Pneumothorax - Four Critical Questions to Ask Your Physician

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Pneumothorax is a lung condition where air accumulates into the space between the lung and the chest wall. This air build-up outside the lungs puts external pressure on the lung and inhibits the lungs from expanding to its normal size and volume during inhalation. This in turn causes the lung(s) to collapse partially or totally. Pneumothorax may be caused by a number of causes which have been discussed later in this advocacy sheet.

1. My sister has been diagnosed with pneumothorax. What has caused this condition?

The causes are varied and depend on the medical history of your sister. In some cases the cause is not identifiable, i.e., it is idiopathic and can happen to persons with or without prior chronic lung conditions. However, some of the known causes are as follows:

• Injuries that cause severe air-wave shocks like blasts
• Direct impact injuries on the lungs caused in accidents, stabs, bullets, etc.

Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax is brought on by diseases such as:
• Lung cancer
• Asthma
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
• Tuberculosis
• Necrotising Pneumonia
• Cystic fibrosis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Endometriosis in chest
• Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis,
• Congenital malformations
• Histiocytosis x
• Measles
• Lymphangioleiomyomatosis
• Echinococcosis
• Systemic sclerosis
• Genetic disorders such as Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome
• Marfan's syndrome and
• Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
It may also occur in those who smoke, scuba dive or do high altitude flying.

2. What symptoms will she be exhibiting besides tightness of chest and inability to breathe?

This depends upon the cause of her pneumothorax. Primary spontaneous pneumothorax causes chest pain and sometimes mild breathlessness.
Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax causes hypoxia (decreased blood oxygen levels), cyanosis (blue discoloration of the lips and skin), rapid heart rate, nasal flaring, hypercapnia (accumulation of carbon dioxide in the blood), confusion and coma, and/or sudden breathlessness.

Traumatic pneumothorax causes severe chest pain and inability to breathe, and tightness in chest. Tension pneumothorax causes sudden deterioration of the victim due to severe hypoxia, nasal flaring and falling blood pressure and confusion.

3. What other diagnostic tests will she have besides the chest X-ray that she has already had taken?

Usually the imaging by a simple chest X-ray will suffice. However, the advice of the doctor needs to be followed. S/he may recommend a CT scan of the chest and/or an arterial blood gas test.

4. How long will she take to recover from pneumothorax?

Recovery time depends upon the type, cause and size of the pneumothorax as well as the extent of lung collapse. A small percentage of collapsed lungs or where the leakage is small in size recover on their own with only careful medical monitoring. However, larger leakages and larger extents of collapse of the lung will require a few weeks to get better. The recovery depends upon the duration of rectifying procedures to empty out of the air accumulation through tubes or syringes. In case lung surgery is required, then recovery will take several weeks.

ALL INFORMATION GIVEN IN THIS ADVOCACY SHEET IS TO BE CHECKED WITH YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE IMPLEMENTING THEM OR TAKING THEM AS STANDARD OR VERIFIED.

Mamta Singh is a published author of the books Migraines for the Informed Woman (Publisher: Rupa & Co.) and the upcoming Rev Up Your Life! (Publisher: Hay House India). She is also a seasoned business, creative and academic writer. She is a certified fitness instructor, personal trainer & sports nutritionist through IFA, Florida USA. Mamta is an NCFE-certified Holistic Health Therapist SAC Dip U.K. She is the lead writer and holds Expert Author status in many well-received health, fitness and nutrition sites. She runs her own popular blogs on migraines in women and holistic health. Mamta holds a double Master's Degree in Commerce and Business. She is a registered practitioner with the UN recognised Art of Living Foundation. Link: http://www.migrainingjenny.wordpress.com and http://www.footstrike.wordpress.com

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