Synonyms in a broader sense
Synonyms: pleurisy, pleurisy, pleurisy inflammation Technical term: pleuritis
Definition
The pleura is a layer of skin that covers the lungs from the outside and lines the ribcage from the inside. Through this type of coating, the pleura produces a fine, almost watery fluid to allow the organs within the thoracic cavity to glide smoothly. The term “inflammation of the pleura” describes a disease in which inflammatory processes occur within the thorax.
In this context, either the lung or the pleura may be inflamed. In some cases, the inflammatory processes even include both structures simultaneously. Inflammation of the pleura usually manifests itself as acute pain during breathing (breath-dependent pain), which is usually limited to one side of the thorax.
These complaints can severely restrict the general well-being of the affected patient and make a normal daily routine impossible. Inflammation of the pleura is often a sign of another underlying disease and in these cases is considered a symptom rather than an independent disease. However, the underlying cause of the inflammation of the pleura cannot be determined in most cases.
The reason for this fact is that extensive diagnostic procedures do not have to be carried out if the course of the disease is benign. Inflammation of the pleura is divided medically into different forms. The most popular is the classification of pleurisy according to its severity (mild to severe) or according to the time course of the symptoms experienced by the patient (sudden or prolonged; acute or chronic).
In addition, the inflammation of the pleura can be classified according to its possible causes. In this context, a distinction is made between infectious forms (bacterial, viral or caused by fungi) and non-infectious forms of pleurisy. A further subdivision refers to whether or not a so-called pleural effusion (accumulation of fluid between the lung and pleura) occurs during the course of inflammation of the pleura. In this context, pleurisy is divided into a dry and a wet course. However, since even in most cases of dry inflammation of the pleura, ultrasound scans show at least a minimal pleural effusion, this classification is rather doubtful.
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