Pleurisy

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Respiratory system overview

Pleuritis; Pleuritic chest pain

The main symptom of pleurisy is pain in the chest. This pain most likely occurs when you take a deep breath in or out, or cough. Some people feel the pain in the shoulder.

Deep breathing, coughing, and chest movement makes the pain worse.

Pleurisy can cause fluid to collect inside the chest cavity. This can make breathing difficult and may cause the following symptoms:

• Bluish skin color (cyanosis)
• Coughing
• Shortness of breath
• Rapid breathing (tachypnea)

When you have pleurisy, the normally smooth lining of the lung (the pleura) become rough. They rub together with each breath, and may produce a rough, grating sound called a "friction rub." The health care professional can hear this sound with the stethoscope, or by placing an ear against the chest.

The health care provider may perform the following tests:

• CBC
• Thoracentesis
• Ultrasound of the chest
• X-ray of the chest

Review Date: 08/28/2009
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicin, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).

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