The accumulation of excessive amounts of fluid in the lungs is a very important and alarming symptom that threatens human he alth, since breathing is a vital process that depends on the condition of the respiratory organs. About the name of the accumulation of fluid in the lungs, the causes of the disease and treatment will be discussed further.
Causes of illness
There are many factors that affect the accumulation of fluid in the lungs. The causes of the disease can be the following:
- heart and vascular problems: heart defects and arrhythmia, which can lead to heart and lung failure;
- excessive sweating;
- intestinal obstruction;
- inflammatory diseases depending on the severity of the course;
- frequently recurring hypertensive crises, as a result of which blood enters the lungs through the vascular walls;
- hoarseness on inhalation and exhalation;
- lung or sternum injury;
- complicated condition after previously performed surgical interventions;
- infectious and inflammatory diseases, especially of the brain;
- presence of bloody sputum;
- meningitis and encephalitis;
- malignant tumors, regardless of their location;
- pneumothorax;
- diseases of some organs that provoke damage to the pleura of the lungs;
- severe stage of liver cirrhosis;
- fever;
- developing renal failure.
The accumulation of exudate in a patient may be due to exposure to oral or respiratory toxic compounds. This especially occurs in situations where a pathological substance affects the body for a long time. The accumulation of a large amount of exudate can cause progressive respiratory failure.
The cause of fluid accumulation in the lungs (treatment indicated below) is pneumonia, especially if the patient has an increase in sugar levels, in which an infectious and inflammatory process of the respiratory organ can spread in the pleural cavity.
Symptoms of the disease
The most significant signs indicating the exact manifestation of the disease are the occurrence of increased weakness, as well as the sudden onset of shortness of breath. Moreover, for its appearance, a person does not have to perform any complex actions at all, he can even just lie down.
The symptoms of fluid accumulation in the lungs will depend on the volumeexudate that has appeared, as well as the presence or absence of edema. The patient's breathing quickens, dizziness occurs, the temperature may rise and even develop a disorder of consciousness.
In a more difficult situation, the patient may initially develop a deep and hacking cough, which is then characterized by the release of mucous sputum, pain is felt in the chest, which greatly increases with inspiration. With the development of shortness of breath, the skin on the face may become very pale, pronounced cyanosis is noted.
A person can be diagnosed with nervous disorders, he can get angry for no reason at a variety of, even minor circumstances. Especially often a feeling of lack of oxygen and attacks of shortness of breath occur in the morning. In addition, smoking, heart palpitations, hypothermia and stressful situations can provoke choking.
Phases of disease
In addition to the causes of fluid accumulation in the lungs, you should also know the 3 phases of the development of the disease:
- First phase - at this stage, the blood vessels of the pulmonary pleura expand, pleural fluid is actively released, but the lymph continues to fully fulfill its role, promptly removing an excessive amount of exudate from the pleura.
- Second phase - as a result of inflammation in the pleura, adhesions are formed, the outflow of fluid is disturbed, and if pleurisy is not treated correctly or of poor quality, pus begins to accumulate.
- The third phase is the stage of recovery, in which inflammatory foci begin to resolve.
Features of the course of the disease
In some cases, fibrous tissue can form around the lungs, separating he althy tissue from the "pathological zone". This is fraught with the flow of pleurisy into a more severe, chronic form.
With a slight accumulation of excessive amounts of fluid, a person may well cope on his own. But with excessive release of exudate, a person may begin to develop pulmonary edema, there is a persistent oxygen starvation of the whole organism. In addition, this condition can provoke quite dangerous lesions of the central nervous system. With too rapid development of edema, even death can occur.
Diagnosis
Diagnostic measures begin with an examination and careful listening of the sternum, as well as taking an anamnesis, but it is not possible to establish an accurate diagnosis, taking into account only human complaints.
To clarify the diagnosis, you will need to perform instrumental and laboratory examinations - computed tomography, X-ray and ultrasound of the chest. In some cases, fluid is taken from the pleura of the lungs under anesthesia to be able to determine its characteristic features.
If pleurisy is suspected due to an oncological tumor, doctors perform a biopsy, separating a small area of the pleura with a probe and sending it for a thorough analysis.
Treatment of disease
Comparing the main signs with the characteristic symptoms, you need to start treating the disease that caused this dangerous condition as soon as possible. If the accumulation of fluid is caused by certain infectious diseases, this symptom may be accompanied by a strong cough, as well as increased or, conversely, decreased temperature.
So, if a patient develops bronchitis due to fluid accumulation, it can be cured even at home, but for the treatment of pneumonia it is advisable to go to a hospital. If the accumulation of a large amount of fluid is due to inflammatory diseases, antibacterial therapy is used to treat it.
