Pleurisy | |
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Other names | Pleuritis, pleuritic chest pain[1] |
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Figure A shows normal anatomy. Figure B shows lungs with pleurisy in the right lung, and a pneumothorax of the left lung. | |
Specialty | Pulmonology |
Symptoms | Sharp chest pain[1] |
Causes | Viral infection, bacterial infection, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism[2] |
Diagnostic method | Chest X-ray, electrocardiogram (ECG), blood tests[3] |
Differential diagnosis | Pericarditis, heart attack, cholecystitis[3] |
Treatment | Based on the underlying cause[3] |
Medication | Paracetamol (acetaminophen), ibuprofen[4] |
Pleurisy, also known as pleuritis, is inflammation of the membranes that surround the lungs and line the chest cavity (pleurae).[1] This can result in a sharp chest pain while breathing.[1] Occasionally the pain may be a constant dull ache.[5] Other symptoms may include shortness of breath, cough, fever, or weight loss, depending on the underlying cause.[5] Pleurisy can be caused by a variety of conditions, including viral or bacterial infections, autoimmune disorders, and pulmonary embolism.
The most common cause is a viral infection.[2] Other causes include bacterial infection, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, autoimmune disorders, lung cancer, following heart surgery, pancreatitis and asbestosis.[2] Occasionally the cause remains unknown.[2] The underlying mechanism involves the rubbing together of the pleurae instead of smooth gliding.[1] Other conditions that can produce similar symptoms include pericarditis, heart attack, cholecystitis, pulmonary embolism, and pneumothorax.[3] Diagnostic testing may include a chest X-ray, electrocardiogram (ECG), and blood tests.[3][6]
Treatment depends on the underlying cause.[3] Paracetamol (acetaminophen) and ibuprofen may be used to decrease pain.[4] Incentive spirometry may be recommended to encourage larger breaths.[7] About one million people are affected in the United States each year.[7] Descriptions of the condition date from at least as early as 400 BC by Hippocrates.[8]