- How pleural effusion happens
- What can cause stroke
- How to confirm the stroke
- Main symptoms
- How the treatment is done
- Physiotherapy for pleural effusion
Pleural effusion occurs due to the excessive accumulation of fluid in the pleural space, which is the space created between the lung and the outer membrane that covers it, which can happen due to cardiovascular, respiratory or autoimmune problems, such as Lupus, for example.
This accumulation hinders the normal work of the lung and, therefore, breathing can be severely affected, and treatment should be carried out as soon as possible in the hospital to remove excess fluid.
How pleural effusion happens
In normal situations, the amount of liquid in the pleural space is very small, about 10 mL, and results from a perfect balance between its production and absorption. However, when there is a health problem such as lung infections or heart failure, this balance can be affected, leading to excessive fluid accumulation.
Once the liquid cannot be absorbed properly, it slowly accumulates, increasing pressure on the lung, which makes breathing difficult, leading to symptoms such as chest pain and shortness of breath, for example.
What can cause stroke
The main causes of pleural effusion are related to inflammation of the tissues of the lung or pleura, and include:
- Pneumonia; Tuberculosis; Lung cancer; Pulmonary embolism; Rheumatoid arthritis; Lupus.
However, stroke can also be caused by problems that lead to an increase in fluid throughout the body, such as decompensated heart failure, cirrhosis or advanced kidney disease.
Know other causes of water in the lung.
How to confirm the stroke
The best way to confirm the presence of a pleural effusion is to have an X-ray of the chest to see if there is an accumulation of fluid, which is represented by a white area in the lung. In most cases, the cause of the pleural effusion is already known, as it happens in cases of heart failure, however, when the stroke arises without an apparent cause, further tests may be necessary to identify the cause and start the appropriate treatment.
Main symptoms
The first symptoms that may indicate the development of a pleural effusion include:
- Difficulty in breathing; Feeling of shortness of breath; Chest pain, which worsens when inhaling deeply; Fever above 37.5ºC; Dry and persistent cough.
In most cases, these symptoms do not appear in small pleural effusions and even when they do, they can be associated with their causes, such as heart failure or pneumonia. Therefore, it is always recommended to do an X-ray to assess the possibility of a stroke, especially in decompensated cases or when the symptoms are very intense.
How the treatment is done
Pleural effusion is treated when it is very large and causes symptoms such as severe pain or shortness of breath, because when it is small it can be absorbed by the body, requiring only new X-rays to observe its evolution.
In cases where treatment is needed, the doctor usually drains the liquid, which is done using a needle and a syringe to cross the chest wall and reach the fluid-filled space, removing the excess.
Since there is a great risk that the pleural effusion will return a few weeks after being aspirated, it is very important to identify what is causing the problem, starting the appropriate treatment of the cause.
Physiotherapy for pleural effusion
After removing excess fluid, the doctor may recommend that respiratory physiotherapy consists of a set of breathing exercises taught by the physiotherapist that help the lung to return to its normal size, after being pressured by the stroke.
These exercises are important to reduce discomfort when breathing, but also to increase the amount of oxygen in the body. Understand how respiratory physiotherapy is done.
