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Exudative pleurisy is a pathology in which inflammation of the pleural sheet of the lungs occurs with the accumulation of fluid in the costophrenic sinus. Nonspecific pathogens rarely provoke nosology, since the body has reliable local and general defense systems against them.

Exudation is detected auscultatively (when listening with a phonendoscope), on a chest x-ray.

Pleurisy exudative: causes

The most common cause of exudative pleurisy is tuberculosis infection. With the defeat of the pleural sheets, mycobacterium forms inflammatory changes gradually. Only with a strong decrease in immunity, the microorganism gets the opportunity for active reproduction.

Exudation may be a consequence of fibrinous changes, when a chronic infection “dozes” in the fibrin threads.

To detect exudative fluid on a radiograph, its amount should exceed 200 ml. With a large amount of exudate in the pleural cavity, breathing is difficult, as the fluid compresses the lungs.

In practice, the tumor nature of pleurisy is sometimes encountered. The accumulation of exudate makes it difficult to visualize the neoplasm. Only pleural puncture allows you to open the visible part of the lung tissue, where the neoplasm is localized.

Symptoms of exudative pleurisy

The main symptom of exudative pleurisy is pain in the lungs and hypochondrium. With fibrinous inflammation of the lungs, the pain syndrome is not expressed. Exudate does not accumulate in the pleural cavity. The only symptom of the disease is shortness of breath. Impaired respiratory function causes hypoventilation of the lung field.

With exudative pleurisy, auscultatory symptoms are observed:

  • Dullness of pulmonary sound in the projection of the location of the liquid;
  • Respiration is weakened in the lower part of the lungs;
  • Above the location of the exudate, bronchial breathing is heard.

The severity of the manifestations of the disease depends on the rate of accumulation of effusion, volume, severity of the underlying inflammation. With intensive accumulation of fluid, pain appears. As the exudate accumulates, the sheets are wetted, which reduces the severity of the pain syndrome. When you try to press on the intercostal spaces above the location of the inflammatory focus, acute pain occurs due to irritation of the nerve receptors.

The increase in respiratory failure leads to shortness of breath, reflex cough.

During an external examination of the patient, the forced position on the affected side is striking. Paleness of the skin, cyanosis of the face, decrease in blood pressure, tachycardia appear.

Exudative pleurisy (hydrothorax) is a dangerous disease of the respiratory system, which is characterized by the development of an inflammatory process in the pleura, followed by the accumulation of exudate (effusion) in it. The disease is insidious in that it affects people from various age groups, but most often people of working age become its targets. Hydrothorax can develop as an independent disease, but in most clinical cases, inflammatory or infectious diseases of the lungs and other organs contributed to its formation.

Exudative pleurisy can hardly be called a widespread disease. According to the latest statistics given, it was revealed that this pathology affects about one million people a year. This is due to the fact that it complicates the course of other diseases in traumatology, pulmonology, cardiology, phthisiology, and so on. Very often, exudate in the pleura is the result of a complication of the underlying disease, so doctors need to thoroughly study the patient's medical history, conduct additional studies with the participation of thoracic surgeons and pulmonologists.

Mechanism

Hydrothorax affects exclusively the pleural cavity. It is a closed space on all sides. This cavity always contains a certain amount of effusion. Norm - no more than 10 ml. In one hour, the pleura produces about 100 ml of fluid. This is a normal physiological process, completely harmless to human health. The produced exudate is absorbed by the capillaries and lymphatic vessels. Under the influence of adverse factors, the production of exudate may increase and the pleura will not be able to completely adsorb it. Residues will concentrate in the cavity. This will lead to the development of exudative pleurisy (right-sided or left-sided).

Classification

Hydrothorax has several main forms:

  • depending on the nature of the course: acute, subacute and chronic form;
  • depending on the etiology: infectious (for example, tuberculosis etiology) and non-infectious;
  • according to the nature of the effusion, they distinguish: serous, serous-purulent (in the exudate there is an admixture of pus), purulent, cholesterol and hemorrhagic (the most dangerous);
  • depending on the anatomical form: local (which is also divided into parietal, apical, diaphragmatic, etc.) and diffuse.

The reasons

A common reason for the development of infectious exudative pleurisy is the penetration of infection, viruses and bacteria, which caused the development of the underlying disease, into the pleural cavity. More than 80% of cases of hydrothorax development are observed in patients whose medical history records the main diagnosis "".