In the respiratory organs, exudate can form in severe tuberculosis. The treatment of this condition is quite complicated, the open form often requires urgent hospitalization.
What to take?
In addition, the accumulation of fluid in the lungs with heart failure is noted quite often. To free the pleural cavity, the patient needs to be prescribed diuretics - effective diuretics.
In case of kidney pathology, the body does not have the ability to independently remove excess exudate, as a result of which it is desirable to carry out therapy in a hospital. To do this, a special catheter is installed in the lungs, which quickly pumps out the liquid. The patient is given local anesthesia before the catheter is inserted.
If a person has signs of oncology, exudate in the lungs can form during the development of lung cancer, but the most visible symptoms of this condition can also be observed when metastases are thrown out, which indicates a more severe course of the pathological process. This will give the patient chest pain, notallowing you to fully inhale and exhale.
Treatment of oncological processes
In oncological processes, it is necessary to promptly diagnose fluid secreted from the pleura of the lungs, since the treatment of malignant effusion will differ from the treatment of benign effusion. Pleural effusion is an excessive accumulation of exudate in different layers of the tissues of the pleura of the lungs.
Malignant pleurisy is usually detected by a CT scan, ultrasound, or x-ray of the sternum. Also, the doctor may prescribe thoracentesis, in which a punctate of fluid is taken from the pleural cavity of the lungs, since its sample may contain cancer cells.
The accumulation of exudate in the lungs, which is benign in nature, is treated with simple measures that stop inflammation processes - the patient is prescribed treatment with diuretics, antibiotics, if necessary, the fluid is pumped out with a catheter if the body cannot remove it on its own.
Malignant pleurisy, alas, cannot be completely eliminated. Therapeutic measures only help to improve the general condition of the patient, as well as reduce pain. With minimal fluid accumulation, complex treatment is usually not carried out.
How to fix?
To eliminate the pathological accumulation of exudate in the lungs, pleurodesis can be performed: a special talc is injected between different layers of the pleura, which will prevent tissue from sticking together, and also prevent fluid accumulation. Approximately 80% of patients experience reliefafter this procedure, and in order to improve the condition of other patients, it is recommended to perform a pleurectomy - a special surgical intervention. During the operation, a partial removal of the pleura is performed.
When edema occurs spontaneously, and there is a sharp deterioration in the condition, the patient should be immediately admitted to the hospital. The patient's condition will be restored by the introduction of drugs that will relieve inflammation, as well as by pumping out the fluid.
Swelling that does not increase usually does not cause suffocation and does not provoke the development of cyanosis of the lungs, so you can try to remove it yourself. But still, doctor's supervision is simply necessary!
The treatment of fluid accumulation in the respiratory organs is a rather complicated process that must be carried out under the strict supervision of a doctor. Therapy is usually carried out in a hospital setting, it is strongly not recommended to ignore the symptoms of accumulation of an excessive amount of fluid in the lungs and wait for improvement in well-being.
Surgical evacuation of fluid
The issue of eliminating exudate becomes very acute if the fluid is concentrated between the membranes of the lung and the chest. A person's lungs should normally contain about 2 ml of fluid. If its volume is increased to 10 ml, the patient needs a therapeutic effect.
The removal of fluid by puncture helps to restore breathing, determining its nature. During one procedure, a maximum of 1 l can be removedexudate. Only a doctor can determine the exact number of procedures individually for each patient, taking into account the results of the previous procedure, as well as the patient's condition.
Preventive measures
When fixing the accumulation of fluid in the lungs after surgery, it is impossible to 100% exclude the recurrence of this condition. To reduce the risk as much as possible, people who suffer from kidney failure or heart disease should strictly follow the instructions of their doctor. Allergy sufferers should always have fast-acting antihistamines on hand, avoiding contact with allergens.
With the development of lung diseases of any nature, it is necessary to observe the state of rest as much as possible, immediately begin to carry out the prescribed therapeutic measures, and also limit the load.
If the patient works in rooms with insufficient air, in the presence of dust, toxic substances and high humidity, it is imperative to use a protective respirator.
It is also necessary to quit smoking, as the incidence of exudate in the lungs in smokers, compared with non-smokers, is significantly increased. Approximately 70% of smokers may develop respiratory problems.
Result
People who suffer from the accumulation of a large amount of fluid in the lungs, it is necessary to monitor their condition and protect the respiratory system. If the first signs of fluid accumulation are detected, promptly perform treatment forensure a favorable outcome.
