What are the symptoms of pleurisy and pneumothorax?

Written by Zhang Zhi Gong
Cardiothoracic Surgery
Updated on September 05, 2024
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The pleural cavity in healthy individuals is a potential space and is under negative pressure. Its main purpose is to allow the lungs to fully adhere to the chest wall, and the lubricating fluid present serves to prevent too much friction between the lungs and chest wall during deep inhalation, which could cause pain. For various reasons, such as a ruptured lung bulla or trauma to the chest wall, a certain amount of air can enter the pleural cavity, leading to pain in patients. Due to the presence of pleurisy, friction occurs between the lungs and chest wall—particularly between the lower chest wall and the lungs—causing intense pain during deep inhalations. If a large volume of air is present, it can prevent the lungs from fully expanding, potentially leading to symptoms of breathing difficulties or an obstructed exhalation.

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Written by An Yong Peng
Pulmonology
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What are the symptoms of pleurisy?

Common symptoms of pleurisy include chest pain, which often worsens with deep breathing. This condition is also called pleuritic chest pain. It is important to note that the presence of such chest pain does not necessarily indicate pleurisy; it could also be due to pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, or even rib fractures. Patients with pleurisy may also experience a sensation of chest tightness, especially when there is a significant amount of pleural effusion. Furthermore, severe chest pain caused by pleurisy may lead to patients avoiding deep breaths, which can also result in symptoms of chest tightness. Fever is another common symptom in patients with pleurisy, and the severity of fever can vary depending on the infection causing the pleurisy. For example, tuberculous pleurisy, caused by tuberculosis infection, often results in a low-grade fever in the afternoon, but high fevers can also occur. In the case of purulent pleurisy, which is usually due to a bacterial infection leading to pus formation in the pleural cavity, high fevers are common.

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Written by Liu Jing Jing
Pulmonology
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Is pleurisy ascites easy to treat?

Whether pleurisy with effusion is easy to treat depends on identifying the cause of the pleurisy, which commonly includes tuberculosis, infection, and tumors. Tuberculous pleurisy can usually be cured about six months to a year after standard anti-tuberculosis treatment; infectious pleurisy generally has a good prognosis if it is sensitive to anti-infective drugs; however, pleurisy caused by tumors often indicates metastasis to the pleura, and at this stage, surgical options are no longer viable, leading to a poor prognosis. Therefore, if pleurisy is present, it is necessary to go to the hospital to complete thoracic puncture and clarify the nature of the pleural effusion, and treat according to the cause.

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Written by Yuan Qing
Pulmonology
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Sequelae of pleurisy with pulmonary effusion

The main sequelae of pleurisy with pleural effusion are pleural adhesions, which can affect respiratory function. Pleurisy is mostly caused by infectious diseases, although a portion is also due to non-infectious diseases. In the case of pleural effusion caused by infectious diseases, it contains a large amount of fibrinogen, which has the function of adhering to our pleura, thereby causing the pleura to thicken. At this time, the pleura will compress our lungs, significantly reducing the respiratory volume of our lungs, which greatly affects our respiratory function. Patients mainly exhibit symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest tightness, and rapid breathing even with slight activity or while lying in bed. Therefore, if pleurisy is detected, it is crucial to drain the fluid from the patient as soon as possible to avoid delaying treatment and the subsequent development of severe sequelae.

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Written by Luo Peng
Thoracic Surgery
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What medicine to take for pleurisy

Regarding what medicine to take for pleurisy, it depends on the specific actual situation. If it is simple mild pleuritis without pleural effusion and only pain, generally, if the pain is not severe, medication may not be necessary. If the pain is severe, one can (under the guidance of a doctor) take oral pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen with codeine for symptomatic treatment. If there are symptoms such as fever, coughing up phlegm, pleural effusion, or even suspected tuberculous pleuritis, long-term oral anti-tuberculosis drugs are required for treatment. If tuberculosis cannot be confirmed and there are no significant symptoms, symptomatic treatment can be administered temporarily.

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Written by Zhang Zhi Gong
Cardiothoracic Surgery
49sec home-news-image

What are the symptoms of pleurisy and pneumothorax?

The pleural cavity in healthy individuals is a potential space and is under negative pressure. Its main purpose is to allow the lungs to fully adhere to the chest wall, and the lubricating fluid present serves to prevent too much friction between the lungs and chest wall during deep inhalation, which could cause pain. For various reasons, such as a ruptured lung bulla or trauma to the chest wall, a certain amount of air can enter the pleural cavity, leading to pain in patients. Due to the presence of pleurisy, friction occurs between the lungs and chest wall—particularly between the lower chest wall and the lungs—causing intense pain during deep inhalations. If a large volume of air is present, it can prevent the lungs from fully expanding, potentially leading to symptoms of breathing difficulties or an obstructed exhalation.