The accumulation of excessive amounts of fluid in the lungs is a very important and alarming symptom that threatens human health, since breathing is a vital process, depending on the state of the respiratory organs. The name of the accumulation of fluid in the lungs, the causes of the disease and treatment will be discussed further.
The causes of the disease
There are many factors that influence fluid accumulation in the lungs. The causes of the disease can be as follows:
- problems with the heart and blood vessels: heart defects and arrhythmias, which can lead to heart and lung failure;
- excessive sweating;
- intestinal obstruction;
- inflammatory diseases, depending on the severity of the course;
- often recurring hypertensive crises, as a result of which blood through the vascular walls enters the lungs;
- hoarseness when inhaling and exhaling;
- injuries to the lungs or sternum;
- a complicated condition after previously performed surgical operations;
- infectious and inflammatory diseases, especially the brain;
- 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 cirrhosis;
- fever;
- developing renal failure.
Accumulation of exudate in a patient may occur due to exposure to oral or respiratory toxic compounds. This especially occurs in situations where a pathological substance acts on 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 is indicated below) is pneumonia, especially if the patient has an increase in sugar level, in which the infectious and inflammatory process of the respiratory organ can spread in the pleural cavity.
Symptoms of ailment
The most indicative signs indicating the exact manifestation of the disease are the occurrence of increased weakness, as well as the sudden appearance of shortness of breath. Moreover, for its appearance, a person does not need to perform any complex actions, he can even just lie.
Symptoms of fluid accumulation in the lungs will depend on the amount of exudate that appears, as well as the presence or absence of edema. The patient's breathing quickens, dizziness occurs, the temperature may rise, and even a disorder of consciousness may develop.
In a more difficult situation, the patient may initially have a deep and coughing cough, which after this is characterized by the release of sputum mucosa, pain is felt in the chest, which increases significantly when inhaling. With the development of shortness of breath, the skin on the face can turn very pale, marked cyanosis is noted.
A person can detect nervous disorders, he can be angry for no reason at the most different, even insignificant circumstances. In particular, often a feeling of lack of oxygen and attacks of shortness of breath occur in the morning. In addition, choking can provoke smoking, heart palpitations, hypothermia and stressful situations.
Disease phases
In addition to the causes of fluid accumulation in the lungs, you should also know 3 phases of the development of the disease:
- The first phase - at this stage there is an expansion of the blood vessels of the pulmonary pleura, pleural fluid is actively released, but the lymph continues to fully fulfill its role, timely removing an excessive amount of exudate from the pleura.
- The second phase - as a result of inflammation, commissures form in the pleura, there is a violation of the outflow of fluid, and with improperly performed or poor-quality treatment of pleurisy, pus begins to accumulate.
- The third phase is the recovery phase, 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 healthy 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 can quite cope on his own. But with excessive excretion in a person, pulmonary edema can begin to develop, persistent oxygen starvation of the whole organism is noted. In addition, this condition can provoke quite dangerous lesions of the central nervous system. If the swelling is too fast, even a fatal outcome can occur.
Diagnostics
Diagnostic measures begin with an examination and careful listening to the sternum, as well as collecting 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 in order to be able to determine its characteristic features.
If you suspect the occurrence of pleurisy due to an oncological tumor, the doctors perform a biopsy, separating a small area of the pleura with a probe and send it for a thorough analysis.
Treatment of ailment
Comparing the main signs with characteristic symptoms, you need to start treatment of the disease that caused this dangerous condition as quickly as possible. If the accumulation of fluid is caused by certain infectious diseases, a strong cough, as well as an increased or, conversely, low temperature, can join this symptom.
So, if a patient has developed bronchitis due to fluid accumulation, it can even be cured at home, but it is advisable to go to a hospital to treat pneumonia. If the accumulation of a large amount of fluid has arisen due to inflammatory diseases, antibiotic therapy is used to treat it.
In the respiratory system, exudate can form in severe tuberculosis. Therapy of this condition is quite complex, an open form often requires urgent hospitalization.
What to take
In addition, fluid accumulation in the lungs with heart failure is noted quite often. To release the pleural cavity, the patient needs to be prescribed diuretics - effective diuretics.
With 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. For this, a special catheter is installed in the lungs, which pumps out the fluid quite quickly. Before the catheter is inserted, the patient is given local anesthesia.
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 occur when metastases are thrown, which indicates a more severe course of the pathological process. This will deliver chest pain to the patient, preventing them from fully breathing in and out.
Cancer treatment
In oncological processes, it is necessary to timely diagnose the fluid from the pleura of the lungs, since the treatment of malignant effusion will differ from the treatment of a benign type effusion. Pleural effusion is an excessive accumulation of exudate in different layers of pleural lung tissue.
Malignant pleurisy is usually detected during computed tomography, ultrasound or x-ray of the sternum. Also, the doctor may prescribe pleurocentesis, in which fluid puncture is taken from the pleural cavity of the lungs, since its sample may have cancer cells.
The accumulation of exudate in the lungs, which is benign in nature, is treated with simple measures that stop the 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 independently.
Malignant pleurisy, alas, cannot be completely eliminated. Therapeutic measures only contribute to improving the general condition of the patient, as well as reducing pain. With minimal fluid accumulation, complex treatment is usually not performed.
How to fix it?
To eliminate the pathological accumulation of exudate in the lungs, pleurodesis can be performed: a special talcum powder is introduced between different layers of the pleura, which will prevent tissue from sticking together and also prevent the accumulation of fluid. Approximately 80% of patients feel relief after this procedure, and to improve the condition of other patients, it is recommended to perform plelectomy - a special surgical intervention. During the operation, partial pleura removal is performed.
With the spontaneous occurrence of edema, in which there is a sharp deterioration in the condition, the patient should be immediately hospitalized. The patient's condition will be restored by the introduction of drugs that will relieve inflammation, as well as by pumping out the liquid.
Non-increasing edema 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, the control of a doctor is simply necessary!
Treatment of fluid accumulation in the respiratory system is a rather complicated process, which must be carried out under the strict supervision of a doctor. Therapy is usually carried out in a hospital setting; it is categorically not recommended to ignore the symptoms of accumulation of excessive amounts of fluid in the lungs and wait for better health.
Surgical fluid pumping
The question of eliminating exudate becomes very acute if the fluid concentrates between the membranes of the lung and chest. In humans, approximately 2 ml of fluid should normally be in the lungs. If its volume is increased to 10 ml, the patient requires a therapeutic effect.
Withdrawal of fluid by performing a puncture helps to restore breathing, determining its nature. During one procedure, a maximum of 1 liter of exudate is allowed to be removed. Only a doctor can determine the exact number of procedures individually for each patient, taking into account the results of a previous procedure, as well as the patient's condition.
Preventative measures
When fixing the accumulation of fluid in the lungs after surgery, it is impossible to 100% eliminate the relapse of this condition. To minimize the risk, people who suffer from kidney failure or heart disease should clearly follow their doctor's prescription. Allergy sufferers should always have on hand quick-acting antihistamines, 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 necessary to use a protective respirator.
It is also necessary to quit smoking, since the frequency of exudate in the lungs of smokers, compared with non-smokers, is significantly increased. Approximately 70% of smokers may experience respiratory diseases.
Total
People who suffer from the accumulation of a large amount of fluid in their lungs need to monitor their condition and protect their respiratory system. If the first signs of fluid accumulation are detected, timely treatment should be performed to ensure a favorable outcome.