Pleurisy

1. Pleurisy The double membranes that lines the chest cavity and surrounds each lung becomes inflamed. Monique Stahnke, Block G

2. Symptoms • Chest pain when breathing • Shortness of breath • Dry cough • Fever and chills, depending on the cause • In some cases pain can extend from your chest to your shoulder

3. Causes • Acute viral infection, like the flu (influenza) • Pneumonia, in cases which the infected portion of lung involves the surface of the pleura • Autoimmune conditions, such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and autoimmune hepatitis • Tuberculosis and other infections • Clot in an artery of your lungs

4. Treatments • Treatments can very from condition that’s causing the symptoms • Example: if the pleurisy is a bacterial infection of your lung, antibiotic may control the infection • Pleurisy due to a viral infection, antibiotic won’t have any effect • Viral infections run their course without treatment • Prescription anti-inflammatory drugs can help relieve pain and some signs of symptoms of pleurisy, if there is a large buildup of fluid, one may need to stay in the hospital to drain fluid over a period of several days with a tube inserted into the chest.

5. Prevention • Some pleurisy is cause by infection and is unavoidable • To avoid sever pleuritic chest pain by early diagnosis and treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs • Sometimes pleurisy can be prevented depending on the cause • Other can be prevented by vaccination • Early medical attention can help prevent pleurisy

6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pePcAxJTPUk

7. Mayo Clinic http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pleurisy/DS00244/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs • Emedicinehealth http://www.emedicinehealth.com/pleurisy/article_em.htm • Health-cares.net http://respiratory-lung.health-cares.net/pleurisy-prevention.php