Infectious exudative pleurisy develops due to the penetration into the cavity of specific and non-specific pathogens:

  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis (I contribute to the development of hydrothorax of tuberculous etiology);
  • pneumococci;
  • streptococci;
  • hemophilic bacillus;
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa;
  • brucella;
  • viruses;
  • echinococcus;
  • fungi;
  • protozoa.

Separately, it is worth highlighting hydrothorax of tuberculous etiology. Its main reason for development is an increase in the sensitivity of the patient's body to Koch's wand. This process is referred to in medical circles as "sensitization". As a result, when even a few units of microbes enter the pleural cavity, the reactive effusion will begin to accumulate several times faster. And in this situation, this is a serious complication that can lead to death. Tuberculous hydrothorax affects mostly only adult patients, practically not affecting children.

The main reasons for the development of non-infectious exudative pleurisy:

  • in a chronic form;
  • chest trauma, in which hemorrhage began in the pleural cavity;
  • blood tumors of a predominantly malignant nature;
  • chronic circulatory failure;
  • lung infarction;
  • (common cause of right-sided hydrothorax);
  • connective tissue diseases of an autoimmune nature. These include collagenoses, and so on;
  • carcinomatosis, mesothelioma and other malignant tumor-like formations in the lungs;
  • with inflammation of the pancreas, the development of left-sided hydrothorax is possible.

Symptoms

The severity of symptoms of exudative pleurisy directly depends on two factors:

  • the severity of the pathology (hydrothorax of tuberculous etiology is especially difficult);
  • speed and volume of effusion.

The clinical picture is characteristic of pleurisy with accumulation of exudate:

  • dry cough;
  • increased fatigue;
  • weakness in the whole body;
  • the skin becomes bluish;
  • from the localization of the lesion, the patient feels heaviness;
  • there may be a feeling of lack of air, panic is growing;
  • heart rate accelerates, arrhythmia is possible;
  • due to lack of air, swelling of the veins in the neck occurs;
  • a characteristic symptom - the patient takes a forced position. As a rule, he lies on the side affected by pleurisy;
  • ribs are clearly visualized in the area of ​​effusion accumulation.

If at this moment the patient is examined by a doctor, then during auscultation of the hydrothorax localization zone, he will hear the complete absence of respiratory noises. Also, with percussion in the lower part of the affected lung, a dullness of sound will be noted.

The most dangerous symptom is the movement of the heart in a healthy direction. This occurs when there is a large accumulation of effusion. If this happens, then the inferior vena cava, which supplies blood to the heart, may kink. As a result, its blood supply will be disrupted.

It is important to know all these symptoms, since the disease can develop rapidly and not only the preservation of a person’s health, but even his life may depend on a timely visit to a doctor.

Phases

In medicine, three phases of the development of the disease are clearly indicated:

  • exudation phase. Its total duration does not exceed three weeks. During this time period, a gradual accumulation of effusion occurs in the pleural cavity. According to some data (testimony of doctors, medical history of patients), it was revealed that during this period the volume of liquid can reach 10 liters! Symptoms of exudative pleurisy at this stage are quite pronounced;
  • stabilization phase. It is characterized by the suspension of the formation of effusion, but its adsorption has not yet begun. Symptoms become less pronounced, and the clinical picture stabilizes;
  • resorption phase. The time period is a maximum of three weeks. At this time, resorption of the exudate and the formation of moorings occur.

Diagnostics

If the first symptoms of hydrothorax development are detected, it is recommended to urgently go to a medical institution for diagnosis and identification of the cause of the disease.

Informative diagnostic methods:

  • physical. During its implementation, doctors note the lag of the affected side of the chest during the act of breathing, its weakening, dullness of percussion sound during percussion, splashing noise during auscultation;
  • x-ray examination (a method for diagnosing hydrothorax of any etiology, including tuberculosis). In the lower parts of the lungs there is a significant darkening;
  • Ultrasound of the pleural cavity;
  • thoracocentesis. All patients with suspected exudative pleurisy undergo this procedure. During its implementation, doctors receive some of the effusion, which is then used for cytological, bacteriological and biochemical studies;
  • thoracoscopy;
  • computed tomography of the lungs;

All data obtained must be recorded by the doctor in the patient's medical history. All subsequent analyzes are also added there to monitor the dynamics.

Treatment

Treatment of exudative pleurisy is primarily aimed at evacuating the accumulated effusion from the pleural cavity, as well as treating the underlying disease that provoked hydrothorax.

