Find out about common symptoms and the various ways lupus affects your body. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment Complications Prevention Outlook Pleurisy also called pleuritis is an inflammation of the pleura, which is the tissue that protects and cushions the lungs. How does pleurisy present? What causes pleurisy? How does pleurisy lead to a diagnosis?
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A blood test might tell your doctor if you have an infection. Other blood tests also might detect an autoimmune disorder, such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, in which the initial sign can be pleurisy. Chest X-ray. A chest X-ray can show if your lungs are fully inflating or if there is air or fluid between the lungs and ribs.
Computerized tomography CT scan. A CT scan combines a series of X-ray images taken from different angles around your body and uses computer processing to create cross-sectional images that look like slices of your chest.
These detailed images can show the condition of the pleura and if there are other causes of pain, such as a blood clot in the lung. This imaging method uses high-frequency sound waves to produce precise images of structures within your body. Your doctor might use ultrasound to determine whether you have a pleural effusion. Your doctor might recommend this heart-monitoring test to rule out certain heart problems as a cause for your chest pain.
Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Pleural disorders. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Accessed Dec. Ferri FF.
In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor Elsevier; The tissue, called the pleura, between the lungs and the rib cage can become inflamed. This issue is called pleurisy. Pleurisy often results from an infection. Sometimes, it stems from other medical conditions or trauma to the chest. In many cases, pleurisy is mild and resolves without treatment. This makes it difficult for experts to estimate how common the condition is.
The pleura are the tissues that cover the inside of the chest cavity and the outside of the lungs. Between the pleura is a gap called the pleural space. A small amount of fluid fills the pleural space. When the person breathes in, this fluid allows the pleura to glide smoothly against one another.
People can also have chronic pleurisy, which lasts for days to weeks. This might result from an infection, such as tuberculosis TB , or another health issue, such as rheumatoid arthritis or cancer. The most characteristic symptom of pleurisy is sharp, stabbing pain in the chest or shoulder. Some people report dull aching or burning pain. Monitoring the duration, progression, and reoccurrence of pleurisy can help the doctor find the cause.
A variety of issues can cause pleurisy. In many cases, it is a complication of another medical condition. The most common cause of pleurisy is a viral infection, such as the flu. Pleurisy develops when the infection spreads to the pleural cavity.
When bacterial pneumonia was more widespread, pleurisy was a common complication. It has occurred less frequently since the introduction of antibiotics. Cigarette smoking is unlikely to cause pleurisy directly, but it can cause coughing and worsen pleurisy symptoms. Doctors treat pleurisy by addressing the underlying cause. They also recommend ways to relieve the chest and shoulder pain.
Pleurisy caused by a viral infection usually goes away without treatment. When a bacterial infection is the cause, treatment involves taking antibiotics. Also, pleurisy sometimes causes fluid to build up around the lungs — an issue called a pleural effusion. If this occurs, the fluid may need to be drained through a tube in the chest.
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