Article Sphere Logo
 

Dealing With A Collapsed Lung - Pneumothorax

By Expert Author: James Fletcher | Article Abstract
Word Count: 340 words | Views: 784 view(s)
A pneumothorax is also known as a collapsed lung. It is basically the accumulation of air inside the pleural cavity. A pneumothorax if left untreated can be deadly. Below are some of the symptoms and treatments available.

The main symptom of a collapsed lung is shortness of breath and chest pain. These symptoms however could be the result of a multitude of other problems so if you experience these symptoms you should get yourself to a doctor or hospital immediately.

Other symptoms of a pneumothorax can include a dry and persistent cough, Upper body and arm soreness and a wheezing sound when breathing.

A doctor can diagnose a pneumothorax through a variety of different methods. An x-ray will easily show up a collapsed lung. A stethoscope will also pick up the reduced breath sounds emitted from a collapsed lung. The doctor may also tap your chest to listen for the difference in thuds that are produced from each side of your lung.

Once you have been diagnosed with a collapsed lung, the treatment can begin. A small pneumothorax may easily repair on it's own. Your doctor may also give you oxygen through a mask as this has been shown to speed up recovery. More severe cases require a tube to be placed through the chest into the lung to equalize the pressure.

If a collapsed lung keep reoccurring, the doctor may recommend pleurodesis. Pleurodesis is the insertion of a talc like substance that causes your chest cavity to become inflamed and weep. This is then used to stick the lung to, which in turn prevents the lung from being able to collapse. This operation is especially needed for people who have had multiple or severe lung collapses.

Tall, thin, young males are most at risk of having a pneumothorax. Also those who smoke, have lung cancer, blebs or any other lung problems are also highly at risk.

If you believe you may have a pneumothorax or have any of these symptoms, it is vital to see your doctor or go straight to the hospital straight away.
James Fletcher

About the Author/Author Bio

For more tips about dealing with a collapsed lung or for some tips about the eleventh week of pregnancy please visit healthpoints.info today.

Article Source: http://www.articlesphere.com/Article/Dealing-With-A-Collapsed-Lung---Pneumothorax/184079

Article Submitted: 2009-04-10 | This Article has been viewed 784 times.
Related Videos

When to Seek Medical Attention for Bronchitis
Learn About Lung Health
Building Strength for Lung Patients
Quitting Smoking and Regaining Lung Capacity
Seeking Treatment for Lung Conditions
 

More "Lung Mesothelioma Asbestos" Related Articles

 
 

Listed below are more articles related to the above article from the "Lung Mesothelioma Asbestos" article category.

People interested in the above article "Dealing With A Collapsed Lung - Pneumothorax" are also interested in the related articles listed below:

 
Among the various type of cancer deaths, lung cancer is responsible for 29 percent of that. Hence, you can begin protecting yourself now by arming yourself with the general facts on lung cancer before it's too late.
Early detection of lung cancer warning signs - or any other types of illnesses - is crucial in helping to find a cure for the disease. Indeed, the earlier one is able to find out about the disease, the better chances they have for combating the illness.
The effects of lung cancer on the patient's body can differ according to the type and stage of the disease. However, studies are now focused towards the unpleasant impact of treatments intended to cure the disease in patients. Although these have been recognized as temporary effects only, it still does produce enough good to the health of the patients.
No parent will get a good night sleep when his baby is persistently coughing and breathing for him is difficult. You think that it is no ordinary cold or cough. It is something else. You may want to check if your baby is suffering from Bronchiolitis.
Ever heard your doctor mention the term bronchitis? This is actually a chronic or acute swelling or soreness of the mucous membranes of the respiratory system's tracheobronchial tree (trachea or windpipe and the bronchial tubes). Under some circumstances, it may or may not be contagious.
Every year, you may suffer from a disease that can render you sick and disabled. Diseases that you cross paths with can immobilize you and can stop you from going to work to earn money, or will not allow you to go to school and catch up with the latest lessons. You have to consider that in order to get back to work or to school as soon as possible, you have to cure the disease in order to become a productive member of society again.
Coughing, most often, is the onset symptom of bronchitis. Being knowledgeable on matters regarding coughing can be most helpful in combating bronchitis especially chronic bronchitis. A cough is an abrupt, frequently recurring contraction of the "thoracic cavity," which results in an aggressive discharge of air from the lungs that comes with a distinguishing sound.
 
Article Directory Home All Categories Disease And Conditions Lung Mesothelioma Asbestos
 

Can't find what you're looking for? Try Google Search!
 
Copyright © 2005 - by Larry Lim, Singapore - Article Search Engine Directory at ArticleSphere.com™
All Rights Reserved Worldwide. All Trademarks and Servicemarks are the property of the respective owners.

Afrikaans Albanian Arabic Belarusian Bulgarian Catalan Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Traditional) Croatian Czech Danish German English Estonian Filipino Finnish French Galician Greek Hebrew Hindi Hungarian Icelandic Indonesian Irish Italiano Japanese Korean Latvian Lithuanian Macedonian Malay Maltese Dutch Norwegian Persian Polish Portuguese Romanian Russian Serbian Slovak Slovenian Spanish Swahili Swedish Thai Turkish Ukrainian Vietnamese Welsh Yiddish