If a significant amount of effusion has accumulated in the pleural cavity, the cavity is drained urgently. During this surgical procedure, fluid is completely removed from the pleura. After the procedure, a number of symptoms disappear or decrease, including shortness of breath, body temperature, swelling of the neck veins, and so on.

Taking into account the main diagnosis recorded in the medical history, drug therapy is prescribed:

  • with exudative pleurisy of tuberculous etiology, tuberculostatic therapy is indicated;
  • antibacterial therapy;
  • cytostatic;
  • hormone therapy (prescription of glucocorticoids).

The second stage is symptomatic treatment. The doctor prescribes drugs whose action is aimed at reducing the severity of symptoms:

  • antitussives;
  • analgesics;
  • diuretics;
  • desensitizing.

The dosages of prescribed synthetic drugs are recorded in the medical history.

Physiotherapy also has a good effect. If there are no specific contraindications, then paraffin therapy and electrophoresis are prescribed.

Prevention

Prevention of hydrothorax, first of all, consists in the prevention and timely treatment of diseases that can affect the pleura. It is also worth doing to strengthen your immune system.

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Diseases with similar symptoms:

Inflammation of the lungs (officially pneumonia) is an inflammatory process in one or both respiratory organs, which is usually infectious in nature and is caused by various viruses, bacteria and fungi. In ancient times, this disease was considered one of the most dangerous, and although modern treatments allow you to quickly and without consequences get rid of the infection, the disease has not lost its relevance. According to official figures, in our country every year about a million people suffer from pneumonia in one form or another.

The arrow in the image indicates the exudate.

Exudative pleurisy is usually called an inflammatory process in the lining of the lungs - the pleura, which is accompanied by the formation of a pleural effusion. A pleural effusion is an accumulation of excess fluid in the lining of the lungs. With exudative pleurisy, this fluid is called exudate. Also, this type of pleurisy can be called effusion. It may continue dry pleurisy.

In a state of health, a person has a small amount of serous fluid in the pleural cavity, which prevents excessive friction between the layers of the lung membrane during the act of breathing. However, the amount of fluid in the pleural cavity with effusion pleurisy is many times higher than normal.

Also, the exudate differs from the normal serous fluid in its composition, which can be different, depending on the primary disease, the complication of which was pleurisy. Treatment should combine the impact on both the inflammatory process in the lining of the lungs and the root cause of this process.

When and why does effusion pleurisy occur?

Effusive pleurisy accompanies a number of diseases of infectious and non-infectious origin and has its own symptoms that complement the picture of the underlying disease, the clinic of which is often brighter. The most common underlying diseases are:

The reason for the formation of exudate is a violation of microcirculation - blood circulation in the smallest vessels, which does not allow the inner sheet of the lung membrane to absorb excess fluid secreted by the outer sheet into the pleural cavity. In addition, absorption is also prevented by a substance that quickly covers the surface of the pleural sheets - fibrin.

How to recognize the disease

Diagnosis and differential diagnosis of the exudative form of the disease is based on the clinical picture: the clinic includes not only general, but also symptoms characteristic of effusion pleurisy, as well as laboratory and instrumental methods chosen by the doctor in the process of diagnostic search.
Most often, exudative pleurisy does not have such vivid symptoms as severe pain in the dry form of the disease, for example. It is characterized by a rise in the patient's body temperature to 37-38 degrees, accompanied by chills, increased sweating, weakness, lethargy and drowsiness of the patient, which are caused by intoxication, that is, the release of toxic products into the blood. On the part of the lesion, the patient usually experiences a feeling of heaviness, which occurs due to compression of the lung tissue by exudate. For example, exudative pleurisy on the left will give symptoms of discomfort and heaviness in the left half of the chest, and on the right - in the right. Later, when the effusion becomes large enough, the patient shows signs of respiratory failure: he can no longer breathe normally, he has symptoms of shortness of breath and inability to perform physical activity due to difficulty in breathing. Sometimes a strong reflex dry cough may occur. Dry cough is caused by the displacement of the trachea and the defeat of the pleura itself, rich in various nerve endings.

A more detailed examination of the patient will give new symptoms of the disease. On examination, one can notice that the patient tends to take a semi-sitting position and slightly tilt the body to the affected side, and sometimes lies on the healthy side. This allows you to increase the respiratory movements of a healthy lung and the flow of oxygen into the body through it, somewhat alleviating the suffering of the patient.

