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Illustrated Health Encyclopedia
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Ency. home > Disease > P > Pleurisy

Pleurisy   

Overview | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention

Alternative names:

Pleuritis; Pleuritic chest pain

Treatment

Treatment is directed at the underlying illness. Bacterial infections are treated with appropriate antibiotics. Tuberculosis requires special treatment. Viral infections normally run their course without medications. Pleural fluid may be removed by thoracentesis, and evaluated for signs of infection.

Prognosis

Recovery depends on the nature of the underlying illness. Recovery from infections of all types is generally good with treatment. Recovery from pleurisy caused by malignant disease depends on the type and extent of the illness.

Complications

  • Breathing difficulty
  • Complications associated with the precipitating illness
  • Complications associated with thoracentesis

Call Your Health Care Provider If:

Call your health care provider if you experience symptoms of pleurisy. If you have breathing difficulty or the skin turns bluish (cyanosis), you should be seen promptly, possibly in an emergency room.

Ency. home > Disease > P > Pleurisy

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