Do you know the 'symptoms and causes' of 'pneumothorax (a disease in which the lungs collapse)'?

 

Pneumothorax is a disease in which air leaks out of the lungs and causes the lungs to collapse. Shortness of breath or chest pain are the main symptoms, but the cause is often difficult to identify, so it is called 'spontaneous pneumothorax'. In particular, it is a disease that tends to occur in 'young' and 'elderly' men in their late teens to early 20s. Tall and thin young people are more prone to it, and the elderly are sometimes caused by diseases such as emphysema or lung cancer caused by long-term smoking. This time, we will answer your questions about pneumothorax, which often requires urgent response.

Symptoms and causes of pneumothorax

Pneumothorax is a disease in which air leaks from the lungs due to some cause and builds up between the pleura and the lungs, causing the lungs to collapse. When the lungs become dysfunctional, they cannot get oxygen. When the lungs shrink and fail to function, it is called 'tension pneumothorax' and requires urgent treatment.

Please tell me the symptoms of pneumothorax.

The main symptoms are shortness of breath, chest pain, and cough. In many cases, there is a quarrel, and urgent measures may be necessary when the following symptoms occur.

• shortness of breath
• Tiana has three
• palpitations tachycardia
• My heart hurts, I can't move
• no level of consciousness

It usually affects either left or right lung, but rarely both lungs at the same time. If both of them develop at the same time, it may cause a shock condition, so treatment is required as soon as possible. Please do not self-diagnose and see a respiratory internal medicine doctor as soon as possible.

I heard that the cause may not be known... .

There are various causes of pneumothorax, and in particular, many cases develop without knowing the cause. It is called 'spontaneous pneumothorax' because it develops for no apparent reason. Spontaneous pneumothorax includes 'idiopathic spontaneous pneumothorax' with no known cause and 'secondary spontaneous pneumothorax', which is related to diseases such as lung cancer or emphysema, but the cause of the onset is unclear. It often occurs in older people. In addition, there are 'traumatic pneumothorax' caused by damage to the lungs due to trauma such as a traffic accident, and 'menstrual performance pneumothorax' caused by endometriosis in women.

Can smoking have an effect?

Although it has not been proven that pneumothorax itself is caused by smoking, data do show that more than half of those who develop it are smokers. This may be one of the causes of pneumothorax. Also, older people who smoke for a long time are more likely to develop emphysema or lung cancer. This disease is thought to lead to secondary spontaneous pneumothorax. Let's stop smoking to prevent the disease.

Pneumothorax examination and treatment methods

Pneumothorax is a disease in which air leaks from a hole in the tip of the lung. In the case of 'idiopathic spontaneous pneumothorax', which often arises suddenly for no particular reason, a small hole may calm it down and subside. However, there are cases where the hole is not clogged and air is continuously leaking, so if you have symptoms such as chest pain or difficulty breathing, please seek medical treatment at a hospital with a respiratory specialist, such as a respiratory medicine or respiratory surgeon.

What test would you like to do?

If pneumothorax is suspected, what is done is a chest x-ray and chest CT. Pneumothorax is usually diagnosed on an x-ray, but sometimes a chest CT scan is done for more detailed confirmation. Also, check the treble in percussion and check if there is a difference between the left and right breath sounds in auscultation.

I want to know how to treat pneumothorax.

Treatment depends on the severity. The degree of pneumothorax is roughly distinguished as follows:

• Mild pneumothorax (apex above the clavicle)
• Moderate pneumothorax (apex below the clavicle)
• Severe pneumothorax (collapse of the lungs is prominent)
• Tension pneumothorax (the lungs are constantly leaking air)

A treatment plan is established for each severity.

In 'mild pneumothorax', X-ray examinations are frequently performed at the outpatient clinic after resting. If it doesn't puncture again, it will go back to normal in 1-3 weeks if it's mild. In the case of 'moderate pneumothorax' or 'severe pneumothorax', you will be hospitalized and treated. It is necessary to conduct thoracic de-energy to expel the things in the thoracic cavity out of the body. In "tension pneumothorax," blood pressure is lowered and there is a possibility of a state of shock, so there is often a quarrel. In the hospital, chest cavity de-energy is performed, but depending on the situation, a needle is inserted directly into the chest to release positive pressure. In all cases of moderate, severe, and tension pneumothorax, when the air leak from the posterior canal of the draenegy disappears, the tube is removed and the lungs inflate without any problem are the criteria for discharge.

