Pleurisy: Causes, Symptoms, Daignosis, Prevention and Treatment

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Pleurisy
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Pleurisy

• Pleurisy is an inflammation of the thin layers
  of tissue that covers the lungs and the chest
  wall.The outer layer of the pleura lines the
  inside of the chest wall, and the inner layer
  covers the lungs. The small space present between
  the two layers is called the pleural cavity. This
  cavity normally contains a small amount of
  lubricating fluid that allows the two layers to
  slide over each other when you breathe.When the
  pleura become inflamed the layers come in
  together further causing chest pain. This is
  known as pleuritic pain.

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What causes Pleurisy?

• In young and healthy people, an infection of the
  lower respiratory system by a virus or bacteria
  may cause pleurisy. Pleurisy generally lasts for
  a few days to 2 weeks. In very of the rare cases,
  the virus or bacteria may spread and cause
  pleurisy in others.Some of the other causes of
  pleurisy may include air leaking into the pleural
  cavity from a hole in a lung (pneumothorax),
  injury to the chest (such as a broken rib),
  tuberculosis or different infections, or a tumor
  in the pleura.Other conditions may also cause
  pleurisy. These can involve rheumatoid arthritis,
  lupus, sickle cell crisis, pulmonary embolism, or
  pancreatitis. Pleurisy may also develop as a
  complication of heart surgery.

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What are the symptoms of Pleurisy?

• The some of the common symptoms of pleurisy are
  chest pain and difficulty in breathing. The chest
  pain generally starts very suddenly. Mostly
  people describe it as a stabbing pain, and it
  generally gets worse with breathing. The pain
• can always be present but it generally gets worse
  when you breathe. You may avoid deep breathing to
  prevent the pain.
• Generally is on only one side of the chest.
• Can extend to a shoulder or the belly.
• Is generally worse when you cough, sneeze, or
  suddenly move.
• Can ease when you hold your breath or press on
  the painful area.

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What are the symptoms of Pleurisy?
Continue

• However, this sort of chest pain can be caused
  by conditions that do not affect the pleura, like
  chest muscle strain and costochondritis.If your
  pleurisy is caused by a viral infection, you may
  or may not have common viral symptoms, like
  fever, headache, and muscle aches.Sometimes,
  the inflammation of the pleura causes fluid to
  build up in the pleural cavity. You may have less
  pain after this happens, because the fluid
  prevents the two layers of the pleura from
  rubbing together.Sometimes, if there is a large
  amount of fluid present, it can prevent the lung
  from expanding when you breathe in. This can make
  it hard to breathe. Other symptoms of pleural
  effusion may include fever, chest pain, and a dry
  cough.

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How is pleurisy treated?

• The treatment for pleurisy depends on the cause.
  Just like, if a bacterial infection is the cause,
  you will probably need an antibiotic. If a
  pulmonary embolism is present, you can get
  medicine to dissolve the clot or to prevent
  future blood clots (anticoagulants).For most
  cases of pain caused by pleurisy, your doctor
  will suggest that you use aspirin, ibuprofen, or
  another non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug
  (NSAID).Do not prescribe aspirin to anyone who
  is younger than 20 because of the risk of reye
  syndrome. If you are having severe pain, you may
  need prescription cough or pain medicine. You may
  also be able to relieve pain by lying on the
  painful side or pressing a pillow against it.

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How is pleurisy treated?
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• If you are having pleural effusion, you may need
  to have the fluid drained through a tube that the
  doctor inserts in your chest.In some cases of
  pleural effusion, you may need pleurodesis. At
  the time of this procedure, a medicine is placed
  into your chest cavity, which triggers an
  inflammatory reaction over the surface of the
  lung and inside the chest cavity.This causes
  the surface of the lung to stick to the surface
  of the chest cavity, which prevents more fluid
  from building up or reduces the amount of fluid.

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