Home > Conditions / Ailments > Pleurisy > DESCRIPTION Pleurisy occurs when the very thin delicate lining around the outside if the lungs, called the pleura, becomes infected. Sometimes this causes fluid to collect in the space surrounding the lungs. There is a variety of causes of pleurisy, among which are tuberculosis, pneumonia and other infections, cancer, and blood clots lodge in the arteries to the lungs. These clots usually come from the blood vessels in the legs or pelvis. Fluid in the pleural spaces around the lungs can also result from heart failure or kidney disease. Cancer frequently causes bloody fluid to collect around the lungs. Symptoms: Pleurisy frequently begins with fever, chills, and a sharp chest pain, which is made much worse by breathing. A cough is frequently present. Large amounts of fluid cause shortness of breath. The pain in the chest is increased by coughing, breathing, lying on the affected side or pressure. In chronic pleurisy, the symptoms are slight pain, rapid pulse, dry hacking cough, shortness of breath, and increasing debility. SUGGESTED PRODUCTS: For More Info On Products Click On Item Descriptions.