How do I get rid of Fluid on the Lungs

Hello Anon

Thank you for writing.

If you feel this is an emergency, go to the ER.

We cannot say what is actually going on with your lungs but you may have something called
Pleural Effusion. Also called “water on the lung,” it is an excessive buildup of fluid in the space between your lungs and chest cavity.

Pleural effusion is the abnormal increase of fluid in the space between the chest wall and the lungs. The pleural cavity is the space between the chest wall and the lungs that secretes a small amount of fluid in order to avoid friction between the lungs and the chest wall. But a number of health conditions cause this fluid build up abnormally causing complications such as shortness of breath and coughing.

There are two types of pleural effusion including transudative pleural effusion and exudative pleural effusion. Transudative pleural effusion is caused by failure of the left ventricle in the heart due to post surgical complications, pulmonary embolism, cirrhosis, or other conditions. Exudative pleural effusion is the result of leaky blood vessels due to lung diseases, infections, tuberculosis, bacterial pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, breast or lung cancer, etc. This condition may be caused by the use of certain medications and treatments for arthritis, lupus, diseases of the pancreas, liver, or kidneys, or fungal or viral infections.

Treatments and diagnosis: The common ways of diagnosing pleural effusion include chest X-rays, ultrasound or computed tomography, and removal of and lab work on the fluids from the lungs. The treatments includes chemical or surgical removal of the fluids is called pleurodesis. Sometimes, pleural effusion may indicate the presence of cancer. Patients who are diagnosed with cancers are usually treated with chemotherapy, radiation therapy or surgery.

For patients who have pleural effusion because of post-cardiac surgical complications, they will be treated with diuretics. Conditions such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, infections, and arthritis are treated with medications.

Anon - please seek medical care from your doctor. You need a proper diagnosis and treatment plan. I hope you feel better soon.
Best,
Susan