Since a sufficient amount of oxygen does not enter the patient's body, his skin may take on a grayish or even bluish tint. These symptoms are called cyanosis. That half of the chest, in which the exudate is located, is usually somewhat larger visually than healthy. It also lags behind in the speed of respiratory movements from the second half of the chest.

If you percuss, that is, start tapping the chest, then a dull sound will be detected over the area where the effusion is located, unlike the sound over healthy lung tissue.

An important point is that the formation of a large amount of exudate, more than 4 liters, can lead to a displacement of the mediastinum - the heart with its surrounding anatomical formations, which will also give characteristic symptoms. For example, a left-sided process will cause the mediastinum to shift to the right if the process is combined with pneumonia, that is, it is infectious. If the inflammatory process in the lining of the lungs with pneumonia is on the right, then a clinic of mediastinal displacement to the left will be detected.

To the left, with a left-sided lesion, the mediastinum will shift when the effusion is caused by a tumor process and is combined with a collapse of the lung tissue from the side of the lesion. In addition, exudative pleurisy on the left can be recognized by the disappearance of a sonorous, so-called tympanic sound, if the surface of the abdomen is percussed to the left of the navel immediately below the costal arch. Also, exudative pleurisy on the left will give a weakening, and more often the absence of respiratory noise in the projection of fluid in the pleural cavity on the left. Such signs and symptoms make it possible to diagnose mediastinal displacement with almost complete certainty.

Dry pleurisy will not give a displacement of the mediastinum, so with it the inflammatory process in the pleura is not accompanied by exudation.

Laboratory diagnosis of effusion pleurisy is based mainly on a blood test. In the blood, an increase in the number of white blood cells - leukocytes that take part in inflammatory reactions will be determined. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate will also be increased. A biochemical blood test will reflect the appearance of inflammatory protein compounds, such as C-reactive protein, for example.

Instrumental diagnosis of the exudative form of inflammation of the pleura includes a number of techniques. The simplest, but quite informative, of these is a chest x-ray.

X-ray, light area - the location of the exudate.

According to the radiograph, you can determine the presence of effusion and its approximate level, that is, to get an approximate idea of ​​the amount of exudate.

If there is little inflammatory fluid in the pleural cavity, that is, its amount does not exceed 150-200 ml, the so-called laterography method is used to clarify its presence.

The image shows the relative position of the patient with the X-ray machine during laterography.

The latter consists in conducting an X-ray examination in the position of the patient on the sore side. If there is an inflammatory exudate, then a narrow ribbon-like shadow will begin to be determined on the x-ray.

In the lower part of the image, a darkening (light area) is determined - this is the strip of exudate.

Such a diagnosis reduces the frequency of errors, which are often filled with a medical history.

Diagnosis of effusion pleurisy must necessarily include the study of the effusion itself, the evacuation of which is provided by thoracocentesis, that is, puncture of the pleural cavity.

Thoracocentesis is a puncture, that is, a puncture, of the pleural cavity, followed by the removal of the exudate accumulated there.

The correct position of the patient and the injection site.

This makes it possible to alleviate the patient's condition by straightening the previously compressed lung tissue, and also makes it possible to examine the inflammatory fluid from the pleural cavity.

Puncture technique.

Remove fluid during the puncture should be slow to avoid a sharp drop in pressure in the patient.

The process of surgical intervention can be complicated by the following phenomena:

  1. Bleeding.
  2. Pneumothorax is the entry of air into the pleural cavity, which requires urgent measures to remove it, the first of which is drainage of the pleural cavity.
  3. Infection.
  4. Damage to nearby organs.
  5. Sudden drop in patient's blood pressure.

When the puncture is performed, and the fluid from the pleural cavity is obtained, it is necessary to make sure that this is exactly the exudate. The fluid may be a so-called transudate, a non-inflammatory effusion that forms due to a change in the physical properties of the blood in the pulmonary vessels, usually in heart failure or kidney failure. The transudate is a clear, yellowish liquid that is usually odorless.

Always, if the effusion is recognized as exudate, it should be bacteriologically examined to identify the infectious nature of the disease and to choose the right antibacterial treatment, in accordance with the pathogens isolated from the effusion.

