Does anyone here know anything about Pleurosis?  I had it once, about 7 years
ago, but all I can remember clearly is that it followed a case of the flue,
it started out as a "backache" that extended to my shoulder, and it became
intensely painful.

I think I might, maybe, have another case developing and I'd like to know the
signs to look for *before* I have to be hauled to the hospital in an
Ambulance.  Then again, if it is a backache, I'll just take a couple of
tylenol and wait it out.

I'm already on anit-biotics  and from what I was told, Pleurosis is rarely
contagious.  Is there anything else a doctor can do for this?

Thanks for whatever information you can share.

10 responses total.

You will probably get better information from someone on Grex with a medical
background, but I seem to recall that it is an inflamation of the pleuri
(little sacs in the lungs.  I will look it up in my Mayo Clinic book and
re-enter something if this answer is not correct.

I hope you are not in any pain.  I think the only other thing you can do, is
rest and drink plenty of fluids.  Don't exert yourself if your lungs are
compromised in any way.  And get better soon.

I'm back.  I was thinking of Pleurisy and Pleural Effusions.  If that's what
you have it is as follows:  an inflammation of the pleura, the durable
membrane that surrounds each of your lungs.  Pleural effusions are
accumulations of fluid in the pleural space.  In pleurisy that two inflamed
layers of the membrane rub against each other when you inhale and exhale. 
This produces a sharp fleeting pain in your chest that is made worse by
coughing, sneezing etc.  The pain is relieved when you hold your breath, or
sometimes, when you apply pressure over the painful area. 

The Mayo Clinic reference states that it is usually accompanied by a
coexisting disorder such as pneumonia or trauma to the chest.  They say
analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs are generally prescribed.  Sometimes
codeine to control the cough (and make you not care much about anything.)

All this is a moot point if this is not the same as your diagnosis.

That sounds exactly like what I've been experiencing -- and I think it came
on the coattails of the flu I picked up in Texas a few weeks ago.

*sigh*  Well, it's getting better.

Some viruses, possibly including flu, protect themselves by interfering
with the proper functioning of your immune system, so now that you are
over the flu, your immune system should eventually get back to normal.
I think measles may have been one of the anti-immune-system viruses, which
is why I was given antibiotics when I had measles (at age 30, in Prague). 
Make sure to eat properly and get enough rest (as if you didn't know that).

The pleura is a membrane which surrounds the lungs and covers the thoracic
cavity.  It creates a potential space, like two layers of plastic placed
together.  When you exhale, and your lungs "shrink", the pleural layers
separate and create the actual space, which, btw, has a low or negative
pressure...which helps/permits the lungs to expand as you inhale.  You may
have heard the term pneumothorax.  this is where there is a wound through the
toracic cavity which punctures the plural sac, preventing the vaccume <sp?>
effect and causing the lung(s) to collapse.  This can be from a puncture wound
(like a knife, falling on a stick or ski pole, an injection in the area, etc).
On the right side, your pleural cavity extends above your clavicle and is
quite superficial (and close to your shoulder joint and shoulder/neck
muscles).

Pleurosis is a general term.  It merely means a condition of the pleura. 
Pleuritis is an inflammation of the pleura ("itis" = inflammation, "osis" =
condition).

If you're on antibiotics for some infection (or to prevent one), and you're
getting better anyway, you should just use common sense to eat well, don't
over-exert yourself (ie; rest your lungs) and finish your medication as
directed, usually until it's all gone, even if you feel better.  If you have
any lasting problems, or if you stop getting better (or get any worse) call
your doc right away.  lungs are vital organs and you shouldn't take chances
with them in any event.

To rest your lungs during healing is pretty much common sense.  If you smoke,
stop (at least while you recover).  Stay away from noxious fumes (cleaning
sprays, insecticides, polluted air, perfumes, etc) and reduce the exertion
of your lungs (minimize exercise for now, and no heavy breathing, ;-)

That sounds like good advice for any infection, I will pass it along to Jim,
who just finished three weeks of antibiotics for sinusitis.  Ricky, could you
explain how allergies and bronchial or sinus infections are related?  Does
one cause the other somehow?  OUr theory is that the extra mucus provided a
good environment for bacterial growth and the decongestant was supposed to
remove that environment.  Cleaner air (nern Michigan) seemed to help.
Hope Misti is feeling better today, it sounds awful.  Could the mucus from
her flu have become food for other infections?

Well, you're out of my area of expertise, but my common sense tells me that
when you suffer an allergic reaction the tissues are more susceptible to
injury and/or infection.  As a rule, the extra mucus is there to clear the
passages out, but when the cilia cannot move it up and out as fast as it
accumulates you have problems.  The decongestants work to thin out the mucus
and/or reduce its production (either by providing releif from the noxious
irritant or slowing down the production process itself) so your body can move
it out faster, and you breathe easier.  the antihistamines actually address
the allergic reaction itself, which involves the release of histamine in the
involved area and a cascade of other biochemical ramifications.

As we've just learned that Misti is diabetic, she's more susceptible to
infection and will most likely respond more slowly than a non-diabetic.  But,
since she is a controlled diabetic, these effects should be minimal.

Why does an allergic reaction make you more susceptible to infection?  Do the
bacteria grow in the mucus, or is it increased humidity in the passages?
IS there some way to get the mucus out faster without drugs, such as drinking
hot liquids, or breathing in warm steamy air?

The allergic reaction involves inflammation as well as the histamine response.
Therefore, the tissues/cells are in a state of 'stress' and more vulnerable
to anything.  Again, not being a pulmonologist I can only assume there are
many bacteria/microbes which actually use the sputum for a growth medium, but
the sputum is the bodies way to capture and remove the microbes.  I don't
think the 'humidity' is a factor either way (could be wrong on this, since
moist air makes breathing easier).  Using moist heat over/around the lungs,
and tapontment <sp?> (beating the chest in a rhythmical, deliberate pattern)
can help losten up the mucus so your body can move it out more efficiently.

Tapotement.  Jim is still taking long naps and feeling exhausted, must be that
his resistance is just knocked out.  No mucus any more, just exhaustion, but
he thinks he is slowly improving.  A short (5 mile) bike ride wore him out.
We biked over to talk about central vacuum systems at Leabu's vac repair.
They should not be used on plaster dust, it will ruin the system, so I will
use the shop vac with Jim out of the house.

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