Before the discovery of oxygen, the lungs’ function stumped physicians. Until the Renaissance, it was believed that they regulated body temperature. Since then, researchers have come a long way in learning about the lungs’ anatomy and their role in oxygen transfer. For instance, they now know that each lung is encased in a thin, double-layered membrane called the pleura. When this covering becomes inflamed, that’s known as pleurisy.

This ailment is brought on by a number of conditions. A viral infection, pneumonia, an autoimmune condition, or tuberculosis can cause the pleura to become inflamed. In the early stage of pleurisy, during an inhalation, the two membranes, which usually slide across each other like two sheets of satin, rub together painfully like sandpaper. Besides chest pain during breathing, symptoms include a dry cough and possibly fever and chills. In the later stages of the illness, the membranes produce an excess of fluid, which can accumulate and put pressure on the lungs. If the fluid becomes infected, the condition is known as an empyema.

To cure pleurisy, a doctor must first address the underlying issue. If a blood screening reveals that bacterial pneumonia is to blame, antibiotics will be prescribed. But if the pleurisy is caused by a virus, the most common treatment is waiting for the infection to run its course. In the meantime, over-the-counter painkillers and a prescription cough syrup with codeine can help keep the pain and symptoms under control. In rare cases, a large amount of fluid buildup requires that the fluid is drained out of the chest through a tube.

ADDITIONAL FACTS

  1. During Shakespearean times, the word pleurisy was often used in literature to mean a “ fullness of blood.”
  2. The pressure in the pleural cavity between the two membranes is less than the atmospheric pressure, which helps keep the lungs expanded.