Differential diagnosis in the exudative form of inflammation of the lining of the lungs should be carried out in two directions. Firstly, the actual confirmation of damage to the lining of the lungs, which usually allows the clinic to be carried out, including signs of the disease. Secondly, different root causes are characterized by a different physical state of the exudate, as well as its composition. A description of all differential diagnostic measures should also include a medical history.

Therapeutic measures

Treatment of patients with exudative pleurisy should combine a drug component with a non-drug component, as well as careful nursing care for the patient.

Non-drug treatment is reduced to activating the patient and improving the blood supply to the lung tissue. Nursing supervision is usually sufficient for him. There are taps on the chest, movements from side to side, from right to left and from left to right, in bed, that is, every kind of obstruction to the patient's unchanged static position.

Drug treatment for effusion pleurisy is quite diverse:


It is important to note that both with dry and with effusion forms of pleurisy, both nursing and medical monitoring of the patient should be carried out with all care. The medical history should record all manipulations performed with the patient. It is especially important that the medical history includes information about thoracocentesis, since the latter can have quite formidable complications.

Exudative pleurisy is a disease characterized by damage to the pleura with the subsequent formation of fluid of various nature in its cavity. Most often, this disease acts as a secondary factor in any pathological changes.

Causes of the disease

Most often, the disease is a complication of various pathological processes in the lungs.

However, approximately 75 percent of cases of effusion pleurisy are diagnosed in patients with tuberculosis.

It can also lead to abscesses in the respiratory organs, pneumonia, bronchitis. It follows that the infectious form can be caused by:

The aseptic type, as a rule, accompanies all kinds of pulmonary and extrapulmonary pathological processes, aggravating the development of such diseases as:

  • postinfarction autoallergic pericarditis;
  • Dressler's syndrome;
  • hypersensitive;
  • various allergic reactions.

It often accompanies systemic connective tissue diseases, including:

  • dermatomyositis;
  • scleroderma;
  • recurrent panniculitis;
  • diffuse fasciitis.

The post-traumatic form of exudative pleurisy occurs against the background of:

  • electrical burns;
  • radiotherapy;
  • damage to the ribs;
  • violation of the integrity of the pleural cavity.

In addition, it may be etiologically associated with malignant neoplasms, including:

  • secondary tumors from neighboring organs (liver, ovaries, colon);
  • leukemia;
  • oncological changes in the pleura.

A large group consists of pleurisy caused by heart failure or blockage of the pulmonary artery. The hemorrhagic type can occur in various blood diseases, beriberi, diathesis.

Disease classification

Given the cause of development, exudative pleurisy can be distinguished:

  • Infectious;
  • aseptic character.

  1. Purulent. Leads to the accumulation of pus in the pleural cavity.
  2. Serous. It provokes inflammation of the pleura, followed by the accumulation of serous exudate there.
  3. Cholesterol. A rare type in which cholesterol crystals begin to accumulate in the exudate.
  4. Serous-fibrinous. Children of school and preschool age are most susceptible to this type.
  5. Putrid. It occurs as a result of putrefactive microorganisms entering the pleura from the focus of gangrenous lesions of the lung.
  6. Hemorrhagic. Accompanied by the formation of bloody.
  7. Chile. The cause of its formation is damage to the thoracic lymphatic duct by a cancerous tumor.
  8. Eosinophilic. A feature of this form is the accumulation of eosinophils in the pulmonary alveoli.
  9. Mixed. It combines the signs of several types of ailment.

Taking into account the location, it can be:

  • diffuse;
  • left-sided;
  • encysted;
  • right hand;
  • exudative pleurisy.

Based on the degree of flow, there are:

  • subacute;
  • acute;
  • chronic form.

Clinical picture and methods of treatment of the disease

In general, the severity and brightness of the symptoms of exudative pleurisy depends on the severity of the underlying disease, the rate and amount of fluid accumulation, and the type of pathogen. In most cases, the patient has:


The general condition of the patient is severe, especially in the purulent form of exudative pleurisy, which is accompanied by:

  • high temperature;
  • symptoms of intoxication;
  • chills.

On examination, you can see some, which appears due to an increase in the size of the half where fluid accumulates. In addition, the affected area lags behind in the process of inhalation and exhalation.

During listening to the lungs, breathing in the place of accumulation of exudate is not fixed or has a weakened appearance. Under its action, the heart begins to shift in a healthy direction, there is tachycardia. In certain cases, low blood pressure is detected. The occurrence of intoxication leads to dizziness and fainting.

