Get Knowing Pleura Disease

The pleura is a fine skin that surrounds the lung (lung membrane) and lines the chest (pleura). In between is a small, little liquid-filled gap (pleural cleft). The liquid ensures that lung and pleura and exhaling easily glide past each other can. Pleurisy (Pleurisy), which age independent may occur, these two protective skins are inflamed.

Possible causes of Pleurisy

The Pleurisy is not contagious and usually occurs as a secondary disease. Underlying disease following diseases in question are:

1. Pneumonia with transfer of pathogens on the pleura
2. acute bronchitis
3. Lung cancer
4. a pulmonary embolism
5. Tuberculosis

Diseases of adjacent organs in the abdomen and pelvis (such as inflammation of the renal pelvis).

Agents - often bacteria, only rare virus, which are far away from sources of ignition, can be a cause of Pleurisy.

Symptoms of dry Pleura

A Pleurisy can be based on the symptoms, listen to the lungs, X-ray and ultrasound examinations, as well as to diagnose the blood examination of inflammatory parameters. There are two forms of Pleurisy: the dry and the wet version.

The dry Pleurisy is characterized by symptoms such as severe chest pain when breathing and dry cough. Listening-dependent respiratory rattling, creaking noises can be heard. They arise because of the pleura and lung fur rubbing against each other. A Pleurisy of the ill has a gentle attitude, which can serve as a first visible signs in the diagnosis. Fever does not occur, however, mostly. Anders is in a wet Pleurisy.

Symptoms of wet Pleura

The dry Pleurisy often passes into a damp and febrile Pleurisy. Often occurs then also a pleural effusion. This means that more and more liquid between the ribs and lungs gets. Thanks to this fluid, the severe pain disappear. Depending on how big is the pleural effusion, but appear a feeling of pressure in the chest and shortness of breath. Sometimes affected shoulder pain complain, because the diaphragm nerve irritates the pleural effusion.

A pleural effusion is present, it is punctured to alleviate the pressure and the liquid to investigate a possible pathogen or tumor cells. Germs in the effusion can immigrate namely, causing pus is formed soon. As a result of a purulent pleurisy diaphragm inflammation can occur then.

Because breathing in a painful Pleurisy is often flat, inflamed parts of the pleura are each other long time immobile and can grow with each other especially when a purulent pleurisy. Rib and lung fur form cheat sheets, which are known as pleura calluses or pleural rinds. The lungs set connects to the rib cage and can freely develop therefore breathing.

Treatment of Pleurisy: what to do?

Of course, the duration and the forecast of Pleurisy depend on the nature of the underlying disease. A Pleurisy is treated in proper time, she heal mostly without complications. The focus of treatment is the primary condition, which caused the Pleurisy.

A dry Pleurisy is however, a pain management should be necessarily concomitantly. As affected by pain only diminished breathing, an accompanying breathing exercises can be useful. Still light fare and consistent bed rest is recommended. Homeopathy also provides two means for supporting treatment of uncomplicated Pleurisy: Bryonia and Cantharis in powers of D6 and D12.

The appropriate home remedies include hot chest packs or a hay flower therapy. Hay flowers should come from the Pharmacy and be applied in the form of a hot, wet Hay bag for about 30 to 40 minutes as a compress. Larger effusions should be a puncture. A bacterial infection is present, taking an antibiotic is probably necessary.

Treatment of advanced Pleurisy

Was at the wet Pleurisy pus formed in the pleural space, the purulent fluid by means of a chest tube should be derived. This drainage (drainage) is the purulent pleural cavity also rinsed.

Is the disease is already too far advanced, a complete emptying of the purulent fluid is no longer possible without surgery. As operation get the keyhole procedure, or open surgery. In addition, also purulent inflammatory pads should be removed here of lung and pleura.

Cheat sheets as a result of the merging of lung and pleura are characteristic for the final stage of Pleurisy. It is advisable to prevent any skin formation by an early operation in the first three to four weeks after the start of the disease. Must subsequently elaborately surgically removed rinds, it is not always possible to establish the performance of the lungs again.

Lung cancer

In Western countries the number of lung cancer cases increases for years. Although the trend is declining for men since the 80's, that women exhibit every year new sad record numbers. Meanwhile, lung cancer is the third most common form of cancer in both sexes. 

These figures are all the more tragic than that of lung cancer is one of the few malignant tumors, in which the main risk factor is known for a long time: about 90% of lung cancer patients are smokers. Passing, is that according to a study almost every third 15-year-old smokes, where Germany is one of the sad leaders in international comparison, the probability is high that the number of lung cancer patients in the future will not fall.

What is lung cancer?

In fact, lung cancer is a generic term for different malignant tumours in the lungs and respiratory system. The lung cancer that is colloquially often equated with lung cancer and addressed the following here is the by far most common form (90%). The blood to metastases, so daughter tumours of other types of cancer in the lung be flushed and to settle there. Malignant tumors of the lung and pleura are rare.

Depending on how the tissue will appear under the microscope, small cell (25%) and non-small cell lung cancer are distinguished. The latter is further subdivided into various forms, including the Squamous Cell Carcinoma, which goes from deck tissue and most commonly occurs with about 45%, and the adenocarcinoma, which does not depend in contrast to all other forms of smoking.

