Dyspnea may result as a symptom when a person has a pneumothorax. So what is this medical condition? It is when the pleural cavity has a build up of gas or air.

Symptoms

There are different symptoms that may be present in a patient with pneumothorax, and there are also different forms of the illness which may have their own sets of symptoms. Dyspnea is a common item to appear. Chest pain is also frequently noted. When the condition is secondary to a lung illness, it may lead to cyanosis, which is brought on by a lowered level of oxygen in the blood. Confusion and even coma may also occur if carbon dioxide builds up in the patient's blood.

If examined physically, there may or may not be any unusual aspects noted. In particular, if the pneumothorax in the patient is minor in size, then there may be nothing of note. Using a stethoscope, the doctor may notice that the breath sounds are decreased on the side that has been impacted by the condition.

Causes

There are many medical causes that may lead to pneumothorax. Keep in mind that there are also multiple types of this condition. Spontaneous cases that are secondary to a lung illness could be caused by cancer of that organ. Lung infections may also lead to it. One possibility in this section is pneumocystis pneumonia, sometimes called PCP. Another infection that may be behind the condition is tuberculosis. Overall, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the cause behind most cases of pneumothorax that fall into this spontaneous and secondary category.

Diagnosis

A doctor or other professional in the field of medicine is involved in the diagnosis of a case of pneumothorax. Symptoms may be considered, but in general imaging is used to confirm a suspected case. In cases of tension pneumothorax, however, it is preferred that treatment begin immediately, rather than after imaging. X-rays, CT scans, and ultrasonography can all be used for diagnostic purposes, and which one(s) are preferred to be employed may be different based on the particulars of the situation.

Treatment

How a case of this condition is treated changes based on particular factors. The type that is present, such as tension, etc., is one thing that is considered. Professionals who are looking into the specific case use the information that they have at hand to make a determination about what method of treatment to begin.