Treatment has several goals: * Relief of symptoms * Removal of the fluid, air, or blood from the pleural space * Treatment of the underlying condition Procedures If large amounts of fluid, air, or blood are not removed from the pleural space, they may cause the lung to collapse. The surgical procedures used to drain fluid, air, or blood from the pleural space are as follows: * During thoracentesis, a needle or a thin, hollow, plastic tube is inserted through the ribs in the back of the chest into the chest wall. A syringe is attached to draw fluid out of the chest. This procedure can remove more than 6 cups (1.5 litres) of fluid at a time. * When larger amounts of fluid must be removed, a chest tube may be inserted through the chest wall. The doctor injects a local painkiller into the area of the chest wall outside where the fluid is. A plastic tube is then inserted into the chest between two ribs. The tube is connected to a box that suctions the fluid out. A chest x-ray is taken to check the tube's position. * A chest tube is also used to drain blood and air from the pleural space. This can take several days. The tube is left in place, and the patient usually stays in the hospital during this time. * Sometimes the fluid contains thick pus or blood clots, or it may have formed a hard skin or peel. This makes it harder to drain the fluid. To help break up the pus or blood clots, the doctor may use the chest tube to put certain medicines into the pleural space. These medicines are called fibrinolytics. If the pus or blood clots still do not drain out, surgery may be necessary. Medications A couple of medications are used to relieve<unk>  symptoms: * Paracetamol (acetaminophen) or anti-inflammatory agents to control pain and decrease inflammation. Only indomethacin (brand name Indocin) has been studied with respect to relief of<unk> . * Codeine-based cough syrups to control the cough There may be a role for the use of corticosteroids (for tuberculous<unk> , tacrolimus (Prograf) and methotrexate (Trexall, Rheumatrex) in the treatment of<unk> . Further studies are needed. Lifestyle changes The following may be helpful in the management of<unk> : * Lying on the painful side may be more comfortable * Breathing deeply and coughing to clear mucus as the pain eases. Otherwise, pneumonia may develop. * Getting rest Treating the cause Ideally, the treatment of<unk>  is aimed at eliminating the underlying cause of the disease. * If the pleural fluid is infected, treatment involves antibiotics and draining the fluid. If the infection is tuberculosis or from a fungus, treatment involves long-term use of antibiotics or antifungal medicines. * If the fluid is caused by tumors of the pleura, it may build up again quickly after it is drained. Sometimes anti-tumor medicines prevent further fluid buildup. If they don't, the doctor may seal the pleural space. This is called pleurodesis. Pleurodesis involves the drainage of all the fluid out of the chest through a chest tube. A substance is inserted through the chest tube into the pleural space. This substance irritates the surface of the pleura. This causes the two layers of the pleurae to squeeze shut so there is no room for more fluid to build up. * Chemotherapy or radiation treatment also may be used to reduce the size of the tumors. * If congestive heart failure is causing the fluid buildup, treatment usually includes diuretics and other medicines. The treatment for<unk>  depends on its origin and is prescribed by a physician on a base of an individual assessment. Paracetamol (acetaminophen) and amoxicillin, or other antibiotics in case of bacterial infections, are common remedies dispensed by doctors to relieve the initial symptoms and pain in the chest, while viral infections are self-limited. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), preferably indometacin, are usually employed as pain control agents. Alternative treatments A number of alternative or complementary medicines are being investigated for their anti-inflammatory properties, and their use in<unk> . At this time, clinical trials of these compounds have not been performed. Extracts from the Brazilian folk remedy Wilbrandia ebracteata ("Taiuia") have been shown to reduce inflammation in the pleural cavity of mice. The extract is thought to inhibit the same enzyme, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), as the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Pleurisy
Pericarditis
Hydrothorax
Cholecystitis
Fibrothorax
Myocardial infarction
Pleural empyema
Tietze syndrome  Tietze syndrome  1