How do you treat pleurisy?

[BonnieBoot]

How do you treat pleurisy?

[Troilus]

nhs.uk/conditions/pleurisy/

[Kate124]

Some good antibiotics. That's what cured mine. Good luck.

[peege]

It's usually diagnosed via a stethoscope. It makes a distinctive rasping/scraping sound (rather than creaks, crackles, wheezing, bellows sound). Usually treated with a good antibiotic (mine was for two weeks each time) along with painkillers. The worry with pleurisy is that as the pain prevents us taking proper breaths, expelling breath or coughing and means any lung mucus remains making a perfect environment for bacteria to grow leading to infection which of course leads to more painful coughing. Two of the times I had pleurisy it was closely followed by pneumonia so beware.

I now know (from a physiotherapist after breaking ribs) that holding in place a rolled towel underarm of affected side allows you to breath more deeply, move more & gently cough.

Drinking plenty of fluids helps to keep mucus moist & easier to expel.

Of course, I'm a patient, not medically qualified so do seek medical help if you haven'talready. Don't leave it.

[Bevvy]

As well as needing antibiotics and possibly steroids. Pleurisy needs to be treated with care! Is a really horrible illness and after affects can last a long time. Need to listen to your body and rest rest rest! Don’t try to rush things it will take as long as it takes. Rushing things will only make situation worse.Get well soon.

[Lutontown]

Intravenous and oral antibiotics, and maybe drawing off any fluid you may have in your rib cage. This is obviously a hospital job.

[Bevvy in reply to Lutontown]

Not necessarily “hospital job”. I have had pleurisy at least 3 times and been extremely unwell. Apart from first time when I was treated and discharged from A&E I have never been treated in hospital.

[Lutontown in reply to Bevvy]

Perhaps you had no fluid in your lungs. Three quarters of a litre was drawn from my rib cage. Full of infection it was too. My oxygen level readings at the start of my stay in hospital were in the upper 80's, so may have caused my heart failure I now have.

[peege in reply to Lutontown]

I believe you must have had a pleural effusion Lutontown.

Normally BonnieBoot, just pleurisy doesn't lead to hospitalisation unless you're already in poor health - so don't be alarmed regarding the above reply although it shows pleurisy can't be ignored and needs proper diagnosis. P

[Kristicats]

Usually antibiotics and sometimes steroids, plenty of rest and fluids.