Symptoms, Causes And Treatment Of Pleurisy

Today we are going to talk about the causes, symptoms and treatment of pleurisy. Pleurisy is also called pneumonia. Both terms refer to the same situation: inflammation of the membrane that surrounds the lungs, known as the pleura.

The pleura is a thin membrane that surrounds the lungs and separates them from the chest wall. The pleura actually has two layers. One attaches to the lung and the other to the chest wall.

There is a small space between the two layers. This space is known as potential because it does not exist nor is it important unless something invades it. Air can take up that space and then forms a collapsed lung. A liquid substance can also enter it, forming pleural fluid.

It is common for pleurisy to be associated with pleural effusion. When the pleura is inflamed, it can produce inflammatory fluid that deposits in the pleural space. This indicates that different pleural disorders may respond to the same cause.

The causes of pleurisy

Pleurisy can have various causes. These are some of the conditions that can cause inflammation of the pleura or pleurisy:

• Autoimmune disease. A number of autoimmune diseases attack the pleura. For example, rheumatoid arthritis, a cause of pleurisy.
• Lung cancer. This oncological disease can attack the pleura. Sometimes the pleural membranes swell due to proximity to the primary tumor. In other cases, this happens because lung cancer metastases lodge in the pleura.

• Pneumonia. When you suffer from bacterial or viral pneumonia, the infectious process causes the pleura to become inflamed.
• mycosis. A number of fungi that infect people, precisely in their internal organs, can settle in the pleura. Fungal pleurisy is difficult to treat because antifungal drugs take a long time to start responding and because the drugs don’t gain access to the pleura as quickly as other organs.
• Trauma to the thorax. Trauma to the chest and side of the chest wall, specifically in the ribs, is associated with pleurisy. Inflammation occurs due to cohesion and proximity to adjacent structures.

Symptoms of Pleurisy

The hallmark symptom of pleurisy is chest pain. In general, it is an intense but intermittent pain, which worsens when the patient coughs or takes a deep breath.

Shortness of breath manifests itself along with the pain. Shortness of breath is a lack of air, both on inhalation and exhalation. As in a vicious cycle, overexertion of breathing can make chest pain worse. Other symptoms depend on the cause of the pleurisy.

• If it is pneumonia, the patient will also have a fever and cough.
• If it is lung cancer, then the patient has weight loss, anemia, or changes in skin color.
• When an autoimmune disease occurs, it often affects the joints, for example.

If pleurisy is accompanied by pleural effusion (Spanish link), then the characteristic pain will vary slightly. The accumulated fluid exacerbates the pain in certain postures and positions. Shortness of breath is also more evident due to the pressure of the fluid on the lung.

Treatment of pleurisy

The doctor will look for all diagnostic alternatives to determine the cause that caused the pleurisy. The treatment of pleurisy strongly depends on the cause. Remember that it is not a disease in itself, but rather a situation arising from another pathology.

A patient can treat the pleurisy pain with anti-inflammatory drugs, regardless of the original cause. Medical professionals usually recommend ibuprofen for pain relief. In more severe cases, the patient may resort to morphine.

If the patient’s pain worsens when coughing, the doctor may evaluate the use of antitussive drugs. However, they are not always recommended because coughing is a defense mechanism that the body uses to resolve an atypical situation.

For infections, antimicrobial treatment can fight off the invader. There are protocols for pneumonia, yeast infection, and flu-like clinical situations that determine the steps to be taken at each stage.

If pleural effusion is associated with pleurisy, the doctor will assess the need for drainage. In this regard, they can extract the fluid in the pleura with certain procedures. Not all effusions need to be drained.

If a patient has pleurisy, their medical professional must find the cause. As such, they will seek the complementary methods they deem appropriate to make a diagnosis. Once they identify the cause, they can suggest a treatment to address the underlying situation.