Health Tip: Pleurisy Often Requires Prescription Drugs

Lung membrane ailment rarely 'cures itself'

(HealthDay News) -- Pleurisy is not one of those conditions that's going to go away on its own. This often painful ailment technically is an inflammation of the pleura, or the membrane that lines the lungs, the American Lung Association says.

It's caused by respiratory infections, including pneumonia or viral infections. Symptoms include excessive coughing, chest pain and pain when breathing.

Doctors can diagnose pleurisy by listening to the chest for sounds of the pleura rubbing together.

Treatment for pleurisy should address the initial infection that caused the pleurisy; some infections are bacterial and may require antibiotics. The key to treating pleurisy is early diagnosis. So if your cough or hard breathing persists after you've been battling a cold or the flu, a visit to the doctor might be in order.

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