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Life After - Pleural Disorders - Life After

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As you recover from your treatment for a pleural disorder, it is important to follow your treatment plan. You may need to follow up with your doctor regularly to monitor your condition. You will also want to take steps to prevent complications or a repeat pleural disorder.

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\n Receive routine follow-up care \n
- Pleural Disorders - Life After

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If your pleural disorder is caused by a disease such as COPD, be sure to follow the treatment plan for that condition.

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  • Talk to your doctor about how often you need to schedule follow-up visits. To monitor your condition, your doctor may recommend a chest X-ray six weeks after treatment.
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  • See your doctor a few weeks after a pneumothorax to make sure it has cleared up.
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  • If you have a Heimlich valve, ask your doctor how often it needs to be inspected by a healthcare provider.
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If you have an IPC to drain pleural fluid, it may stay in for a few months or longer. Infection is possible around the insertion site, but infections can usually be treated without removing the IPC.

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Return to Treatment to review possible treatment options for your pleural disorder.

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\n Prevent a repeat spontaneous pneumothorax event \n
- Pleural Disorders - Life After

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After a spontaneous pneumothorax, you are at risk of having another spontaneous pneumothorax. People who have underlying lung disease are more likely to have another spontaneous pneumothorax.

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Quitting smoking if you smoke and not starting if you do not smoke can help reduce your risk.

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\n Learn the warning signs of serious complications and have a plan \n
- Pleural Disorders - Life After

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If you have severe chest pain or trouble breathing, call 9-1-1. A tension pneumothorax is a life-threatening medical emergency.

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Visit our Cardiogenic Shock health topic to learn the symptoms of shock.

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\n Learn about other precautions to help you stay safe \n
- Pleural Disorders - Life After

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If you have or have recently had a pneumothorax, your doctor may recommend the following precautions to help you stay safe.

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  • Avoid strenuous exercise and contact sports until your doctor says it is safe.
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  • Do not fly. Ask your doctor when it is safe again to fly.
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  • Do not go scuba diving unless your doctor says you have zero risk of recurrence. If a pneumothorax recurs during diving, it can cause a tension pneumothorax, which is a life-threatening complication.
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  • Tell your doctor if you are pregnant. Talk to your doctor about how to manage your delivery so that the pneumothorax does not get worse. Also talk about whether you should have surgery later to prevent another pneumothorax in a future pregnancy.
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Syndicated Content Details:
Source URL: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/subscribe/4558
Source Agency: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Captured Date: 2019-10-21 19:28:00.0
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