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Pleurisy

Alternative Names: Pleuritis; Pleuritic chest pain Symptoms: The main symptom of pleurisy is pain in the chest. Sometimes the pain may be felt in the shoulder. Text Continues Below Deep breathing, coughing, and chest movement makes the pain worse. Pleurisy causes fluid to collect inside the lung area. This makes breathing difficult and may cause the following symptoms: Coughing  Shortness of breath Rapid breathing (tachypnea) Cyanosis Signs and tests: The doctor will use a stethoscope to listen to the lungs for abnormal sounds. Friction rub is a rough scratchy sound Rales may be occur with pneumonia Rhonchi  may occur with pneumonia or bronchitis Decreased breath sounds may indicate fluid around the lung The following tests may be performed: CBC (may help determine if the infection is caused by a bacteria or virus) X-ray of the chest Ultrasound of the chest Thoracentesis (a collection of fluid from the chest cavity) References: Marx J. Rosen’s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 5th ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2002:1005. Murray J, Nadel J. Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders; 2000: 497-498.

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