Pleurisy

What are the signs and symptoms of the condition?

Pain with breathing is the most common symptom of pleurisy. The pain in the chest is often described as "knifelike". Others describe the pain as an ache or a catch in the chest with breathing. The pain is intensified with each breath. The affected person often breathes very shallowly to reduce the pain of pleurisy. Shallow breathing for a prolonged period can result in collapse of parts of the lung, known as atelectasis. Simply moving the upper body sometimes worsens the pain of pleurisy. A person will often adopt a very still posture to avoid additional pain.