Definition
Brystkassens movements ensure that the lungs expand when we breathe. This is because the lungehinden (pleural) Keeps lungernes surface solid on the back of the chest. Lungehinden lies between the lungs and chest and consists of two layers. The innermost layer covering the whole surface of both lungs, and the outer layer is stuck on the inside of the chest.
Normally, there are only a very small amount of liquid between lungehindens two layers, so that they can glide freely against each other when the chest expands and contracts during breathing. The liquid formed in lungehindens cells and pleurisy disrupted this væskedannelse, so there is either too little or too much liquid between the two layers.There are two types of pleurisy:
- Dry pleurisy. Here sticking lungehindens two layers together because of inflammation and too little væskedannelse. It prevents the smooth movement of breathing and provides the pain and discomfort, when the enlargement of the thorax pulling in lungehinden.
- Wet pleurisy. Here is formed of very liquid because of inflammation, and there is an accumulation of fluid between lungehindens two layers. The liquid can fill so much that the lung will be squeezed in, and we will have difficulty breathing. Wet pneumonia can follow a dry pleurisy.
Reasons for pleurisy
Lungehindebetændelse is usually a result of another disease. The most common cause of pleurisy is pneumonia . It is also seen by damage to the lung, lung cancer or spread of cancer elsewhere in the body.
Tuberculosis can also give pleurisy, but it is rarely seen in Denmark today. Liquid lungehindens between two layers visible in fact often by heart failure and other diseases, such as. rheumatoid arthritis .Symptoms of pleurisy
The dry pleurisy givepain. The pains sits at the bottom of one side of the chest, and they will be worse when you host or breathing deeply. When the liquid lungehindens two layers, the pain usually disappears and inflammation can be without symptoms. The greater the volume of the fluids will, however,shortness of breathand possiblycough. There will also be symptoms of the disease that has caused lungehindebetændelsen.
Precautions and diagnosis
If you have pain when breathing or shortness of breath, one should consult a doctor. The doctor makes the diagnosis by knock on the thorax and listen with Stethoscope. An accumulation of fluid can be seen on a X-ray . Have we discovered a fluid, can you create apleurapunktur. In a pleurapunktur stikkes a thin needle into lungehindens between the two layers, and we brave the liquid out. Second, facilitate breathing and is therefore a part of the treatment, and we can check the fluid and find signs of inflammation, cancer or tuberculosis.Treatment and progress of pleurisy
If there is a greater amount of liquid, you will always empty it out as described in diagnosis. If there is pain, give pain killer. The most important thing is otherwise, that the underlying disease treated. Usually caused lundehindebetændelse pneumonia, which must be treated with antibiotics. In lung cancer, it may be necessary to put some talc into between the two layers, this keeps them together, so fluid can no longer build up.When grundsygdommen treated, disappear væskeansamlingen usually after a few weeks. Lungehindebetændelse may develop into empyem If the cause is, for example. pneumonia. |
