Does smoking cause or irritate pleurisy?

Yes: Tobacco consumption in the form of cigarette smoking contains various chemical irritants, which may cause inflammation, and irritation of the airway, including trachea, rhonchi, and bronchials, leading to immotile cilia syndrome. Chronic cough, inflammation, causes irritation of the pleural lining, decreased pleural fluid, increase friction at the lung pleura, resulting in pleurisy.

No: Smoking can irritate pleurisy, but in most of cases it is not a direct cause of it. Need to be evaluated for pleurisy. Few causes are infections, pneumothorax (abnormal collection of air in pleural space), blood clot in lung vessels. chest injuries. heart surgery, lupus, rheumatoid, lung cancer etc....