What organ is on your left side under your breast?

Are you feeling a strange sensation on your left side, under your breast? Are people giving you weird looks when you clutch at that area and grimace in pain? Fear not, my dear reader. You are not alone.

In this article, we will explore the enigma of human anatomy that is located under the breast. Buckle up and get ready for a ride full of interesting facts and outrageous humor.

First things first: Where exactly is it?

Before diving into what lies beneath, let’s pinpoint where exactly we’re talking about here:

  • The upper left quadrant of your torso
  • Directly beneath the left breast
  • Near to but not always below the heart

Now that we’ve got our geographical bearings sorted out let’s move on to juicier details.

Suspenseful drum roll please….It’s Your Spleen!

That’s right folks! That awkward palpitation inducing lump buried deep down in your chest cavity is none other than the infamous spleen! Applause drowning out sighs “Finally someone actually just answered that question!”

But wait, what even does a spleen do? Good news – I’m glad you asked!

A Brief Introduction to Anatomy & Physiology

The spleen isn’t an organ many people talk about unless they have chronic diseases related to it (because who doesn’t love some good old fashioned medical horror?). However, despite its underrated status in popular conversation, it has important biological functions geared towards maintaining homeostasis within our bodies.

Those dreaded biology lessons were worth something after all huh?

Here are some essential key splenic trivia tidbits:

Harmless Purple Filter?

You might logically guess from its location tucked biochemically away behind skin tissue layers and muscles around mesenteries of viscera so organs slide together without friction which happens a lot during running and walking, that the spleen’s function is all about filtering blood. It turns out you’re right!

The spleen does indeed filter red blood cells – a process known as “phagocytosis” (that one P word in Scrabble!). In addition, it helps to discard damaged or worn-out RBCs and recycle iron back into your bloodstream so your body can produce new healthy ones.

A Hidden Immune Warrior

On top of its sorting trash side hustle, the spleen also has an important role in maintaining our immune system by producing white blood cells called “lymphocytes”. These tough guys are key players in preventing infections and diseases from making themselves comfortable within our bodies (hence why so many people think it looks like some kind of rebellious superhero headquarters!).

Have No Spleen? No Problem!

Do not despair if you have had to have yours removed due to any accidents or medical issues! Luckily, other organs like the liver can chip in on team phagocytosis when needed. Additionally, vaccines exist for most common bacterial invaders that we would normally fight off with support from our lymphocyte Avengers.

So now we know what exactly is under there but just how big is this thing?!

Size Matters: How Big Is It?

Without sounding too creepy here – size does matter..in regards to intracavitary structures at least!

The spleen isn’t necessarily massive compared to other internal organs but still deserves recognition for its relative girth. At rest, your typical human splenic measurements are around 11 cm long by 7cm wide however those numbers may vary slightly depending on age, sex and overall stature (Note I did not say weight).

If you’re reaching down trying to gauge its length or width…you probably won’t be able to feel much sadly enough. Doctors take special measurements using high tech equipment instead because nostalgia for the old tape measures is overrated apparently.

When To Put A Pin In It

We’ve gone into some of the basic functions and details about this fascinating organ but are there any warning signs that may indicate it’s not functioning properly?

The Catch-22

Sadly enough, spleen problems such as splenic rupture or infarction often occur suddenly without much evidence pointing towards their onset. Symptoms can range from unexplained pain to complete loss of consciousness due to internal bleeding – so if you experience anything out of the ordinary please seek medical attention right away!

Courtesy Of Your Friends At CDC (Centers for Disease Control):

Some Spleen Disorders That You Need To Be Aware Of:

  1. Splenic Rupture: An injury where a large tear develops on your spleen resulting in internal bleeding.
  2. Enlargement: This typically happens when your spleen has to pick up the slack left behind by other struggling organs with similar filtering roles like your liver.
  3. Infarction: Blockage or failure within an artery in charge of transporting blood supply supporting healthy cell metabolism results in downstream necrosis aka dead tissue owies

A word from our team here at HumorMD…do not try and attempt self diagnosis based on how strongly you feel things ‘over there.’ Go see a doctor IRL for everything other than COVID-19 FEELINGS.

Conclusion

So there you have it! The mysterious organ under your left breast is none other than your very own sublime little fighter called the spleen! We hope we’ve shed some light on what might be causing those odd feelings down yonder and helped make sense betwixt mythologies trying to explain strange ailments we all might face sometime.

Remember folks, whether big or small; every inch counts — inside anyway 😄

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