Pleural fluid lubricates the lungs for easy movement, but medical conditions can cause excess fluid to build up, leading to pleural effusion. Causes include heart failure, lung cancer, and tuberculosis. Too much fluid can make breathing difficult and lead to infection, but treatment is relatively easy.
Pleural fluid is a thin, clear fluid produced in the area around the lungs that helps them expand and contract effortlessly. In a normal, healthy body, fluid is constantly being produced and replaced, but some medical conditions can cause excess fluid to build up. This situation is called a pleural effusion. Some other conditions are associated with pleural effusion caused by pleural fluid, including lung disease and congestive heart failure. Pleural effusion is dangerous if left untreated, but is relatively easy to treat.
It keeps the lungs moving smoothly
The lungs inflate and contract within a membrane called the pleura. A normal pleura has a few milliliters of pleural fluid to act as a lubricant and help the lungs move easily against the membrane. The body is usually very good at reabsorbing this fluid; it takes a dozen or so increases in pleural fluid production before the body starts to feel overwhelmed and can’t absorb the fluid quickly enough. When this happens, fluid will begin to build up in the pleural cavity, causing a pleural effusion.
Causes of pleural effusion
There are a few things that can cause pleural fluid to build up like this, including congestive heart failure, rheumatoid arthritis, cirrhosis, lung cancer, tuberculosis, and drug allergies. There are three categories of pleural effusions: transudate, exudate, and unclassified. The difference between transudative and exudative effusion is precisely the way in which the fluid enters the pleura: in a transudative effusion, the fluid is forced out of the capillaries by an increase in pressure; in an exudative effusion, inflammation, not pressure, is the root cause. Heart failure is associated with oozing effusions, while a drug allergy or bacterial pneumonia can cause oozing effusion. Tuberculosis is an unclassified cause of effusion. However, many cases of effusion are idiopathic, meaning they have no known cause.
Effects of too much fluid
The effects of having all this extra fluid in the lungs can be very dangerous. If enough fluid builds up, it can make it difficult or impossible for the person to breathe normally. The pleural fluid can also become infected, which can turn into an abscess. It’s best to address any fluid buildup as soon as possible, although it can be difficult, since some people with too much pleural fluid don’t have any symptoms until a lot of fluid builds up. When a person is diagnosed with increased fluid, doctors take a sample of the fluid to be tested to try to determine the cause of the buildup, and also drain the fluid.
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