Pleurisy Research Paper

750 Words3 Pages
PLEURISY Pleurisy, also known as Pleuritis, is defined as inflammation of the Pleura. Pleura is the body cavity that surrounds the lungs. The inflamed Pleural layers rub against each other when a person breathes, causing very sharp pains in the chest. The most common cause for Pleurisy is infection, but other things may cause it as well. Symptoms of Pleurisy last anywhere from a few days to 2 weeks. The main symptom of pleurisy is a sharp or stabbing pain in the chest that gets worse with deep breathing, coughing, sneezing or laughing. The pain may stay in one place, or it may spread to the shoulder or back. Sometimes it becomes a fairly constant dull ache. Depending on its cause, pleurisy may be accompanied by other symptoms, such as, shortness of breath, fever and chills, rapid shallow breathing, unexplained weight loss, sore throat followed by pain and swelling in the joints, diarrhea, erectile dysfunction, and vomiting blood. The inflammation of the pleura sometimes causes fluid to build up in the pleural cavity. This is known as pleural effusion. You may have less pain after this happens, because the fluid prevents the two layers of the pleura from rubbing together. If there is a large amount of fluid, it may prevent the lung from expanding when you breathe in. This can make it hard to breathe. Other symptoms of pleural effusion include fever, chest pain, and a dry cough. The most common cause of Pleurisy is a viral infection. Another cause of Pleurisy is when air leaks into the pleural cavity from a hole in the lung, which is known as pneumothorax. Injury to the chest (such as a broken rib), may also cause Pleurisy, along with tuberculosis or other infections, or a tumor in the pleura. Other conditions may also cause pleurisy. These include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, sickle cell crisis, pulmonary embolism, or pancreatitis. Pleurisy may also develop
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