Question 1

what does a collapsed lung feel like?

Accepted Answer

Breathing pain: Though mechanisms of injury play a role here, both traumatic and spontaneous pneumothorax (collapsed lung) will lead to shortness of breath and chest pain.  If left untreated, some may lead to tension pneumothorax which may be deadly.  If you see the patient turning pale and taking shallow, frequent, gasping breaths - there is not a minute to waste.

Question 2

what does a collapsed lung sound like?

Accepted Answer

Decreased sounds: A collapsed lung is associated with absent air flow to the involved segment of the lung. On examination, the involved part will have diminished/absent breath sounds. Small areas of lung collapse may not cause any symptoms & can go undetected unless a chest xray is done. The evaluation & treatment depends on patient's history & underlying medical conditions. Talk to your doctor about your specifics.

Question 3

what does it feel like to have a collapsed lung?

Accepted Answer

Trouble breathing: Symptoms of pneumothorax (collapsed lung) include sharp chest pains (especially with breathing), a dry cough, and shortness of breath. If the leaked air is compressing the lungs and heart, it is a tension pneumothorax (life-threatening!) and symptoms include a very anxious looking person with trouble breathing or talking, swollen veins in the neck, & bluish skin color (cyanosis).

Question 4

any info on a spontaneous collapsed lung like what's wrong with me?

Accepted Answer

Bad break: Collapsed lung, or pneumothorax is usually the result of external trauma - car accidents and other causes of i jury. Once in a while, a patient will get a spontaneous pneumothorax. This can be painful and scary. Sometimes there is an identified - and almost always benign - underlying lung abnormality. Sometimes various treatments will be required.

Question 5

collapsed lung recovery?

Accepted Answer

Depends: A collapsed lung may be related to a pneumothorax, or  massive fluid and atelectasis. Some may require surgery such as  placement of a chest tube for a pneumothorax with recovery of several weeks. Large fluid collections or atelectasis causing lung collapse are resolved quickly  by removing the fluid  and or bronchoscopy with immediate recovery.

Question 6

is a collapsed lung bad?

Accepted Answer

Yes: A collapsed lung means that the lung cannot do it's job, bringing oxygen into the body and getting rid of carbon dioxide.

Question 7

how bad is a collapsed lung?

Accepted Answer

Bad: Pneumothorax, hemothorax, chylothorax, hydropneumothorax and atelectasis all emcompass conditions where a lung is "collapsed."  in atelectasis, the lung is not aerated because alveoli are not expanded. This is usually an issue internal to the airways.  The rmainder are due to something outside the actual lung parenchyma - compressing the lung.  All are bad, so talk to your doc.

Question 8

how can i cure a collapsed lung

Accepted Answer

Need more info: "collapsed" lung is a term that can mean several different things. Collapsed lung can mean a pneumothorax which is treated with a chest tube, or a collapsed lung can mean an obstructed bronchus which is treated, when possible, by removing the obstruction.

Question 9

what can cause a collapsed lung?

Accepted Answer

Multiple: External and internal. External causes are trauma, diagnostic procedures, etc. Internal factors deal with an increase in pressure in the lung, causing rupture of a pre- existing issue (pulmonary bleb). Pressure increases can be a cough, sneeze, or being on a ventilator. Air leaves the lung or enters the chest through a defect, causing collapse of the lung.

Question 10

can you die from a collapsed lung?

Accepted Answer

Tension pneumothorax: You can die from collapsed lung, as it progresses quickly to a tension pneumothorax.  Eventually, the pressure will collapse your other lung and vessels. Untreated, death will occur. First responders, emt and trauma providers are trained to recognize and release the pressure associated with a collapsed lung, to prevent tension pneumothorax.

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