An enlarged liver and spleen, medically known as hepatosplenomegaly, occur when the liver and spleen swell beyond their normal size.
The liver is a large accessory organ in the digestive system, responsible for a number of functions including bile secretion to break down food, storage of iron and vitamins, production of blood proteins, and elimination of old red blood cells. Many medications are also metabolized through the liver. The liver is located in the upper-right quadrant of the abdomen, with the lower edge connecting to the lower edge of the rib cage. The body’s entire blood volume circulates through the liver approximately six times per minute, an enormous amount of fluid.
Normally, you would not be able to feel your liver, except, perhaps, when you take a deep breath. However, an enlarged liver can be easily palpated (felt) by your health care provider during an exam. The condition of having an enlarged liver is known as hepatomegaly. The spleen is part of the lymphatic system, which plays a role in immunity and maintenance of healthy blood cells. It is an important organ and is affected by disorders of the blood, liver, and immune system. An enlarged spleen is known as splenomegaly. Continue to read Chinese medicine Treatment for Viral Hepatitis.
Recommended herbs used to treat hepatosplenomegaly:
1) Strengthen the stomach and improve digestion: Single use for dyspepsia with vomiting or infantile vomiting after immoderate feeding; for indigestion with spleen-deficiency, used together with Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae; for infantile malnutrition involving the spleen, used together with Rhiwma Atractylodis Macrocephalae and Rhizoma Dioscoreae.
2) Relieve noctumal emission: For emission and enuresis due to kidney-deficiency, used together with Semen Nelumbinis and Semen Furyales.
3) Disperse blood stasis and eliminate stones: For hepatosplenomegaly,. dyspepsia and amenia, used together with Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae and Radix Paeoniae Rubra; for urinary and biliary billary stones, used together with Herba Lysimachiae.