Respiratory X-ray shows uniform opacification corresponding to the limits set in the process. In this case, the left-sided view of the disease differs in the location of the blackout in the left lung.

Also, to a certain extent, a sign of the disease are various changes in the composition of the blood:

  • an increase in the number of leukocytes,
  • eosinophilia,
  • an increase in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate.

Drug treatment of exudative pleurisy

Treatment primarily consists in, in addition, in the drug effect on the primary pathology that caused complications. In many cases, the disease is localized on the right, but more severe forms of the flow are also likely - pleurisy of the left-sided and bilateral type.

With an excessive volume of effusion, a puncture or complete removal of exudate from the pleural space is performed, which helps to lower the temperature, get rid of shortness of breath, and straighten the damaged lung.

Surgery is indicated for the following symptomatic manifestations:


In modern medicine, it is practiced to remove no more than two liters of effusion in one procedure.

Important in the treatment of exudative pleurisy is drug therapy. It includes:

  1. Antibacterial drugs, in the case of the infectious nature of the disease.
  2. Anti-tuberculosis drugs, if the source of infection is Koch's wand.
  3. Cytostatic drugs in the oncological nature of the disease.
  4. Steroid hormones in the situation of systemic lupus erythematosus.
  5. Diuretics in exudative pleurisy provoked by cirrhosis of the liver.

Regardless of the cause of the development of the disease, mucolytic, expectorant and antiallergic agents are used. With the onset of the period of resorption of purulent effusion, additional therapeutic measures are added to the main course of treatment:


Suppuration that has arisen in the pleural cavity is eliminated by introducing antibacterial drugs there. The chronic form of empyema is removed through surgical intervention, carried out in the process of thoracostomy or decortication of the lung. A disease caused by a cancerous tumor involves therapeutic measures based on chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Treatment with folk remedies

Exudative pleurisy can be overcome by resorting to treatment with traditional medicine. However, you must first consult with your doctor, as various contraindications are possible.


But do not forget that you can turn to folk remedies only if there are no contraindications, since their use can cause an allergic reaction and other complications.

Diagnosis, prognosis and measures to prevent the disease

To establish the correct diagnosis, the doctor can resort to one of the types of diagnostics that exist today:


As a rule, with a disease of a nonspecific nature, even if its course is prolonged, the prognosis is quite favorable. A negative outcome is possible only with the development of pleurisy caused by a malignant neoplasm.

In a situation of tuberculous etiology, the patient is sent to a specialized institution under the supervision of a phthisiatrician.

The main component of prevention, of course, is the timely treatment of pathological processes, against which pleurisy can develop. In addition, measures should be taken to strengthen the immune system, try to avoid hypothermia and chest injuries, in case of transferring the disease after 3-5 months, you need to undergo an X-ray examination.

The pleura is the main component of the human lungs. It is a thin smooth shell covered with elastic fibers. In a healthy person, pleural tissues produce a minimum of fluid - somewhere around 2 ml. This volume is quite enough for free breathing and the functioning of the chest. As a result of a person’s illness, he may develop pleurisy. In this scenario, the volume of fluid released increases significantly. It begins to accumulate in the folds can lead to serious problems.

Is treatment with folk remedies acceptable in this case? Pleurisy in the initial stage can be cured without resorting to the use of medications. In this review, we will look at how to do this. Below will be given recommendations and advice on the treatment of the disease in question.

Causes and symptoms of the disease

Physicians consider pleurisy as a secondary inflammatory process that occurs as a result of complications after suffering infectious or colds. These include pneumonia and tuberculosis. The development of the disease can also be caused by diseases such as rheumatism and pancreatitis.

Pleurisy (ICD-10 code - J90, R09.1) is characterized by the following unpleasant symptoms:

  • exhausting dry cough;
  • pain when breathing;
  • superficial rapid gentle breathing;
  • the damaged side takes less part in the breathing process;
  • elevated temperature;
  • weakness, general malaise, severe sweating, fatigue;
  • hiccups, sharp pain when swallowing.

Symptoms in adults require an immediate trip to a specialist. After the examination, the doctor will be able to make the correct diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate therapy.

Treatment rules

How to get rid of pleurisy? Clinical recommendations in most cases are based on bed rest. To make rehabilitation faster, the patient may need nursing care. To relieve pain, the doctor recommends procedures such as mustard plasters, various compresses and banks. The patient's chest is tightly bandaged.

