Pleurisy - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Pleurisy, also known as pleuritis, is an inflammation of the pleura, the lining of the pleural cavity surrounding the lungs, which can cause painful respiration (also called pleuritic chest pain) and other symptoms. Pleurisy can be generated by a variety of infectious and non-infectious causes. The effects of pleurisy can often be felt long after the condition has gone away.

What causes pleurisy?

In young, healthy people, an infection of the lower respiratory system by a virus or bacteria may cause pleurisy. Pleurisy usually lasts a few days to 1 or 2 weeks. In very rare cases, the virus or bacteria may spread and cause pleurisy in others.

Pleurisy may be caused by infection, injury, or tumor. Pleurisy may be a complication of underlying lung diseases, particularly of pneumonia, or sometimes of tuberculosis, lung abscesses, or influenza. Pleurisy can also occur spontaneously without any preceding problem.

Pulmonary embolism: blood clot inside the blood vessels to the lungs. These clots sometimes severely reduce blood and oxygen to portions of the lung and can result in death to that portion of lung tissue (termed lung infarction). This, too, can cause pleurisy.
Obstruction of lymph channels: as a result of centrally located lung tumors

Symptoms of Pleurisy

The sharp, fleeting pain in your chest that pleurisy causes is made worse by coughing, sneezing, moving and deep breathing. In some cases, pain may extend from your chest to your shoulder. You may find relief from pain when you hold your breath or when you apply pressure over the painful area.

Shortness of breath: The shortness of breath associated with pleurisy may be due to the underlying cause, such as a blood clot in the lungs or pneumonia, or it may be due to the chest pain caused by breathing.

Risks

Some cases of pleurisy clear up by themselves, but it's more likely that your lung problems will get worse. Possible problems include pneumonia or fluid build-up in the lining of the lungs. Some problems can cause damage to the lungs and affect your ability to breathe.

Diagnosis of Pleurisy

Diagnosis will be made based on the symptoms that you have. Examination using a stethoscope (an instrument used to listen to sounds in the body) can also be used to hear the affected pleura rubbing against each other.

If your pleurisy is not a short-term infection, then a chest X-ray or further tests can be used to find out which condition is causing it.

Treatment

Treatment Pleurisy

The health care provider can remove fluid in the lungs by thoracentesis and check it for signs of infection.

Treatment depends on what is causing the pleurisy. Bacterial infections are treated with antibiotics. Some bacterial infections require a surgical procedure to drain all the infected fluid.

To limit the pain of pleurisy, limiting the movement of the lungs may be desirable. The doctor may suggest lying on the sore side in a special way - for example, on a firm surface - to limit breathing movement on that side enough to reduce the stretching of the sore tissues and therefore the pain. He may also prescribe medication for the pain itself.