The small cell lung cancer spreads daughter tumors very early and therefore has a poorer prognosis. For prognosis and therapy also the tumor stage is important in addition to the microscopic findings of the cell, so the cancer is how big and how far it has spread in diagnosis on surrounding structures and in the body.

What are the causes of lung cancer?

The lung cancer arises primarily as a result of tobacco smoking. There are about 4 in the cigarette smoke.000 substances, 40 are carcinogenic of which, as well as standardised harms a responsible for the cancerous gene on chromosome 9 P 53. But not only active smoking is unhealthy, even exposure to secondhand smoke increases the risk of cancer. A non-smoker spends an evening surrounded by smokers in an enclosed space, such as a pub, the body will be charged as when he had smoked 4-9 cigarettes.

The risk increases with the number of cigarettes, the depth of inhalation, the duration of smoking and age. Tar and nicotine concentration also play a role. It assumes that the risk of cancer is 30-fold increased 40 Pack years (i.e. for 40 years of a pack of cigarettes daily). But there is good news: smokers do it, to rid themselves of their nicotine addiction the probability of getting lung cancer, approaches to and after again in non-smokers.

Toxic substances in the air as a cause of lung cancer

In addition to smoking, other toxins in the air we breathe can trigger lung cancer, especially if you are exposed to them over a long period. These include asbestos, arsenic, chromium, cadmium, nickel, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, mustard gas, uranium, radon etc. So are E.g. Blast furnace workers, gas company workers, roofers and asphalt facilities at risk, especially if they violate the provisions of the occupational safety and health. The combination of these pollutants with active smoking is particularly dangerous.

Why is however in some smokers developed cancer, while others remain untouched despite decades of long nicotine addiction, is not yet clear. A clear genetic cause could be found so far nor as a diet-related. However, the scientists assume that relationships exist.

Lung Cancer: Symptoms and signs

What are lung cancer the symptoms of? Tricky is that lung cancer causes no symptoms, usually very long. Often, lung cancer is therefore either discovered coincidentally during an X-ray examination or only when it is already advanced and therefore poorly curable. Unlike some other types of cancer, also currently no screening is offered which would suitable as a screening for the early detection. When symptoms occur, they are at least in the beginning mostly not of other lung diseases to differentiate. Following symptoms should give rise to a visit to the doctor, especially when combined or prolonged occur:

1. new-onset, which worsens or changing chronic dry cough
2. Coughing up blood
3. Breathing to the shortness of breath
4. Lung sounds while breathing, chest pain
5. Lung diseases such as bronchitis, that do not heal
6. Hoarseness, swallowing
7. Fever, night sweats
8. Fatigue, power folding
9. Loss of appetite, unintentional weight loss

More problems can occur when spreading lung cancer and metastases to other organs to settle. Frequently spinal cord, brain, adrenal glands and liver are affected, which can lead to back pain, headaches, dizziness, changes in behaviour, abdominal pain or nausea.

How is the diagnosis made?

By means of studies, not just the tumor is found, but also his style and his stage determines, to decide on the treatment. First, the doctor will ask the medical history, including smoking habits and occupational hazard. After the physical examination x-rays of the lungs, as well as various blood tests will join. To evaluate the tumor tissue, possibly a reflection of lung is performed at also cell - and tissue samples can be found.

With a computed tomography of the chest, Oberbauchs and brain cancer incidence can determine and track down the daughter tumours. Allows a skeletal scintigraphy in bone wastage is targeted to Absieden lungs, may join a bone marrow biopsy. There are a series of further tests which are used depending on the case and before a planned surgery.

What is the treatment?

The treatment depends on type and spread of the tumor. As far as possible attempts to achieve a cure. This however only works if all tumour metastases and diseased lymph nodes can be removed. Only then can prevent a recurrence. Depending on the type of cancer, stage and condition of the patient, surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or a combination thereof be applied.

Operation: Right and left lung consist of two or three lobes, which are composed of a total of ten or nine segments of the lung. Depending on the size of the tumor is occasionally the entire left or right lung (Pneumektomie) removed a segment (partial lung resection) or a lobe (Lobectomy). With a lung function test previously determined whether the remaining respiratory activity is sufficient. Especially non-small cell shapes are suitable for surgery.

Chemotherapy: This cytostatics are given mostly in several cycles, cell toxins which attack especially cancer cells, but not sparing even the body's healthy cells. It is therefore often cause strong side effects. Particularly small cell carcinomas are out.

Radiation therapy: Cells be harmed by x-rays in certain dosage. Particularly small cell lung cancer is to reduce, they irradiated the skull, a the settlement of metastases can possibly prevent.

Recently, scientists have found some new approaches at the molecular level, where in the therapy, the cancer cells are specifically attacked. First research results offer hope that is consequently will in future also in lung cancer new treatment options.

How are history and prognosis?

Total lung cancer is currently rather unfavourable prognostic cancer types – 5 years after diagnosis on average only 13-14% of patients. The prognosis depends however type, size and spread of the tumor, and hence responsiveness to therapy, but also by the age and general condition of the patient.

The relatively best forecast has the squamous cell carcinoma at an early stage, the worst the small cell lung cancer. If left untreated it leads even within a few weeks to death. Regular checkups are important after completion of treatment, so that also a recurring tumor can be detected early and treated. And in any case, the person concerned should be consistently abandoned cigarettes.