What is Pleurisy?
- What is Pleurisy?
- What are the causes?
- What are the symptoms?
- How is the treatment?
- What can be done to relieve symptoms?
Pleurisy is caused by inflammation of the pleura. The pleura acts as a protective wrap around your lungs and consists of two layers. Normally there is no gap between the inner and outer layer. It is completely airless between layers. In people with pleurisy, two layers of pleura are covered with inflammation. For this reason, a gap may form between the layers called the pleural space. This space can also be filled with inflamed fluid.
What are the causes?
Pleurisy can occur for different reasons, and sometimes there may be fluid in the pleural space, and sometimes there may be no fluid. Sometimes there is pain, sometimes there is no pain at all. The most common cause of pleurisy is viral infections such as flu or pneumonia.
There are two types of pleurisy. The first is primary pleurisy, inflammation of the pleural tissues after an injury or from a microbe that directly attacks the lung.
Secondary pleurisy is caused by another chest disease that occurs due to:
- Pneumonia, in which germs pass into the pleura and lungs,
- Tuberculosis
- Lung cancer
- Lung abscess
What are the symptoms?
People with pleurisy may experience:
- Pain: pain in the chest like a sharp knife is being thrust, chest pain may get worse when you breathe deeply, cough or sneeze
- Short and difficult breathing
- Dry cough
- Weight loss
- Headache
- Trembling
- Fever
- Loss of appetite
- Fast heartbeat
These symptoms may be caused by pleurisy or may be caused by another disease. If you have these symptoms or think you have pleurisy, go to your doctor right away.
How is the treatment?
To treat pleurisy, it may be necessary to treat another underlying disease, for which it can be treated with drugs, surgery and other methods. It is very important to see a doctor if you think you have pleurisy.
What can be done to relieve symptoms?
- To reduce the pain of pleurisy, it may be recommended by your doctor to limit the movement of the lungs.
- The doctor can show you how to lie on the aching side. Your doctor may also prescribe pain medication for pain.
How is air, fluid or blood removed from the pleural space?
Your doctor may decide to remove the fluid formed between the two pleural cavities with a needle from the lungs.
If there is too much blood, air, or fluid, the doctor may also use a chest tube to remove that blood, air, or fluids. This tube can be left inside for a few days.