What is taken in the diagnosis of "pleurisy"? Home treatment involves the use of drugs of the following types:

  • soothing and relieving pain;
  • medicines to relieve inflammation;
  • desensitizing agents.

Together with medicinal medicines, the patient can be prescribed therapy with alternative methods. After getting rid of the sensation of pain and heat, the doctor may also recommend physiotherapy, such as rubbing, massage, and airway gymnastics.

Regardless of the chosen form of treatment, hygiene should be given special importance. The question of whether pleurisy is contagious to others is still unclear. In addition, the patient needs a diet rich in vitamins and microelements for the recovery period. The main rule to be followed is that the treatment of pleurisy is carried out under the strict supervision of a doctor. The patient should only strictly adhere to his instructions.

Means intended for internal use

Today, folk remedies are used to combat many diseases. Pleurisy is no exception. Progress can be made by combining modern medicine and home remedies.

Here are the most effective ones:

  1. Onion with honey. The juice of one head in a ratio of one to one is mixed with sweetness. The mixture should be taken one spoon per day after a meal. This tool has a unique anti-infective effect.
  2. Radish juice with honey. This tool can be used three times a day.
  3. Cherry liquid and pulp. Use a quarter of a glass. It is advisable to use the remedy at the end of the meal.
  4. To relieve acute discomfort, it is worth using dragees of your own preparation. For this purpose, it is necessary to take honey and butter in equal volumes. They also add almonds. All ingredients must be mixed well. Compact balls are made from the resulting mass. The resulting dragee must be cooled. It is recommended to dissolve one ball three times a day.
  5. Inhalations based on coniferous plants. Spruce needles or pine buds are good for this purpose. Medicinal properties and contraindications to the use of this tool is better to check with a specialist.

Herbal treatment

How else can you get rid of pleurisy? Folk recipes are mainly based on the use of medicinal herbs. Infusions and special fees help to effectively deal with the symptoms of pleurisy.

Consider the most effective means:

  1. It is necessary to take two parts of licorice root, anise, marshmallow, sage and pine buds. A spoonful of the resulting mixture should be steamed in 250 ml of boiling water, close and do not touch the resulting solution for about 5 hours. The resulting solution should be filtered and drunk in a spoonful of 100-125 ml per day.
  2. One part of peppermint, elecampane, cudweed or licorice roots, two parts of coltsfoot leaves are taken. A solution is prepared on the basis of the herbal data. It is enough to take one spoonful of the mixture for a glass of boiling water. The infusion is used three times a day for 125 ml.
  3. Symptoms of pleurisy of the lungs in adults are well treated by a mixture of aloe juice, linden honey, a glass of vegetable oil, 150 grams of birch buds, 50 grams of linden flowers. Preparing the medicine is quite simple. Linden and birch buds are brewed with 500 ml of boiling water. The mixture must be kept for 20 minutes in a water bath. At the end of the infusion, the composition must be filtered and honey and aloe added to it. After a short time after heating, about 100 ml of vegetable oil should be added to the mixture made. The resulting medicine is taken 25-50 ml three times a day, regardless of the meal.
  4. Effective in the treatment of pleurisy tincture of horsetail. 50 grams of dried grass must be poured with 250 ml of boiling water and allowed to stand for three hours. Half a glass of the resulting mixture should be taken four times a day.
  5. Willow bark can be used as an astringent and antipyretic. It is used both for rinsing and for internal use. To prepare the tincture, it is enough to pour 25 grams of raw materials with a glass of boiling water. The infused composition on willow bark is recommended to use one tablespoon 3-4 times a day.
  6. Pine buds have a good expectorant and antiseptic effect. The medicinal properties and contraindications to the use of this drug are of interest to many today. To prepare the infusion, take 25 g of dry raw materials and pour 500 ml of boiling water over it. The mixture is infused for an hour in a thermos. Take a tincture of 70 ml three times a day.

If you take one of the recipes described above, you can forget about such an unpleasant ailment as pleurisy in a short time. When the acute stage has passed, it is necessary, together with internal means, to begin to perform external manipulations.

Rubbing and compresses

How to treat pleurisy? Clinical recommendations, as a rule, consist in the complex use of drugs, herbal infusions, compresses and various rubbing. Means for carrying out these procedures are easily prepared at home.

