Which doctor is best for pleural effusion?

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asked Aug 22, 2023 in Diseases Conditions by Aidree (1,200 points)
Which doctor is best for pleural effusion?

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answered Aug 31, 2023 by JorelFlorke (10,500 points)
The doctor that is best for pleural effusion is a pulmonologist.

However you may also be referred to a general internist, rheumatologist, gastroenterologist, surgeon or nephrologist.

Pleural effusion is a pretty common disease and more than 1.5 million people in the United States are diagnosed with pleural effusion each year.

The clinical signs of pleural effusion are shortness of breath, rapid breathing, hiccups, fever and chills, cough and chest pain.

Pleural effusion can be benign and benign pleural effusion is twice as common as malignant effusions.

Pleural effusion can damage the lung if left untreated.

Pneumonia can cause pleural effusion as pleural effusion is common in people who have developed pneumonia.

Around 40 percent to 60 percent of people with bacterial pneumonia will also develop pleural effusion.

The painkillers that are used for pleural effusion are acetaminophen and Ibuprofen which reduces inflammation.

The length of time you can live with benign pleural effusion is around 9 to 10 years or around 114 months to 120 months after diagnoses.

The 2 types of pleural effusion are exudative and transudative pleural effusion.

If pleural effusion is left untreated it can lead to lung scarring or sepsis or a collapsed lung.

Untreated pleural effusion can be life threatening and can be very serious.

Pleural effusion can go away if it's minor although more serious pleural effusion will not go away without treatment.

The life expectancy of a person with pleural effusion is 30 days to a year once it progresses.

If caught soon enough and treated a person can live 5 to 10 years or longer with pleural effusion.

The main treatment for pleural effusion is fluid drainage.

Removing the fluid from the chest cavity by draining it will relieve symptoms of pleural effusion and allow your lungs to inflate more fully as they should.

A minimally invasive drainage procedure for pleural effusion is thoracentesis which is done by inserting a needled into your chest cavity to allow the fluid to be drained.

Pleural effusion is a very serious condition as it can be life threatening and masquerade as something that is less serious.

If cancer grows in the pleural space, it causes a "malignant pleural effusion."

This condition is a sign that the cancer has spread, or metastasized, to other areas of the body.

The main cause of pleural effusion is congestive heart failure.

However other conditions such as pulmonary embolism, pneumonia and cancer can also cause pleural effusion.

The pleural fluid puncture or pleural tap will enable the differentiation of a transudate from an exudate which remains at present the foundation of further diagnostic work up.

Pleural effusion is the buildup of fluid between the tissues that line the chest and lungs.

The fluid can accumulate around the lungs because of poor pumping of the heart or by inflammation.

Symptoms of pleural effusion include sharp chest pain, cough, or shortness of breath.

Heart failure is the most common cause of pleural effusion.

Pleural effusuion which is fluid around the lungs is a potentially dangerous condition that can masquerade as something less worrisome.

What might seem like chest pain or coughing due to a bad cold could actually have serious health ramifications.

It's not that rare, either.

When the condition is treated, the effusion usually goes away.

For a pleural empyema, the pus needs to be drained.

It may drain from a flexible tube placed in the chest.

Or you may have surgery to drain it.

Removing fluid from the chest cavity can relieve the symptoms of pleural effusion and allow the lungs to inflate more fully.

One minimally invasive drainage method is thoracentesis, which involves inserting a needle into the chest cavity to remove the excess fluid.

Possible symptoms of pleural effusion include pleuritic chest pain, dyspnea, and a dry, nonproductive cough.

The chest pain associated with pleural effusion is caused by pleural inflammation of the parietal pleura resulting from movement-related friction between the two pleural surfaces.

Pleuritic chest pain may be localized or referred.

Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) affects almost 15% of people with underlying malignancy and is associated with a poor life expectancy (20).

Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is a common and important clinical condition.

A complication in many types of tumors, its presence indicates the onset of the terminal stages of cancer.

Dyspnea is the most common symptom of MPE.

Explosive pleuritis is defined as a pleural effusion that increases in size in less than 24 hours.

It was first described by Braman and Donat3Thoracentesis is a procedure that a provider uses to drain extra fluid from around the lungs (pleural space) with a needle.

It's used to test the fluid for infection or other illnesses and to relieve chest pressure that makes it tough to breathe.

Thoracentesis is a short, low-risk procedure done while you're awake.

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