Pleural pain (pleurodynia) is a symptom that accompanies various diseases - some of them can be life-threatening. See what is pleural pain and how to distinguish it from another common pain - angina. Remember: do not delay your visit to the doctor if you have any pain in your chest.

Pleural pain( pleurodynia ) is pain felt in the chest, usually from the side. It has a sharp, prickly nature, sometimes radiating to the interscapular area. Pleural pain is well-localized and often worsens with deeper inhalation, sneezing, coughing, or sudden movement. It is a relief to lie on the side that hurts. It is often accompanied by shortness of breath.

Pleural pain: causes

Pleural pain can be a symptom of various diseases. Some of them pose a threat to the patient's life:

  • pulmonary embolism
  • pneumonia
  • pleurisy
  • tuberculosis
  • cancer
  • bornholm disease
  • rheumatism

Pleural pain and angina

Pleural pain should be differentiated from angina, which is a symptom of a cardiological problem (it may be myocarditis, aortic aneurysm, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy). This pain is the result of a single myocardial ischemia. Patients describe it as: crushing, choking, pressure or burning in the heart area, behind the sternum, sometimes the pain radiates to the jaw, upper limbs (especially the left). It may take several minutes. It usually disappears after rest or administration of nitroglycerin under the tongue. A special case of angina is myocardial infarction pain - it is stronger, lasts longer (more than half an hour) and does not stop after stopping exercise or after nitroglycerin. It may be accompanied by sweating and fear of death.

Pleural pain (Pleurodynia), unlike angina, is well-localized and often worsens with deeper inhalation, sneezing, coughing, or sudden movement. It is a relief to lie on the side that hurts. It is often accompanied by shortness of breath.

Worth knowing

What is a pleura?

It is the serous membrane that covers the lungs. It is made of two plaques: the parietal pleura adjacent to the chest wall and the visceral pleura (pulmonary pleura), whichfits tightly to the lung - except where it passes into the parietal pleura (this passage is called the mesentery of the lung). Between these two plaques is the pleural cavity.

When does the pleura hurt?

The pleura may hurt when air is drawn into it (pneumothorax) or an inflammatory or neoplastic infiltrate appears. Pain can cause pleural irritation in a pulmonary infarction or cause pleural fluid. Importantly, the lung tissue itself, and the visceral pleura, are not innervated by sensation. Pain does not appear until the inflammation touches the pleura. If this does not happen, we may not feel that something is happening, but additional symptoms, such as general weakness or shortness of breath, may prompt us to see a doctor.

In order to diagnose the cause of pain, a number of tests must be performed, especially chest X-rays. The doctor may also recommend abdominal ultrasound, blood count, markers of myocardial necrosis, ALT, AST, amylase.

Worth knowing

Usually, any pain that appears suddenly in the chest arouses our anxiety, because perhaps it comes from the heart, and we perceive it as a threat to life. Indeed, such pain can be associated with the cardiovascular system, but also with many others - digestive, respiratory (e.g. trachea, esophagus - reflux can also be manifested by pain and burning in the chest), nervous, musculoskeletal. Sometimes it is just a so-called "stretching", that is too much, one-time physical effort. Many people also complain of pain that has no physical basis whatsoever. This is psychogenic pain (neuralgia). To make a diagnosis in this case, doctors have the most work to do as they need to rule out all other potential causes of pain.

Category:

Respiratory system