The pleura, also called the pleura, is the serous membrane that covers the surface of the lungs and the inside of the ribs. It plays a role in reducing friction between the breastbone and the lungs, and at the same time helps the lungs expand with a small amount of synovial fluid. Pleurisy is an inflammation of the pleura, which plays an important role. During normal breathing, the pleura in the lungs and chest wall slide smoothly, allowing the lungs to contract and expand smoothly. It will cause abnormal symptoms. Pleurisy can be caused by a variety of causes. It can be caused by viral diseases such as flu, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, blood clots, tuberculosis, and malignant tumors. It is also known that it can be caused by autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, in which an abnormal immune response by one’s own normal body tissues or cells appears. Now, let’s look at the various symptoms that appear when pleurisy occurs, as well as various information related to treatment and prevention.
The main symptoms of pleurisy
The most common symptom of pleurisy is chest pain. Because the lungs cannot contract and expand smoothly due to the generation of inflammation, sharp and dull pain occurs when breathing in or coughing. And if the symptoms get worse and the pleural fluid accumulates more, severe breathing difficulties may appear. Inflammation of the pleura can cause coughing and phlegm when the lungs are compressed or pressure is applied to the bronchi. In addition to these, various symptoms such as fever and chills, weight loss, malaise, and general weakness may also appear. If the cause of these symptoms is infection or pulmonary embolism, the symptoms develop suddenly, but otherwise, the symptoms progress gradually in a gradual form.
The course of pleurisy depends on the cause, and it is said that most of the cases are cured when the cause is treated. However, if the appropriate treatment time is delayed, complications such as pleural thickening, which thickens and hardens, may occur. When pleural thickening occurs, chest pain and shortness of breath become more severe depending on the degree of thickening. In addition, some patients may develop sequelae such as pleural adhesions even if their symptoms improve. Therefore, if the pain persists as if a phlegm came after coughing or phlegm like a cold, or if symptoms such as stiff sides persist, pleurisy may be suspected.
Pleurisy Treatment and Prevention
1. Accurate diagnosis through multiple tests
To diagnose pleurisy, a thorough physical examination, including a chest auscultation, is performed, and a chest x-ray is performed to confirm the presence of pleural fluid in the chest cavity. In addition, a chest CT scan can be performed to accurately identify the structure of the chest and the state of internal organs, and to check for parenchymal diseases such as pneumonia, lung abscess, tuberculosis, and lung cancer accompanying pleural effusion. In addition, tests such as pleural effusion and pleural biopsy may be additionally performed to differentiate various causes.
2. Treatment according to the diagnosis result
Treatments for pleurisy vary depending on the cause, so treatment is applied according to the cause. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be administered to relieve inflammation and pain, and if the cause is pneumonia, treatment with antibiotics, if pulmonary tuberculosis, anti-tuberculosis, and pulmonary embolism, with anticoagulants. If symptoms do not improve even after antibiotic treatment or symptoms such as difficulty breathing due to pleural adhesions occur, pleural dermabrasion is sometimes performed. And if there is a lot of pleural effusion, repeated pleural puncture is performed or a treatment is performed to insert a chest tube to drain pleural fluid such as pus.
3. Maintain Lung Health Habits
To prevent pleurisy, it is most important to maintain a healthy lung habit. It is recommended to limit smoking, which is the main cause of weakening of lung function. In addition, it is recommended to avoid exposure to tobacco smoke as much as possible, as not only direct smoking but also second-hand smoke can cause weakening of normal lung function.
In addition, it is very important to consistently maintain exercise habits such as walking and aerobics to increase lung capacity and improve lung function. Also, since pleurisy can be caused by diseases such as infectious pneumonia, it is good to pay close attention to personal hygiene such as the habit of washing hands regularly. That’s a good way. In addition, pneumococcal vaccination may help prevent pleurisy in the elderly with weakened immune function or with diseases such as pneumonia.
