Pleurisy - Causes, Symptom, Cure, Treatment of Pleurisy

What are the commom symptoms of Pleurisy ?

• The onset of pleurisy is generally marked by a sharp and stabbing pain, which may be felt in any part of the chest wall or over the diaphragm.
• Deep breathing or coughing increases the pain.
• IN many cases, the Pleurisy diseases begins with a chill, followed by congestion of the pleura and later by fever. The degree of the fever determines the severity of the disease.
• The inflammation destroys the tissues and chokes the circulation within the tissues.
• Breathing becomes difficult due to the clogging of the circulation, and by pain and swelling within the chest.
• Later a liquid effusion escapes from the pleura, filling the open spaces in the chest cavity till the effect of the distension becomes oppressive. After absorption takes place or after the drainage of the effusion, the pressure is lowered, the pain is reduced and the patient feels relieved. It is sometimes dry pleurisy, a form where there is little or no effusion or the effusion may be circumscribed.
• The effusion may become gangrenous, or become mixed with blood, or be of a dirty brown colour with an offensive odour, leading to much suffering.

Other Rare Symptom of Pleurisy

A variety of conditions can give rise to pleurisy. The following represent the most common sources of pleural inflammation:

1. infections, including pneumonia, tuberculosis, and other bacterial or viral respiratory infections
2. immune disorders, including systemic lupus erythematosus , rheumatoid arthritis , and sarcoidosis
3. diseases, including cancer, pancreatitis, liver cirrhosis, and heart or kidney failure
4. injury, from a rib fracture, collapsed lung, esophagus rupture, blood clot, or material such as asbestos
5. drug reactions, from certain drugs used to treat tuberculosis (isoniazid), cancer (methotrexate, procarbazine), or the immune disorders mentioned above (hydralazine, procainamide, phenytoin, quinidine).

Symptoms of Pleurisy

1. Chest pain Symptoms of Pleurisy: This is the most common symptom. The pain can be a dull ache, a burning sensation, or a sharp, stabbing discomfort. It is usually worse when you take a deep breath, cough, or move around. The pain is usually better if you take shallow breaths or lie on the side that hurts. Chest pain is what usually causes people with pleurisy to seek medical attention.
2. Cough Symptoms of Pleurisy: You may get a cough, depending on the cause of the pleurisy. Your cough may be dry or productive of sputum or blood.
3. Shortness of breath Symptoms of Pleurisy: 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.
4. Fever Symptoms of Pleurisy: You may also get a fever, depending on the cause of the pleurisy.

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