Pleurisy or pleurisy is inflammation of the lining of thewraplungs or pleura. This condition causes the sufferer to feel stabbing chest pain, especially when breathing.
The pleura is a thin membrane that covers the lungs and the inner chest wall. The pleura consists of two layers. These two layers play a role in keeping the lungs from rubbing against the walls of the chest cavity. Between these two layers of the lung, there is pleural fluid which acts as a lubricant and helps reduce friction when breathing.
When there is inflammation, the pleura will swell and cause breathing problems. Inflammation of the pleura or pleurisy is more prone to be experienced by smokers.
Causes of Pleurisy
Pleurisy occurs when the pleura becomes irritated and inflamed. This inflammation makes the pleura swell and the pleural fluid becomes sticky. This condition will cause chest pain every time the two layers of the pleura rub together, which is when the lungs expand (inhale).
One of the causes of pleurisy is infection, whether viral, bacterial, or fungal, such as influenza virus or TB bacteria. Apart from infection, pleurisy or pleurisy can also be caused by:
- Autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.
- Disorders of the lungs, such as pulmonary embolism.
- Lung cancer.
- Injuries to the ribs.
- Hereditary diseases, such as sickle cell anemia.
Symptoms of Pleurisy
The main symptom of pleurisy is severe pain that feels sharp and stabbing in the chest, especially when breathing in. Left and right chest pain will get worse when sneezing, coughing, laughing or moving, but can subside when holding your breath or pressing the chest area.
In addition to chest pain, other symptoms that can be experienced by people with pleurisy or pneumonia are: pleurisy is:
- Fever
- Shivering
- Decreased appetite
- Headache
- Joint and muscle pain
- Shoulder and back pain
- dry cough
- Hard to breathe
When to go to the doctor
Immediately consult a doctor if you experience chest pain. Apart from pleurisyChest pain can result from a heart attack which can be fatal.
In addition, immediately consult a doctor if the following symptoms appear:
- High fever up to 40oC
- Cough with thick yellow or green phlegm
- Swelling of the arms or legs
- Drastic weight loss
- Coughing up blood
- Difficult to breathe
Pleurisy Diagnosis
The doctor will ask the patient's symptoms and medical history as the first step in diagnosing pleurisy orpleurisy. Next, the doctor will use a stethoscope to examine the sound in the lungs.
To see if there is inflammation in the pleura or lungs, the doctor will perform a lung scan. Some of the examinations that can be done are chest X-ray, chest CT scan, and chest ultrasound. The examination can also detect a buildup of fluid in the space between the pleura.
If pleural fluid accumulates, the pulmonologist will perform the procedure thoracocentesis or pleural puncture, which is a procedure for taking a sample of lung fluid with a special needle for examination in a laboratory.
In addition to the scan test, the doctor will also perform other follow-up examinations to support the diagnosis. The types of inspections carried out include:
- Blood tests, to detect signs of infection or other underlying disease, such as: rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.
- Electrocardiogram (ECG), to check if chest pain is caused by a heart problem.
- Thoracoscopy or pleuroscopy, to examine the condition of the chest cavity through a small tube equipped with a camera. If necessary, this examination is also accompanied by a biopsy to take a sample of pleural tissue.
Pleurisy Treatment
Pleurisy can be treated differently, depending on the underlying cause. Treatment steps aim to overcome inflammation, relieve pain, and treat the disease that causes pleurisy.
The following are some types of drugs that can be used to treat pleurisy or:pleurisy:
- Antibiotics, such as cephalosporin antibiotics, to treat pleurisy caused by a bacterial infection.
- Antifungal, such as fluconazole, to treat fungal infections that cause pleurisy.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, to treat inflammation and relieve chest pain.
- Blood thinners or anticoagulants, such as warfarin and heparin, to treat pleurisy caused by pulmonary embolism.
- Codeine, to relieve cough.
- Immunosuppressant drugs, such as prednisone and ciclosporin, to treat pleurisy caused by autoimmune diseases, eg rheumatoid arthritis.
Pleurisy caused by viruses can heal in a few days with adequate rest, so antiviral drugs are not necessary.
Surgery may be performed if the pleurisy is caused by lung cancer. This operation aims to remove part or all of the lungs. In addition to surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy can also be used to treat lung cancer.
Pleurisy Complications
If not treated immediately,pleurisyThis can cause a buildup of fluid in the spaces between the pleura (pleural effusion). This complication is experienced by many patients with pleurisy due to bacterial infection or pulmonary embolism.
Pleural effusion is characterized by shortness of breath that gets worse, and the mouth and fingertips turn blue due to lack of oxygen (cyanosis).
Pleural effusion can resolve if the condition causing the pleurisy is treated successfully. However, if the treatment for pleurisy cannot overcome the pleural effusion that occurs, the doctor will perform a surgical procedure to remove fluid from the pleural cavity.
Pleurisy Prevention
Pleurisy can be prevented by avoiding the underlying cause. One of the causes is a bacterial infection. Pneumococcal bacteria are bacteria that often cause lung and pleural infections. Steps to prevent pleurisy orpleurisyThe result of this bacterial infection is the pneumococcal vaccine (PCV vaccine).
Pleurisy is prone to be experienced by a smoker, so not smoking is one of the efforts to prevent pleurisy. Not smoking can also prevent lung cancer which can cause pleurisy.