Here are the most effective recipes:

  1. Take 300 grams of the same amount of crushed aloe leaves and mix the resulting composition with one glass of honey. The resulting mixture must be kept in a heated oven for about 15 minutes. This tool can be used to rub the back and chest of the patient. In addition, the composition is suitable for internal use. It is recommended to use it three times a day before meals.
  2. A composition for rubbing based on camphor, eucalyptus and lavender oils has a positive effect. The mixture is quite runny. She should rub her chest twice a day.
  3. For therapeutic rubbing, you can also use regular olive oil. The product is preheated to the desired temperature in a water bath. Oil should be rubbed into the chest area. After that, a warm mustard compress can be applied to the affected area.
  4. Try to inhale with fir or pine essential oils.
  5. An excellent result is obtained by using a composition of 30 g of camphor oil and 2.5 g of lavender oil. The mixture must be rubbed into the affected side 4 times a day. A compress from a mixture of these oils can even be left overnight.
  6. In the first stages of the disease, in the absence of high temperature, it is recommended to make compresses from hot sea water.
  7. To get rid of sensations of pain, it is worth applying a bandage with mustard to the surface where it hurts.

Unusual Recipes

What else can traditional medicine offer? Pleurisy is well treated by using a compress cake with calendula oil. To make it, you need to take 2 tablespoons of mustard, 150 grams of flour, linden honey, calendula flowers, 100 ml of vodka. To prepare a compress, it is recommended to take 50 ml of calendula oil and add a mixture of the above substances to it. The resulting composition is thoroughly mixed and heated for 5 minutes in a water bath. The consistency of the mixture should resemble a stiff dough. It should be laid out on a piece of gauze, attached to the chest and covered with a warm scarf or scarf. Keep this compress for at least 30 minutes. If you repeat this procedure daily for a month, then a positive result is guaranteed to you.

With pleurisy, not only onions with honey are effective, but also its mixture with mustard. 30 g of powder must be mixed with a teaspoon of sweets and pour 2.5 glasses of water. Soak a towel in the resulting solution. To enhance the effect, you can also wrap the affected area with a wool scarf. Keep this compress for 20 minutes. After the procedure, the patient should be well covered and lie down for a while.

Breathing exercises and massage

We have already considered what pleurisy of the lungs is, the symptoms and treatment of folk remedies for this disease are also now known. It should be noted that in the fight against diseases of the respiratory tract, breathing exercises and massage also show high efficiency. However, it should be borne in mind that in the acute form of pathology, some physiotherapy procedures should not be used. Only during the recovery period, you can start doing certain exercises for the respiratory system and go for a massage. What explains the high efficiency of these activities? Massage and breathing exercises contribute to the rapid resorption of infiltrates and the removal of fluid accumulated in the pleura. They also have a stimulating effect on the supply of lymph and blood to the lungs. Breathing exercises help to stimulate the mobility of the chest and prevent the formation of adhesions in the respiratory organs. They can also be used as a preventive measure. It has long been known that breathing techniques help to strengthen the body.

As for massage for a disease such as pleurisy (ICD code 10), only an experienced specialist should deal with it. He will be able to follow the correct execution of all manipulations. At home, it is permissible to do only light massaging movements using a simple cream. Such a procedure will not be able to restore blood supply to the lungs, but will help prevent stagnation processes that can subsequently cause pneumonia.

How to perform a massage yourself?

Is it worth it? Many are interested in how to massage with pleurisy at home. It is best to start with kneading the paravertebral areas. After that, you should gradually move on to rubbing the broad dorsal muscles. Next, you need to start kneading the subclavian and supraclavicular areas. The procedure ends with a massage of the chest and diaphragm. After the procedure, you need to do some simple breathing exercises. A full course of massage treatment includes 12-15 approaches lasting 20 minutes. It can be done both daily and intermittently.

Preventive measures

If you take the necessary measures in time, you will not have to learn about the treatment of folk remedies. Pleurisy in the advanced stage disappears within a few weeks.

To prevent the disease, it is enough to adhere to the following simple recommendations:

  1. Try to strengthen the immune system by all available means. These include a balanced diet, regular exercise, the use of vitamin complexes. A positive result is also given by the implementation of breathing exercises.
  2. Try not to delay the treatment of colds and SARS. At the first manifestations of symptoms of pneumonia, it is necessary to undergo an X-ray examination.
  3. Quit smoking.

Conclusion

Pleurisy is a rather serious disease of the respiratory tract. At the initial stage, treatment with folk remedies is acceptable. Pleurisy can be overcome using compresses, tinctures and inhalations based on natural ingredients.

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