Pleurisy is an infection of the pleura, the delicate membranes separating the lungs from the chest wall. It is usually the result of a virus infection, but it can also be caused by pneumonia, a chest injury, inflammation of the pericardial heart lining, a blood clot of the lung, and, rarely, lung cancer. Pleuritis occurs when the two layers of the pleura become red and inflamed. Then they rub against each other every time your lungs expand to breathe in air. This can cause sharp pain with breathing.
Pleurisy symptoms typically include a cough, fever, a sharp sticking pain and shallow breathing. The pain is normally worse for any movement, such as breathing in. It can be a complication after you have had pneumonia or some other lung related condition, and your treatment didn't make things any better.
Pleurisy symptoms can actually be symptoms of Mesothelioma: Asbestos mesothelioma is a rare and deadly cancer that most often strikes in the lungs. There it can produce what seems like pleurisy symptoms that are actually symptoms of mesothelioma. Being short of breath may be caused by many things, but it is also a frequent sign of pleurisy as well as of both peritoneal mesothelioma and pleural mesothelioma, both of which often involve effusions—which is when fluid collects in the lining of the lungs or the lining of the peritoneum (the abdominal cavity).
Pleurisy treatment is often directed first towards the cause of the condition. That means to help relieve discomfort caused by pleurisy, the infection or the tumor must be managed along with some pain medications that can help ease the pain. The pain will not go away if the cause is not removed. If you are coughing heavily and it is causing you pain, then you may want to hug a pillow or two to help splint your chest. This will give support to your chest wall and help prevent your chest from expanding too much.
There are also helpful herbal remedies for pleurisy treatment available in the market. Wild cherries are known to be a tonic fruit that is used to treat pleurisy since the early times. Common herbs such as coltsfoot, buckthorn, thyme and comfrey also have some traces in records that is said to alleviate the pain felt by affected individuals. It is also noted that tilgner has expectorant and antispasmodic properties that is indicative for pleurisy treatment. However, this should not be given to pregnant patients as this may cause untoward reactions to the pregnancy. Another herbal medicine for pleurisy treatment is the use of camphor. It has properties of muscle relaxant and acts as a counter irritant promoting blood flow and distribution.
