So in this article from My Health Only, we are going to talk about pleural effusion. By knowing pleural effusion you will be able to treat it as soon as possible.
What is pleural effusion?
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Pleural effusion is a condition in which abnormal amounts of fluid accumulate outside the lungs. There are many diseases due to which this problem starts happening and in such a situation, the fluid that has accumulated around the lungs has to be removed. According to the reason of this condition, they start treatment.
Pleura is a leaf membrane present between the lungs and the inner lining of the chest. When pleural effusion occurs, fluid begins to form in the empty space between the layers of the pleura.
In general, the empty space between the layers of the pleura contains a spoonful of fluid that helps the lungs move while you breathe.
What are the symptoms of pleural effusion?
Symptoms of pleural effusion include the following.
- Chest pain,
- Difficulty in breathing,
- Pain while breathing
- Cough (dry or mucus cough)
Why does pleural effusion occur?
Due to burning, swelling or infection in the pleura, more fluid is formed in it. This fluid starts to accumulate in the chest cavity (empty space) outside the lungs, this condition is called pleural effusion.
There are certain types of cancers that can cause pleural effusion, in which women breast cancer and lung cancer in men are quite common.
Other causes of pleural effusion are explained as follows –
- Heart failure
- Cirrhosis or liver failure
- Pulmonary embolism due to blood clotting or lung vein obstruction,
- Complications after cardiac operation,
- Pneumonia
How is pleural effusion treated?
The correct treatment is determined based on the severity of pleural effusion and its underlying causes.
Extraction of excess fluid:
During this treatment, the fluid usually collected between the lungs and the chest is removed. A needle or a small tube is inserted into the chest to drain the fluid.
Pleurodesis:
It is a type of treatment procedure in which mild swelling is created in the empty space between the lungs and chest. After removing the excess fluid through a needle or tube, the doctor puts the medicine in that empty space. This medicine is often a mixture of talc. This medicine makes the two layers of the pleura stick together, so that in future the fluid between the two layers is not formed.
Operation:
Surgery may also be required to treat some severe cases of pleural effusion.
