What is done for a collapsed lung?

Are you feeling like there’s an elephant sitting on your chest and you just can’t seem to breathe properly? Sounds familiar, right? That could be a collapsed lung! Don’t worry; it’s not uncommon but should be treated promptly. Here’s everything you need to know about what is done for a collapsed lung.

Introduction: Understanding the Basics of Collapsed Lung

A collapsed lung, medically known as pneumothorax occurs when air leaks into the space between your lungs and chest wall. The pressure created by this leak makes it difficult or impossible for one or both lungs to expand. At times, only part of the lung may collapse (partial) while in other instances, the entire organ might collapse.

Although everyone is at risk of developing a collapsed lung regardless of their age, people with underlying medical conditions such as asthma or emphysema are more prone than others.

When faced with such an emergency situation, seek immediate medical attention as untreated cases may lead to severe complications including shock and respiratory failure.

Keep reading as we cover all that awaits you if ever thrust under the knife due to pneumothorax!

Diagnosis: How would I Know if I Have Pneumothorax?

Identifying pneumothorax symptoms shouldn’t give much of a hassle since they usually develop suddenly after injury or even exercise-induced incidents where heavy breathing becomes required:

  • Sharp pain in chest area emphasised during inhalation
  • Shortness of breath accompanied by rapid pulse beats
  • Bluish discoloration in lips/nails indicating insufficient oxygen levels
  • Anxiety/ restlessness that often follows fainting spells
    If these symptoms persist long enough then it would be wise for one to visit their healthcare provider immediately!

Diagnosing Reasons Behind Your Breathing Difficulty

So you tell your physician everything on how hard breathing has become an uphill task lately & after they perform a physical examination on you, the following tests will be conducted to figure out what’s causing your respiratory distress:

  • A lung x-ray that checks if there is any air outside of the lungs
  • Computed Tomography (CT) scan which captures detailed images of the inside of the body with greater accuracy.
  • Ultrasound technology that detects possible internal injuries in real-time.

Treatment: How Do Doctors Fix Collapsed Lungs?

Once diagnosis reveals a collapsed lung; several available options can be applied to correct them. The treatment option to go for would always depend on how severe one’s case is or even factors such as age and health status:

Small Cases: May Not Require Immediate Medical Attention

If it appears less serious, then observation in hospital sounds great where doctors continuously monitor and record progress before recommending follow-up visits.

Aspiration & Drainage: Using a Chest Tube

Doctors might opt for an already established procedure known as aspiration whereby fluid surrounding affected areas gets removed via suction pressure after first administering anesthesia& medication for pain relief.

Chest Throacostomy: Here’s Where It Gets Spicy!

This method involves creating small incisions between ribs (if simply aspiration won’t suffice). Then using chest tubes inserted through these openings proceed to remove accumulated trapped air whose presence created excessive pressure from surrounding tissues within damaged organs – immediately relieving breathing difficulties for patients permanently in most cases! Sounds terrifyingly intriguing right? Don’t worry much though, this process often occurs under full anaesthesia so there isn’t much need to keep worrying about those many scars…🙄

When suffering from a pneumothorax situation anticipated reparative approaches include surgery where more permanent measures are taken into effect like suturing rather than only dealing with current medical issues temporarily without addressing future plans too!

You now know all bits and bolts when it comes down inquiring about the procedures on a collapsed lung, keeping in mind that seeking medical attention as soonest eliminates further complications.

Final Thoughts:

Breathing is an essential part of life, and there’s nothing more damaging than experiencing any problems getting air into our lungs. Detecting the early stages can help avoid massive damage and even death! Now you’re familiar with what exactly happens during diagnoses and treatment interventions when dealing with pneumothorax!

Let’s always remember to prioritize our well-being over everything else!

Stay healthy! Stay safe!

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