Symptoms and Signs of Pleural Effusion
A Dyspnea (shortness of breath) is the commonest symptom of
It is only suggestive of pleural effusion. These symptoms may be absent in critically ill patients and in massive effusions. Clinical features of pleural effusion include:
- Dyspnea (shortness of breath) is the commonest symptom of pleural effusion. The degree of dyspnea relates to fluid volume.
- Chest Pain: Generally unilateral and sharp and worsens with inspiration or cough. It may radiate to the shoulder, neck, or abdomen.
Other features depend upon the underlying disease causing effusion.
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- Swelling of feet and shortness of breath when laying flat (orthopnea) or in the middle of the night (paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, PND) occurs in congestive heart failure
- Night sweats, coughing up blood (hemoptysis), loss of weight occurs in tuberculosis.
- Infections and lung cancer also cause hemoptysis.
- Fever,chills, cough producing rusty sputum and pleuritic pain signifies pneumonia.