Does severe pneumothorax require surgery?

In severe cases, surgery is often required, and the surgical method is thoracoscopic surgery. Among them, thoracoscopic monetary cystectomy is an operation to remove the pulmonary cyst or surrounding area that is the source of the pneumothorax. In the first case, surgery is often not performed, but if urgent treatment is needed even for the first time, surgery is performed. Urgent action is required in the following cases.

• If air leakage does not stop even after continuous suction with chest cavity de-energy
• In case of recurrence (when it occurs more than 2 times)
• In case of simultaneous onset in the left and right lungs
• In case of combined hemothorax (with bleeding in the chest cavity)

If it is judged that the general condition is difficult to maintain even with treatment

Surgery is often performed in urgent cases, such as falling into a state of shock. In addition, if there is a possibility of recurrence, surgery may be performed to prevent recurrence. Pneumothorax is characterized by many in young people. Surgery has the potential to lower the risk of recurrence. In the case of a student, a doctor may recommend surgery to prevent a recurrence so that a pneumothorax does not suddenly strike during an entrance exam or an important exam.

Is there any risk of recurrence?

It is known that the recurrence rate is about half when mild and improved without treatment. Even after treatment, the recurrence rate and risk of recurrence of around 10% are high. Many people, especially young people, have repeated relapses. Therefore, action after treatment is important to prevent recurrence.

Please tell me if there is anything to be careful about after treatment.

Pneumothorax also carries a risk of recurrence. Quitting smoking is of utmost importance, as smoking increases your risk of developing the disease. Also, conditions prone to changes in intrathoracic pressure include scuba diving and flying. If pneumothorax develops with changes in intrathoracic pressure, it may become more severe, such as tension pneumothorax. If you have not had surgery after developing a pneumothorax, it is also necessary to avoid scuba diving and avoid flying for a certain period of time after treatment. In addition, proper nutrition and living a regular life are important to prevent recurrence.

I want to know how to prevent pneumothorax.

Pneumothorax is a disease that often occurs suddenly, and there are few particularly preventable things, but it is recommended to be careful about the same thing as preventing recurrence. Smoking too much is likely to be an inducer of disease, so be careful not to quit, even for prevention. In addition, young people are prone to skinny people, and there are cases where people with anorexia develop both left and right lungs at the same time, so attention should be paid to nutritional bias. For the prevention of pneumothorax, smoking cessation, a regular lifestyle, and an unbalanced diet are important as well as prevention of recurrence.

Pneumothorax is a disease that occurs suddenly one day. If you have shortness of breath or chest pain, see a respiratory medicine or respiratory surgeon as soon as possible. If pneumothorax is detected promptly and treated appropriately, you can return to a normal life without hospitalization. Also, after treatment, let's prevent recurrence by living a regular life and eating a balanced diet. Older people are also more likely to develop emphysema or lung cancer from smoking, leading to pneumothorax. Of course, smoking can also be a trigger for pneumothorax in young people. To prevent pneumothorax, it is important to thoroughly review your lifestyle. In addition, since it is a skinny type that tends to occur in young men from puberty, and in women, it may occur along with menstruation, so you need to be careful.

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We answered questions about pneumothorax, which is said to be common in young people in their late teens to early 20s, or in the elderly. In early stage mild pneumothorax, with early treatment, you can return to normal life in 1 to 3 weeks. Even moderate to severe pneumothorax is a disease that can be cured by prompt treatment. However, like tension pneumothorax, if air continuously leaks out of the lungs and compresses the pulmonary veins, it is a terrifying disease that causes breathing difficulties and falls into a state of shock. When symptoms suggestive of pneumothorax appear, do not judge yourself and seek medical attention as soon as possible to receive appropriate treatment. It can be said that it is a disease with a high recurrence rate, but let's take care to prevent recurrence by eating a regular life and a balanced diet.