What is a non-injury-related collapsed lung?

Collapsed lung is a term used to refer to pneumothorax, a potentially life-threatening condition. A pneumothorax occurs when air enters the space between the two layers of the pleura. (The pleura is the membrane that surrounds each of your two lungs.) The air separates the two layers, and causes part or all of one of the lungs to collapse and lose the air that is normally inside the lung. It is then hard to breathe normally and your body gets less oxygen.

When a lung collapses without an obvious cause or from another medical problem, it is called a non-injury-related, or spontaneous, pneumothorax.

How does it occur?

A pneumothorax can suddenly occur for no clear reason in otherwise healthy young people, with or without strenuous activity.

Middle-aged and older adults whose lungs have been damaged by asthma, chronic bronchitis, or emphysema may have a tension pneumothorax. This is a more serious condition in which the pleural cavity fills with air and continues to enlarge. Tension pneumothorax is life-threatening because the air in the pleural cavity puts more pressure on the heart.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of collapsed lung include pain and difficulty breathing. In cases of tension pneumothorax, your neck veins are enlarged. Also, you may see a difference in breathing movements on the affected side of the chest.

How is it diagnosed?

If the doctor suspects pneumothorax, diagnosis and treatment are usually done in a hospital. The doctor will give you a chest x-ray and an electrocardiogram (ECG). An ECG is a painless procedure used to record the electrical impulses that control the activity of the heart.

How is it treated?

Immediate treatment is to remove the air so the lung can reexpand to its original capacity. The air is removed through a suction tube inserted through the wall of the chest or, if the pneumothorax is small, through a needle and syringe. The lung usually reexpands in 48 to 72 hours.

The doctor will check your breathing by monitoring the up and down movements of the chest. Your heart rate and blood pressure will be checked frequently. You will be given oxygen as necessary.

A chest tube may be inserted into the pleural cavity to reinflate the lung and keep the area airtight while the doctor treats the underlying cause.

For tension pneumothorax the doctor may use a procedure called needle thoracentesis to reduce pain and discomfort. A needle is inserted into the pleural cavity to remove the air.

How long will the effects last?

Recovery from a collapsed lung generally takes 1 or 2 weeks. A small pneumothorax in a healthy adult may heal in a few days without treatment. More serious cases need treatment.

Because the effects vary depending on the cause and individual response to treatment, it is best to discuss progress and ongoing effects with your doctor.

How can I take care of myself?

Follow the treatment plan the doctor prescribes. In addition:

• Learn to use deep breathing exercises.

• Prop pillows behind your head and chest and take pain-relieving medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen to reduce pain.

• Rest.

• Eat nutritious foods.

• Avoid loud talking and laughing.

• Take a cough suppressant to avoid coughing, if necessary.

• Elevate the head of your bed.

• Avoid smoking.

Call the doctor if:

• Symptoms of collapsed lung recur.

• Your temperature rises to 101 degrees F (38.3 degrees C).

• Chest pain or shortness of breath increases.

• You have painful coughing.

What can be done to help prevent a non-injury-related collapsed lung?

Prevent recurrence by getting the necessary medical treatment for any respiratory problem, such as asthma or emphysema, as soon as symptoms appear. Also, stop smoking.

If the pneumothorax occurs in both lungs or more than once in the same lung, surgery may be needed to prevent it from occurring again.