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What is pleurisy?
Pleurisy is an inflammation of the pleura. Pleurisy causes chest pain that increases when you breathe.
The pleura is two thin layers of tissue that protect the lungs, located between the lungs and the chest wall. Between the two membranes is pleural fluid, which lubricates the membranes so they can slide easily over each other, allowing your lungs to expand and contract as you breathe.
When the pleura becomes inflamed, these tissues swell and become inflamed. As a result, the two layers of the pleura cannot slide over each other easily. They rub against each other like two pieces of sandpaper, creating a painful feeling when you inhale and exhale, which increases when you cough or sneeze.
Symptom
What are the signs and symptoms of pleurisy?
Common pleurisy symptoms are:
- Chest pain that gets worse when you breathe, cough, or sneeze
- Shortness of breath
- Cough, fever – only in some cases
- Chest pain – the pain usually appears in the front or back of the chest, sometimes you may have back pain or shoulder pain.
Pleurisy may be accompanied by pleural effusion, atelectasis or edema:
- Pleural effusion . In some cases of pleurisy, fluid accumulates in the small space between two layers of tissue. This is called a pleural effusion. When there is a relative amount of fluid, pleural pain will reduce or disappear because the two pleural layers are no longer in contact and do not rub against each other.
- Collapsed lung. Large amounts of fluid in the pleural space can create pressure, compressing your lungs to the point of partial or complete collapse (atelectasis). This makes it difficult to breathe and can cause coughing.
- Edema. Excess fluid can also become infected, leading to a buildup of pus. This is called edema. Edema is often accompanied by fever.
You may experience other symptoms and signs not mentioned. If you have any questions about the symptoms, consult your doctor.
When do you need to see a doctor?
Call your doctor immediately if you feel severe, unexplained chest pain while breathing. You may have a problem with your lungs, heart, or pleura, or an underlying illness for which you need prompt medical attention.
Also, contact your doctor if any of the following apply to you:
- If you have a cough, chills, and high fever and cough with yellow or green phlegm, you likely have pneumonia.
- If your arms or legs are swollen, you may have pulmonary vein thrombosis and deep vein thrombosis .
Reason
What causes pleurisy?
A variety of underlying conditions can cause pleurisy, including:
- Viral infections, such as influenza (flu)
- Bacterial infections such as pneumonia
- Fungal infections
- Autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus
- Lung cancer is near the surface of the pleura
- Pulmonary embolism
- Tuberculosis
- Rib fracture or injury
- Certain genetic diseases, such as sickle cell disease
- Certain medications.
What factors increase the risk of pleurisy?
Pleurisy can affect people with certain underlying conditions, such as infections or autoimmune diseases. Pleurisy occurs in people of all ages, but it develops most often in people over 65 years of age. These people are more likely to get chest infections.
Patients with respiratory diseases are at high risk for pleurisy. In addition, the risk of complications from pleurisy will also increase with age and the presence of other medical diseases such as diabetes , chronic bronchitis, emphysema , heart disease and collagen diseases. blood vessel.
Diagnosis and treatment
The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult your doctor.
What medical techniques are used to diagnose pleurisy?
Your doctor will start by asking about your medical history and doing a physical exam, including examining your chest with a stethoscope.
To determine if you have pleurisy and determine the cause, your doctor may recommend:
- Blood tests . A blood test will show whether you have an infection or not. Other blood tests can also detect autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, where the initial sign may be pleurisy.
- X-ray . X-rays can show whether the layer of fluid between the two pleural spaces has increased or not.
- Computed tomography (CT scan). This is a test that displays images of your lungs in the form of many different slices, thereby providing more detailed images than an X-ray. These detailed images can show the condition of the pleura and if there are other causes of pain, such as blood clots in the lungs.
- Supersonic . This method uses high-frequency sound waves to create precise images of your body’s internal structures. Your doctor may use ultrasound to determine if there is a pleural effusion.
- Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). Your doctor may check your heart rate to rule out certain heart problems that could be causing your chest pain.
- Biopsy. In some cases, your doctor will take a small sample of lung tissue to determine whether you have cancer or tuberculosis.
- Aspiration of fluid (thoracotomy). The doctor inserts a small needle into the pleural space and removes fluid to look for signs of infection or other causes of pleurisy.
What methods are used to treat pleurisy?
Treatment for pleurisy focuses primarily on the cause. For example, if the cause of the inflammation is bacteria, your doctor will use antibiotics to kill the bacteria. If the cause is a viral infection, pleurisy may go away on its own, and treatment is mainly to relieve symptoms.
What medicine should I take for pleurisy? Chest pain caused by pleurisy can be treated with a type of pain reliever called a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Usually, doctors often prescribe ibuprofen . If NSAIDs are ineffective or unsuitable, you may be prescribed other painkillers such as paracetamol or codeine .
Try different positions when resting to see which is most comfortable for you. It may sound strange, but regularly lying on the side of the painful chest will help reduce the pain.
If too much fluid accumulates in the pleural space causing inflammation, doctors remove the air, blood, or fluid in the pleural space. Depending on the amount of substance that needs to be drained, doctors use a needle and syringe (thoracoscope) or a chest tube to drain the fluid from the area.
Can pleurisy be cured? The effectiveness of pleurisy treatment depends on the severity of the disease. If the disease causing pleurisy is diagnosed and treated early, you can make a full recovery.
Prevent
What measures help you limit pleurisy?
You will be able to control pleurisy if you take the following measures:
- Use medication as directed by your doctor . Medications such as ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin IB® and others) will help reduce pain and inflammation.
- Rest much . Find the best pain-relieving position for yourself and lie in that position.
- Do not smoke. Smoking can cause more irritation to your lungs. If you smoke and can’t quit on your own, ask your doctor for help.
