of the most important component of red blood cells. Without sufficient iron, there are fewer red blood cells in the body and these blood cells may even be smaller in size than normal. Iron-deficiency anemia means that your blood carries less oxygen than it normally would so the tissues in your body receives less oxygen. Iron [...]

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Hypermagnesemia (High Blood Magnesium)

Dr. Chris — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 22:28:16 +0000

What is hypermagnesemia? Hypermagnesemia is the medical term for high magnesium levels in the blood. It is an uncommon condition because the kidney is very proficient in getting rid of excess magnesium from the body. Hypermagnesemia is unlikely to occur unless magnesium is being administrated in a person with kidney failure. This may be in the form of supplements or magnesium-containing medication. High levels of magnesium in the body is usually not immediately apparent unless the levels are excessively high. It can lead to severe symptoms and even death if left untreated. Effects of High Blood Magnesium Magnesium is one of the essential minerals needed by the body. About half of all magnesium is within the bones and only about 1% is circulating in the bloodstream. Magnesium is needed for various functions throughout the body and is an integral part of homeostasis – the natural balance in the body that maintains health. The kidney is the main organ that regulates the amount of circulating magnesium. A deficiency of magnesium is known as hypomagnesemia. When magnesium is deficient it leads to a host of effects particularly of the muscles, nerves, bones, blood glucose, heart rhythm, blood pressure and urine. Similarly hypermagnesemia [...]

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