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What Causes Pleuritic Pain?

In the medical community, chest pain is referred to as "pleuritic pain." Pleuritic chest pain, or pleurisy, may or may not be accompanied by breathing problems. Anytime someone is suffering from pleuritic pain, it may be the result of a very serious illness, ranging from heart attack to pneumonia. For people experiencing this type of chest discomfort, it is highly recommended to go to the emergency room and get a diagnosis. Below are some of the probable causes of pleurisy.

  1. Heart Attack

    • Obviously, having a heart attack is very serious and possibly fatal. Also referred to as an acute myocardial infarction, a heart attack is the result of a blockage of blood vessels in the heart. A heart attack is usually accompanied by chest pain, but it can range from very mild to very severe. Some people have such mild chest pain that they aren't even sure they are having a heart attack. In some cases, heart attacks can be fatal when a person simply dismisses his pleuritic pain as heartburn or angina, another type of pleurisy associated with the heart. If left untreated, a heart attack can cause a cardiac arrest, which is when the heart stops.

    Pneumonia

    • Pneumonia is a disease of the lungs. Pleuritic pain due to pneumonia can be caused by a bacterial, viral or even fungal infection that causes tightness in the chest due to congestion. Pneumonia is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States according to the Centers for Disease Control. Symptoms include fever, coughing and difficulty breathing. Pneumonia is typically treated with antibiotics, and depending on the severity of the symptoms, a hospital stay with intravenous antibiotic treatment may be required.

    Pulmonary Embolism

    • In about 90 percent of cases of pulmonary embolisms, a primary symptom is pleuritic pain. A pulmonary embolism refers to a blood clot that forms an obstruction in a lung artery. The blood clot can form in your legs, arms or your heart and travel through your body to your lungs. Pulmonary embolisms typically aren't fatal, but it is one of the biggest causes of hospital deaths in the United States. Other symptoms include difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, bloody coughing and rapid heartbeat. Pulmonary embolisms can be treated with anti-clotting medication.

    Pneumothorax

    • Pneumothorax is the medical term for a collapsed lung in a patient. Air can leak into the area between your chest wall and lungs, which causes pressure on the lung. Depending on the severity of pneumothorax, the lung could partially or totally collapse. Pleuritic pain can be sharp and severe on the side of the affected lung, and your chest can feel tight. Pneumothorax can be caused by a chest injury, or during or after surgery of the lungs. In some cases, it will heal on its own, but other times the air must be removed with a small syringe.

    Pericarditis

    • Pericarditis is the inflammation of the pericardium, which is the membrane that surrounds the heart. It causes a sharp, stabbing pleuritic chest pain that can last a few weeks or even a number of months. Acute pericarditis, which is short-lived chest pain, can typically get worse when lying down, coughing or eating. Chronic pericarditis, which can last several months, is usually caused by fluid that surrounds the heart, referred to as pericardial effusion. Pericarditis can be treated with anti-inflammatory drugs or prescribed pain medication.

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